The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-12-06

ton OF labor IN order pelleE 70 StCufe
the rights Of the individual wagework
er. All encouragement should be given
to any such organization 50 long as 1t
Is conducted with due and decent re-
gard for the rights Of others. There
are in this country some labor unions
which have habitually and other labor
unions which have often been among
the most effective agents in working
for good citizenship aud for uplifting
the condition OF those whose welfare
should be closest to our hearts But
when any labor union seeks improper
ends or seeks to achieve proper ends
by improper means all good citizens,
and more especially all honorable pub
&c servants, must oppose the wrongdo-
ing as resolutely IS they would oppose
the wrongdoing Of any great corpora
ton. Violence, brutality or corruption
should not for one moment be tolerat-
ID
Entire Right 70 Organize
Wageworkers have an entire right
to organize and By all peaceful and
honorable means to endeavor to per
suade their fellows to join with them
III organizations. They have legal
right. which, according to circum-
stances. may or may not be moral
right. to refuse to work III company
with men who decline to join their or
ganlzations They have under no cir
eumstances the right to commit vic
ience upon those, whether capitalists
or wageworkers. who refuse to support
their organizations OF who side with
those with whom they are at odds. for
mob rule is intolerable 10 any form
The wageworkers are peculiarly enti-
He'd 10 the protection and the encour-
agement Of the law. Wherever the IA.
tional government has power there
should be a stringent employers llabiI-
hy law. which should apply to the gov
eminent itself where the government
b an employer Of labor
Prevention OF Railroad Accidents
The ever increasing casualty list up
on our railroads Is matter OF grave
public concern and urgently calls for
action by the congress. The passage Of
law requiring the adoption OF d 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
safety limiting the hours OF labor for
railroad employees In train service up
on railroads engaged in interstate COM
merce and providing that only trained
and experienced persons be employed
in positions Of responsibility connected
with the operation Of trains.
The safety appliance law, as amend
ed by the act of March 2. 1903, has
proved beneficial to railway employees,
and In order that its provisions may be
properly carried out the force Of In
spectors provided for by appropriation
should be largely increased. This sery-
Ice has passed the experimental stage
and should receive generous recognl.
ton by the congress.
Unionfsm In Government oflces.
There Is no objection to employees OF
the government forming or belonging
TO unions, bit the government can nei-
Their discriminate for nor discriminate
against nonunion men who are in Is
employment or who seek TO be en-
ployed under IT. Moreover, It Is very
grave improperly 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 IS
a 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
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 viii be
wise fer the congress to supplement
NnaS ANtAVH w e9lSldtioIt
Bureau OF Labor.
| Much can be done by the government
IN labor matters merely by giving pub
lefty to certain conditions. The bureau
Of labor has done excellent work Of
this kind in many different directions
! shall shortly lay before you in a rpe.
cial message the full report Of the In
yestigation Of the bureau of labor into
the Colorado mining strike, as this Is 9
strike Ia which certain very evil forces
which are more or less at work every
where under the conditions Of modern
industrlalisn. became startlingly prom
inent It ID greatly to be wished that
the department Of commerce and la
Dor. through the labor bureau, should
compile and arrange for the congress
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