The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-12-08

recommend that the congress- appoint d
commission to make a comprehensive
study of employers liability with the
view of extending the provisions Of
great and constitutional law to all en-
pigments within the scope of federal
power.
Medals Of Homer.
The government has recognized heroism
upon the water, and bestows medals OF
honor upon those persons who by ex-
IRENE and heroic daring have endangered
their lives in saving, or endeavortng to
save, lives from the perils of the sea in
the waters over which the United States
has jurisdiction, or upon an American
vessel. This recognition should be ex-
tended to cover cases of conspicuous
bravery and self-sacrifice In the saving
of life in private. employments under the
jurisdiction of the United States. and
particularly in the land commerce OF the
nation.
Prevention of Railroad Academia.
The eyer-increasing casualty list upon
our railroads is matter of grave pubic
concern, and urgently calls for action by
the congress. In the matter OF speed and
comfort of railway travel our railroads
give at least as good service as those OF
any other nation. and there is no reason
why this service should not also be as safe
as human ingenuity can make 1t. Many of
the adoption Of the most approved safe
guards for the protection Of travellers and
employees, yet the list of clearly avoidable
accidents continues unduly large. The
passage of a law requiring the adoption OF
a block signal system has been proposed
to the congress. earnestly concur in
that recommendation, and would also point
out to the congress the urgent need of
legislation in the interest OF the public
no Of III.
road employees in train service upon rail-
roads engaged In interstate commerce. and
providing that only trained and experienced
persons be employed in positions Of res
sponsibility connected with the operation
of trains. OF course, nothing can ever
prevent accidents caused by human weak
ness or misconduct: and there should be
drastic punishment for any railroad ems
ploye, whether officer or man, who by issu-
ance of wrong orders or by disobedience
Of orders causes disaster. The law OF 1901.
requiring interstate railroads to mako
monthly reports OF all accidents to passen-
gers and employees on duty, should also ce
amended so as to empower the government
to make personal investigation. through
proper officers, of all accidents involving
loss of life which seem to require investiga-
ton. with a requirement that the results
of such investigation be made public.
The safety appliance law. as amended by
the act Of March 2, 1903, has proved Eene-
fetal to railway employees. and In order
that its provisions may be properly carried
out. the force of inspectors provided for by
appropriate should be largely increased.
This service is analogous to the steamboat
INSPECTION service, and deals with even
more important interests. It has passed
the experimental stage and dem onstrated
its utility. and should receive generous
recognition by the congress.
Unions Of Government Employer.
There is no objection to employees Of the
government forming or belonging to
unions; but the government can neither
discriminate for nor discriminate against
nonunion men who are in its employment,
or who seek to- be employed under it.
Moreover, it is very grave improperly
for government employees to band them
selves together for the purpose Of extorting
improperly high.salaries from the govern
ment. Especially is this true of those with
in the classified service. The letter car
riers, both municipal and rural. are as a
whole an excellent body of public servants.
They should be amply paid. But their pay
1hent must be obtained by argulngStheir
claims fairly and honorably before the
congress, and not by banding together for
the defeat of those congressman who re-
fuse to give promisesSwhich they cannot
in conscience give. The administration has
already taken steps to prevent and punish
abuses of this natures but It will be wise
for the congress to supplement this action
by legislation. ~ + sesafE tf
Z - Corporations. @&ff sf@aE.
When we come to deal with great cor
,porations the need for the government to
act directly is far greaterAthan In the case
of labor, because great corporations can
become such only by engaging in interstate
commerce, and interstate commerce is Pc
culiarly the field Of the general govern
ment. It is an absurdity to expect to elm
mate 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 aGe-
quately with these great corporations. To
try to deal with them in an incorporate.
destructive or demagogic spirit would. In
all probability, mean that nothing what
ever would be accomplished, and with abb
solute certainty that II anything were ac-
complished 1t would be of harmful ma
ture. The American people need to con-
tinue to show the very qualities that they
have shown-that is. moderation, good
sense, the earnest desire to avoid doing any
proceed, step by step. without halt and
without hurry, in eliminating or at least in
minimizing whatever Of mischief or of evil
there is to interstate commerce in the con-
duct Of great corporations. They are act
ing in no spirit Of hostility to wealth. either
individual 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 neces-
-sary, ana only men Of great and singular
mental power can manage such corpora
lions successfully. and suchmen must have
great rewards. But these corporations
should be managed withdue regardfo the
interest Of the public % whole. WheFe
this can be done under the present lawgit
must be DONE Where these laws come
short others should be enacted to supple
ment 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 legislationfs the gradual growth