Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-12-09

President RoOsevelt's message to
Congress, read at the opening of the
short session of that body, deals vol
uminously with questions of state.
The subject of tariff revision is left
for further communication. Sub
stantially the message is as follows:
To the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives:
The nation continues to enjoy note
worthy prosperity. Such prosperity is of
course primarily due to the high indvid-
ual average of our citizenship, taken to-
gether with our great natural resources:
but an important factor therein is the
working of our long continued govern
mental policies. The people have en-
phatically expressed their approval of the
principles underlying these policies, and
their desire that these principles be kept
substantially unchanged although of
course applied in a progressive spirit to
meet changing conditions.
Caution Against Extravaganza.
The enlargement of scope of the func-
tons of the national government re-
CURED by our development as a nation
involves, of course. increase of expense;
and the period of prosperity through
which the country is passing justifies ex-
penditures for permanent improvements
far greater than would be wise in hard
times. Battle ships and forts. public
buildings, and improved waterways are
investments which should be made when
we have the money; but abundant rev.
enues and large surplus always invite
extravaganza. and constant care should
he taken to guard against unnecessary
increase of the ordinary expenses of gov
eminent.
Capital and Labor.
In the vast and complicated mechanism
of our modern civilized life the dominant
note is the note of industrialism; and the
relations of capital and labor. and espe-
cially of organized capital and organized
labor, to each other and to the public at
large come second in importance only to
the intimate questions of family life.
AS long as the states retain the prim-
airy control of the police power the cir
cumstances must be altogether extreme
which require interference by the federal
authorities. whether in the way of safe
guarding the rights of labor or in the
way of seeing that wrong is not done by
rnruly persons who shield themselves be-
hind the name OF labor. If there is re-
sistance to the federal courts. interfer-
ence with the mails or interstate COM
merce. or molestation of federal property.
or If the state authorities in some crisis
which they are unable to face call for
help. then the federal government may
interfere; but though such interference
may be caused by a condition of things
arising out of trouble connected with
some question of labor, the interference
itself simply takes the form of restoring
order without regard to the questions
which have caused the breach of order
for to keep order is primary duty and
in time of disorder and violence all 9TH
err questions sink into allegiance until or
der has been restored. In the District
of Columbia and in the territories the
federal law covers the entire field of gov
eminent: but the labor question is only
acute in populous centers of commerce.
or mining. Nevertheless.
both in the enactment and in the en-
forcement of law the federal government
within its restricted sphere should set an
example to the state governments, espe
cially in a matter so vital as this affect
ing labor. believe that under modern
Industrial conditions it is often necessary.
and even where not necessary it is yet
often wise. that there should be organ
ization of labor in order better to secure
the rights of the individual wage worker
All encouragement should be given to any
such organization. so long as it Is con-
Quoted with a due and decent regard for
the rights of others. There are in this
country some iapor unions whicn nave
hara often been among the most effec-
tive agents in working for good citizen
ship and for uplifting the condition of
NOS mmose T p,,t uhen anv ,ohor ,r,ou
socks imnroner ends or seeks to achieve
proper ends by improper means. all good
citizens and more especially all honorable
public servants must oppose the wrong
doing as resolutey as they would oppose
the wrongdoing of any great corporation.
OF course any violence, brutality, or cor
ruption. should not for me moment be
tolerated. Wage-workers have an entire
right to organize and by all peaceful and
means to endeavor to persuade
their fellows to ioin with them in organ
Izotions They have n legal right. which.
according TO circumstances. NAV or may
NOT he a moral right. to refuse to work |
In comnany with men who decline TO ioin |
their orga nizations. They have under no
the right to commit yio-
ence upon those. whether capitalists or
No. ge- workers who refuse to sunnort |
tbejr organizations. or who side with |
those with whom they are at odds: for |
mob rule is intOlerable in any form.
Tho amendment and siren gtheninp |