Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-06

Inspection Service, and deals with even
more important interests. 1t has passed
ne experimental stage and demonstrated its
utility. and should receive generous recog-
milton by the Congress
Unions of Government Employees.
There is no objection to employees of the
Government forming or belonging to uni ons;
but the Government can neither discrinl-
nate for nor discriminate against nonunion
men who are in its employment. or who
seek TO be employed under it. Moreover. II
= a very grave improperly for Government
employees to band themselves together for
the purpose of extorting improperly high
salaries from the Government Especially
is This true of those within the ciassihed
service The letter carriers, both municipal
and rural. are as whole an excellent BODY
Of public servants They should be amply
paid. But their payment must be obtained
by arguing their claims fairly and honora-
bly, before the Congress, and not by band
ing together for the defeat of those Con-
gressmen who refuse to give promises
which they cannot in conscience give. Ths
Administration has already taken steps TO
prevent and punish abuses OF this nature
but Il will be wise for the Congress TO sup
plement this action by legislation
Much can be done by the Government
in labor matters merely by giving pub
licity to certain conditions. The Bureau
of Labor has done excellent work OF TINS
kind i'm many different directions. I shah
shortly lay before you in special mes
sage the full report of the investigation
of the Bureau of Labor into the Colorado
mining strike. as this is strike in which
certain very evil forces, which are more
or less at work everywhere under the
conditions of modern industrialism be-
came startlingly prominent. 1t is greatly
to be wished that the Department or Com
merce and Labor. through the Labor Bu-
reau. should compile and arrange for the
Congress a list Of the labor laws or the
various States and should be given the
means to investigate and report to the
Congress upon the labor conditions in the
manufacturing and mining regions
throughout the country, both as to wages,
as to hours of labor, as to the labor or
women and children, and as to the erect
in the various labor centerS or imml gra-
ton from abroad. In this investigation
especial attention should be paid to the
conditions of child labor and child-labor
legislation in the several States. Such an
investigation must necessarily take into
account many of the problems with which
this question of child labor is connected.
These problems can be actually met. IN
most cases. only by the States them
selves: but the lack of proper legislation
I'M one State in such matter as child la
Dor often renders it excessively difficult
the work in another State having the
same industries, so that the worst tends
to drag down the better. For this reason,
1t would be well for the Nation at least
to endeavor to secure comprehensive in
formation as to the conditions of labor of
children in the different States. Such in
vestigation and publication by the Ma
tional Government would tend toward
the securing of approximately uniform
legislation of the proper character among
the several States.
Great Corporations.
When we come to deal with great cor
rorations the need for the Government to
act directly is far greater than in the case
Ct labor. because great corporations can
become such only by engaging In interstate
commerce. and interstate commerce is
peculiarly the field of the General Govern
ment 1t is an absurdity to expect to eliml
nate the abuses In great corporations by
State action. 1t is difficult to be patient
with an argument that such matters should
be left to the States because more than
one State pursues the policy of creating on
easy terms corporations which are never
operated within that State at all, but in
other States whose laws they ignore. The
National Government alone can deal ade-
quately with these great corporations. To
try to deal with them in an Incorporate,
destructive. or demagogic spirit would. In
iii probability. mean that nothing what
ever would be accomplished. and, with alb
solute certainty. that II anything were ac-
comDlLshed 1t would be of harmful nature.
The American people need to continue 10
show the very qualities that they have
skown-that is. moderation. good sense, the
earnest desire to avoid doing any damage.
and yet the quiet determine ton to proceed,
step by step, without halt and without
hurry. in eliminating or at least In mininiz-
ing whatever of mischief or of evil there Is
to Interstate commerce In the conduct or
great corpora tons. They are acting In no
spirit OF hostility to wealth. either indi-
v!dual or corporate. They are not against
the rich man any more than against the
poor man. On the contrary. they are
friendly alike toward rich man and toward
poor man. provided only that each acts IN
a spirit of Justice and decency toward his
fellows. Great corporations are necessary.
and only men of great and singular mental
power can manage such corporations sue
cessfully and such men must have great
rewards. But these CORPORATIONS should be
managed with due regard to the interest OF
the public as whole. Where this be
done under the present laws 1t must be
done. Where these laws come short others
should be enacted to supplement them
Yet we must never forget the determining
factor in every kind of work, of head or
hand. must be the mans own good sense,
courage, and kindness. More important
than any legislation is the gradual growth
OF a feeling of responsibility and forbear-
ance among capitalists and wage-workers
alike: feeling of respect on the part of each
man for the rights of others; feeling of
capitalists among themselves and of wage
workers among themselves, but of capital
lists and wage-workers in their relations
. to each other. and both In their relations to
their fellows who with them make up the
body polite. There are many captains of
industry, many labor leaders, who realize
this A recent speech by the president Of
Of our great railroad systems to the
employees of that system contains sound
common sense. 1t runs in part as follows
1T Is my belief we can better serve each
other. better understand the man as well
his business. when meeting face to face
exchanging views. and realizing from per-
sonal contact serve but one interest
that of our mutual prosperity.
Serious misundersta ndings can not &C.
cur where personal good will exists and op-
portunity for personal explanation is pres
ent.
In my early business life had expert
ence with men of affairs of character to
make me desire to avoid creating a like
feeling OF resentment to myself and the in
terests in my charge, should fortune ever
place me in authority, and am solicitous
OF a measure of confidence on the part of
the public and our employees that / shall
hope may be warranted by the fairness and
good fellowship Intend shall prevail In
our relationship.
But do not feel I am disposed to grant
unreasonable requests. spend the money of
company unnecessarily or without