The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1904-12-29


should be largely increased. This serv-
Ice has passed the experimental stage
and should receive generous recogni-
lion by the congress.
Unionism In Government Omces.
There is no objection to employees Of
the government forming or belonging
to unions. but the government can nei-
ther discriminate for nor discriminate
against nonunion men who are in its
employment or who seek to be em-
ployed under it. Moreover, it is very
grave impropiiety for government EN-
ployees to band themselves together
FOR the purpose of eXtorting improperly
high salaries from the government.
Especially is this true of those within
| the classified service. The letter car
riers, 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 hon
I orably before the congress and not by
/ banding together for the defeat of
! those congressman who refuse to give
| promises which they cannot in con-
science give. The administration has
| taken steps to prevent and punish
abuses of this nature, but it will be
wise for the congress to supplement
this action by legislation.
Bureau of Labor.
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
| this kind i'll many different directions
/ shall shortly lay before you in spe-
cial message the full report of the in
vcstigation of the bureau of labor into
! the Colorado mining strike, as this is a
strike in which certain very evil forces,
| which are more or less at work every
| where under the conditions of modern
| fndustrialism became startlingly prom
inent. 1t is greatly to be wished that
the department Of commerce and la
bor, through the labor bureau should
compile and arrange for the congress
] a list Of the labor laws of the various
states and should be given the means
to investigate and report to the con-
gress 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 OF women and children and
J rs to the effect in the various labor
centers of immigration from abroad.
In this investigation especial attention
| should be paid to the conditions OF
| child labor and child labor legislation
in the several states.
| Corporations.
| When we come to deal with great
| corporations the need for the govern
haent to act directly is far greater than
| IN the case OF Iabor, hn-auGn great cor
| porat!ons can become such only by en-
| gaging in interstate commerce, and in
terstate commerce is peculiarly the
field of the General government. 1t Is
an absurdity to expect to eliminate the
abuses in great corporations by state
| action. II 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 Great
ing on easy terms corporations which
are neve. operated within that state
Mt all, but in other states whose laws
they ignore Tie national government
alone can Ceal adequately with these
great corporations. 70 try to deal
with them in an intemperate, destruc-
tive or de,naSogic spirit would in all
probability mean that nothing what
ever would be accomplished. and with
absolute certainty that il anything
were accomplished it would be OF a
| harmful nature The American peO-
ple need to continue to show the very
qualities that they have shown-that is.
modera. or. good sense. the earnest
desire to a~2',l doing any damage and
yet the quiet determination to proceed,
stcn hy ste- without halt and without
hurry, in eliminating or at least in
| minimizing whatever of mischief or OF
| evil there il to interstate commerce
in the conduct of great corporations.
They are acting in no spirit of hostility
to wealth, either individual or cor
porate They are not against the rich
man any more than against the poor
man. On the contrary. they are friend
~ alike toward rich man and toward
Door man, provided only that each acts
in n spirit of justice and decency to,
ward his fellows Great corporations
are necessary. and only men of great
and singular mental power can man
age sch corporations successfully
md such men must have great re
wards. But these corporations should
be managed with due regard to. the
| interest of the public as whole
Where this can be done under the pres
| ent laws ii must be done. Where
these laws come short others should
be enacted 70 supplement them.
Bureau of Corporations.
The bureau of corporations has made
careful preliminary investigation o
many important corporations. 1t will
make special report on the beer In
dustry.
The policy of the bureau is to &C
!. complish the purposes Of its creation
: by cooperation. not antagonism; b.
j making constructive legislation, no
{ destructive prosecution, the fmmediat
object Of its inquiries: by conservative
+ investigation of law and fact and b.
: refusal to issue incomplete and henc
: necessarily inaccurate reports. Its po
e lev being thus one Of open inquiry int
J. and not attack upon business. the bu
= reau has been able to gain not only th
t confidence. nut, better still, the ce-or
eration, of men engaged in legitimat
business.
J. The bureau offers to the congres
e the means Of getting AZ the cost OF pr
r 1uction of oi.r various great staples G
u commerce.
K OF necessity the careful Investigate
70 Of special corporations will afford tt
It commissioner knowledge Of certal
It business facts, the publication Of whic
II might be an improper infringement
lc private rights. The method OF maxim
,r public the results Of these investig
D. tions affords, under the law, mear
a. for the protection of private right
n | The congress will have all facts exec