The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1904-12-10

TO organize and by all peaceful and honor
able means to endeavor to persuade their
fellows to join with them in organiza-
They have a legal right, which,
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 Vlo-
lence upon those, whether capitalists or
wage-workers, who refuse to support
their organizations, or who side with
those with whom they are at odds; Tor
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, TOT
instance, are liable to be MANNED In 40
ing the legitimate work OF their profes-
sion. unless the railroad companies are
required by law to make ample provision
for their safety. The administrator mas
been jealous in enforcing the existing law
for this purpose. That law should De
amended and strengthened. Wherever
the national government has power tnere
should be a stringent employers liability
law, which should apply to the govern
ment itself where the government Is al
employer of labor.
In my message to the tlity-seVehtn
congress, at its second session., l urgeu
the passage of an employers liability la"
for the District of Columbia l now re-
new that recommendation, and further
recommend that the congress appoint a
commission to make a COMPREHENSIVE
study of employers liability with the
view of extending the provisions Oh d
great and constitutional law to an en-
within the scope of federal
power.
Medals of Honor.
The government has recognized heroism
upon the water, and bestows medals Oh
honor upon those persons who by eN-
treme and heroic daring have endangered
their lives in saving, or endeavorlng 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 to cover cases of conspicuous
bravery and self-sacrifice in the saving
of life in private employments under the
jurisdiction of the United States, anu
particularly in the land OF the
nation.
Prevention of Railroad Accidents.
The ever-increasing casualty list upon
/ orr railroads is a matter of grave PUBIC
concern, and urgently calls for action by
! the congress. In the matter or speed ana
/ comfort of railway travel our rallroaos
give at Least as good service as those OF
anv other nation. and there is no reason
why this service should not also be as safe
as human ingenuity can make 1t. Many or
our leading roads have been foremost IN
the adoption of the most approved saIe-
guards for the protection of trave4ers ann
employees. yet the list of clearly aVoldap4e
accidents continues unduly large. Inc
passage of a law requiring the aOoptloh oI
a block signal system has been proposed
IN the congress. l earnestly concur In
that recommendation, and would also point
out to the congress the urgent need OF
legislation in the interest of the puollc
safety limiting the hours of labor Tor rail-
road employees in train service upon Idl4,
roads engaged in interstate commerce, ana
providing that orly trained and experienced
nersons be employed in positions of re-
sponsibility connected with the operation
of trains. OF course, nothing can ever
nrevent accidents caused by human weak
ness or misconduct; and there snou+u De
drastic punishment for any raliroad en-
ploye. whether officer or man, who by lssu-
ance of wrong orders or by dlsoCedlehce
of orders causes disaster. The law or lSOl,
recurring interstate railroads to make
monthly reports of all accidents to passen-
gers and employees on duty, should also De
amended so az to empower the government
TO make a personal investigation, through
nroper officers. of all accidents involving
loss of life which seem to require lnVestlsa-
tion with a requirement that the results
of such investigation be made pubic.
The safety appliance law, as amended by
the act Of March 2, 1903, has proved bene-
fetal to railway employees, and In oruer
that it's provisions may be properly carried
out. the force of inspectors provided for by
concentration should be largely increased
This service is analogous to the
inspection service, and deals with even
more important interests. 1t has passed
the experi- entail stage and demonstrates
its utility. and should receive generous
49, 49,, h. tho nnnOrnGC
Unions of Government Employees.
There is no objection to employees of The
government forming or belonging Il
unions; but the government can neither
discriminate for nor discriminate agalnsi
~nonunion men who are in it's employment
or who seek to be employed under II
Moreover, it is a very grave 1mproprletI
for government employees to band them
? selves together for the purpose of eXtortlns
: iunronerly high salaries from the govern
ment. Especially is this true of these with
in 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 pay
+ ment must be obtained by arguing thel
, claims fairly and honorably before IN
f congress, and not by banding together TO
; the defeat of those congressman who re
!, fuse to give promises which they canno
in conscience give. The administration ma
already taken steps to prevent and punlsl
= abuses of this nature; but 1t VIII be WIS
/ for the congress to supplement this actlol
S by legislation.
= Corporations.
When we come to deal with great COZ
: porations the need for the government [
L act directly is far greater than in the cas-
of labor, because great corporations ca
become such only by engaging in interstat
commerce, and interstate is Pc
c~uliarly the field of the general govern
ment. 1t is an absurdity to expect to elm
mate the abuses in great corporations o
e state action. 1t is difficult to be patien
4 with an argument that such matters Shout
: be left to the states, because more tina
. one state pursues the policy of creating o
:! easy terms corporations which are neve
= onerated within that state at all, but l
other states whose laws they ignore. IN
national government alone can deal aof
uuately with these great corporations. L
: try to deal with them in an intemperat'
, destructive or demagogic spirit would, ]
all probability, mean that nothing wha'
ever would be accomplished, and with al
:. solute certainty that If anything were az
complished it would be Of a harmful ne
ture. The American people need to col
tinue to show the very qualities that the
have ~shown-that is, moderation, goo
sense. the earnest desire to avoid doing an
damage, and yet the quiet determination
- nroceed. step by step, without halt ar