Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1904-12-08


to organize and by all peaceful and honor
able means TO endeavor to persuade their
fellows to Join with them In organlza.
| lions. They have a legal right, which,
according to circumstances, may or may
not be a moral right. to refuse to work
| in company with men who decline TO Join
| their organizations They have under no
circumstances the right to commit vio-
lencc upon those, whether capitalists or
wage-workers. who refuse to support
their organizations. or who side with
those with whom they are at odds: for
| mob rule Is intolerable In any form.
. Employers Liability Law.
The wage-workers are peculiarly en-
titled to the protection and the encour-
| agement OF the law. From the very ma
ture OF their occupation railroad men. Tor
instance, are liable to be MANNED In do
Ing the legitimate work OF their profess
| sion. unless the railroad companies are
required by law to make ample provision
| for their safety. The administration has
| been jealous In enforcing the existing law
| for this purpose That law should be
amended and strengthened. Wherever
| the national government has power there
| should be stringent employers liability
law, which should apply to the govern
| ment itself where the government Is an
! employer OF labor.
In my message to the Flfty-Sevchtn
congress, ut its second session. urged
| the passage OF an employers liability law
| for the District OF Columbia l now re-
new that recommendation. and further
recommend that the congress appoint
commission to mako comprehensive
study OF employers liability with the
view OF extending the provisions OF a
great and constitutional law to all EN-.
ployments within the scope OF federal
power.
Medals Of Honor.
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 endeavorlnB 10
, 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 10 cover cases OF conspicuous
! bravery and self-sacrlfice 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 Accidents.
The ever-increasing casualty list upon
our railroads Is a 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
our leading roads have been foremost n
the adoption of the most approved SAFE
guards for the protection Of travellers ano
III
| employees, yet the list OF clearly avoidaD!e
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 III
| that recommendation, and would also point
out to the congress the urgent need OF
| legislation In the interest OF the pubic
safety limiting the hours Of labor for rail-
road employees In train service upon rail-
roads engaged in interstate commerce, and
providing that orly trained and experienced
| persons be employed In positions OF re-
| sponslbility connected with the operation
of trains. or course. nothing can ever
| prevent accidents caused by human weak
ness or misconduct; and there should be
drastic punishment for any railroad en-
ployc, whether officer or man. who BY issu-
| ance OF wrong orders or by disobedience
| of orders causes disaster. The law OF ls0l,
III
monthly reports of oil accidents to passen-
gers and employees on duty. should also be
amended SO as to empower the government
| to make a personal investigation, through
proper officers. Of all accidents involving
| loss Of life which seem TO require investiga-
ton. with o requirement that the results
of such investigation be made public.
The safety appliance law. as amended by
| the act of March 2, 1908. has proved bene-
| fetal to railway employees. and In orcer
| that It's provisions may be properly carried
out. the force OF inspectors provided for by
| appropriation should be largely Increased.
| This service Is analogous to the steamboat
inspection service. and deals with even
more important interests. 1t has passed
| the experimental stage and demonstrated
its utility, and should receive generous
recognition BY the congress.
Unions Of Government Employees.
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 1t Is a 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
ment must be obtained by arguing their
claims fairly and honorably before the
congress, and not by banding together for
the defeat Of those congressman WHO re-
fuse to give promises which they cannot
in conscience give The administration has
already taken steps to prevent and punish
abuses OF this nature; but It will be wise
for the congress to supplement this action
by legislation.
Corporations.
When we come to deal with great cor
porations the need for the government TO
act directly is far greater than 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. 1t is an absurdity to expect to elm
mate 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 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
all probability, mean that nothing what
ever would be accomplished. and with abb
solute certainty that II anything were ac-