River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-12-07

degree destroyed by the weapon of delay,
almost the most formidable weapon in
| the hands of those whose purpose it is
to violate the law
The question Of transportation lies
at the root of all industrial success,
and the revolution in transportation
which has taken place during the last
half century has been the most i'm
portant factor in the growth of the
new industrial conditions. Most en-
phatically we do not wish to see the
man of great talents refused the re-
ward for his talents. Still less do we
wish to see him penalized; but we do
desire to see the system of railroad
| transportation so handled that the
strong man shall be given no advan-
| tage over the weak man. We wish to
insure as fair treatment for the small
town as for the big city; for the small
shipper as for the big shipper. In the
old days the highway of commerce,
whether by water or by road on
land, was open to all: it belonged to
the public and the traffic along it was
free. At present the railway is this
highway, and we must do our best to
see that it is kept open to all on equal
terms. Unlike the old highway it is
a very difficult and complex thing to
manage, and it is far better hat it
should be managed by private a. Ii
viduals than by the government. But
it can only be so managed on condi-
ton that justice is done the public.
IG is because, in my judgment, public
ownership of railroads is highly I'M
desirable and would probably in this
country entail far-reaching disaster,
that I wish to see such supervision
and regulation of them in the inter-
est of the public as will make it evil
dent that there is no need for public
ownership The opponents of govern
ment regulation dwell upon the diff
culties to be encountered and the in
tricate and involved nature of the
problem. Their contention is true.
1t is a complicated and delicate prob
lem, and all kinds of difficulties are
sure to arise in connection with any
plan of solution, while no plan will
bring all the benefits hoped for by
it's more optimistic adherents. More
over, under any healthy plan, the ben
efits will develop gradually and not
rapidly. Finally, we must clearly un-
derstand that the public servants who
are to do this peculiarly responsible
and delicate work must themselves be
of the highest type both as regards
integrity and efficiency. They must
be well paid, for otherwise able men
cannot in the long run be secured;
and they must possess a lofty probity
which will revolt as quickly at the
thought of pandering to any gust of
popular prSJuOICG against rlCn men as
at the thought of anything even re-
motely resembling subserviency to
rich men. But while fully admit the
difficulties in the way, I do not for
a moment admit that these difficulties
warrant us in stopping in our effort
to secure wise and just system.
They should have no other effect than
to spur us on to the exercise of the
resolution, the even-handed justice,
and the fertility of resource, which
we like to think OF as typically Amer
lean. and which will in the end achieve
good results in this as in other fields
of activity. The task is a great one
and underlies the task of dealing with
the whole Industrial problem. But the
fact that it is a great problem does
not warrant us in shrinking from the
attempt to solve it, At present we
face such utter lack of supervision,
such freedom from the restraints of
law, that excellent men have often
been literally forced into doing what
they deplored because otherwise they
were left at the mercy of unscrupu-
1ous competitors. To rail at and as
sail the men who have done as they
best could under such conditions ac-
complishes little. What we need to do
is to develop an orderly system; and
such a system can only come through
the gradually increased exercise of the
right of efficient government control.
The president asks for legislation COM
polling railroads to install block systems on
their lines and also calls the attention of
congress to the excessive hours Of labor
of train service employees of the railroad
companies are often subjected to. He rec
ommendS that commission be appointed
to study of employers liability with the OBJ
ject of the enactment of a law covering the
subject and applicable to all industries
within the scope of the federal power.
The Labor Question.
The labor question is treated of at con-
siderable length, and in this connection the
president says:
There has been demand for depriving
courts of the power to issue -injunctions
in labor disputes. Such special limita-
ton of the equity powers of our courts
would be most unwise. 1t is true that
some Judges have misused this power;
but this does not justify denial of the
mower any more than an improper exer-
else of the power to call a strike by
labor leader would justify the denial OF
the right to strike. The remedy is to
regulate the procedure by requiring the
| Judge to give due notice to the adverse
parties before granting the writ, the hear
| ing to be parte if the adverse party
does not appear at the time and place
| ordered What is due notice must depend
upon the facts of the case; it should not
be used as a pretext to permit violation
of law, or the jeopardizing of life or
nroperty. Of course this would not au-
| thorize the issuing of a restraining order
or Injunction in any case in which it is
not already authorized by existing law.
I renew the recommendation I made
| in my last annual message for an in
yestigaton by the department of COM
merce and labor of general labor condi-
| lions. especial attention to be paid to the
| conditions of child labor and child labor
| legislation in the several states. Such
an investigation should take into account
! the various problems with which the
question of child labor is connected. It
is true that these problems can be actu-
| ally met in most cases only by the states
| themselves, but it would be cell for the
nation tt endeavor to secure and publish
| comprehensive information as to the con-
ditions of the labor of children in the diff
| ferent states, so as to spur up those that
are behindhand, and to secure approx
imately uniform legislation Of high
character among the several states. In
such republic as ours the one thing
| that we cannot afford 10 neglect is the
problem of turning out decent citizens.
The future of the nation depends upon
| the citizenship of the generations to
| come; the children of to-day are those
who tomorrow will shape the destiny
| of our land, and we cannot afford to neg
| lect them. The legislature of Colorado
has recommended that the national gov
eminent provide some general measure
| for the protection from abuse of children
and dumb animals thrc ughout the United
States. 1 lay the matter before you for
what I trust will be your favorable con-
sideration.