The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1904-12-09
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
READ TO CONGRESS
Document Deals Vol,1minously with
Questions of State---Tariff Left for
Future Communication---Po Position of
the Government Toward Organized
Labor---Dealing with Illegal Combi-
nations.


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 a 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 individ-
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-
tions of the national government re-
quired 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-
DenulIuTeS 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 a large surplus always invite
extravaganza, and constant care should
be 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, interior
ence with the mails, or interstate COM
merce, or molestation of federal property.
or If tn, state authorities in some crisis
which thy 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 a tirpa of disorder and ViOlpnPa all Otb-
er 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,
manufactures, 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. l 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-w worker.
Ali 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 labor unions which have
fabitually, and other labor unions which
have often. been among the most effec
tive agents in working for good citizen
ship and 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
public servants must oppose the wrong
doing as resolutely as they would oppose
the wrongdoing of any great corporation.
OF course any violence, brutality, or cor
ruption should not for one moment be
tolerated. Wage workers have an entire
right to organize and by all peaceful and
honorable means to endeavor to persuade
their fellows to join with them in organ
izations They have q legal right, which,
according to circumsta nces, may or may
not be q 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-
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; for
mob rule is intolerable in any form.
The amendment and Strengthening
of the employers liability law is rec
commended, and the passage Of law
requiring the adoption of block sig
nal system, to prevent railroad acct
dents urged.
Unions of Government Employees.
The message continues:
There is no objection to employees Of
the government forming or belonging to
unions: but the government can neither
discriminate for nor discriminate against
non-union men who are in its employ
ment. or who seek to be employed under
it. Moreover. It is a very grave impro-
priety for government employees 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 carriers. both municipal and rural.
are as a whole an excellent body of pub
lie servants They should be amply paid.
But their payment must be obtained by
arguing their claims fairly and honorably
before the Congress. and not by banding
together for the defeat OF those congress-
men who refuse to give promises which
they can not In conscience give. The
Administration has already taken steps
to prevent and punish abuses Of this ma
ture; but II viii be wise for the Congress
10 supplement this action by legislation.
Bureau Of Labor.
.r..... - ~ dona nv fha Qoxernueuf