Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1905-12-08

In a state intended to operate as frau0
upon the federal interstate commences
laws could be brought under the juris.t
diction of the federal authorities: At
present it occurs that large shipments or
interstate traffic are controlled by con-
cesslons on purely state business, which
OF course amounts to an evasion of the
law. The commission should have power
to enforce fair treatment by the great
trunk lines of lateral and branch lines.
Immediate Action Urged.
I urge upon the congress the need Of!
providing for expeditions action by the
interstate commerce commission in all
these matters whether in regulating
rates for transportation or for storing,
or for handling property or commodities
In transit. The history of the cases liti-I
gated under the present commerce act
shows that it's efficacy has been to great
degree destroyed by the weapon of delay
almost the most formidable weapon I'M
the hands of those whose purpose it IN
to violate the law.
The president asks for legislation COM
pelling 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
feet Of the enactment Of a law covering the.
subject and applicable to all industrieSi
within the scope Of the federal power. ,,
The Labor Question.
The labor question 10 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
H4 vv4c jG
some judges have misused this power:;;
but this does not justify a denial Of the
power any more than an improper exer-I
else of the power to call q strike by q
labor leader would justify the denial Of
the right to strike. The remedy ID to
regulate the procedure by requiring tho
Judge to give due notice to the adverse!
parties before granting the writ, the hear:
ing to be ex 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 a pretext to permit violation
of law, or the jeopardizing of life or
property. OF course this would not au-
thorize the issuing of restraining order
or Injunction in any case in which it 10
not already authorized by existing law.
renew the recommendation I made
In my last annual message for an in.
vestigation by the department of CONF
merce and labor of general labor condi,
tons, 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. II
is true that these problems can be actu>
ally met in most cases only by the state6
themselves, but it would be we'll for the
nation to endeavor to secure and publish
comprehensive information as to the con-:
ditons of the labor of children in the diff
ferent states, so as to spur up those that
are behindhand. and to secure approx
tmate1y uniform legislation of a high
character among the several states. In
such a republic ours the one thing
that we cannot afford 10 neglect IL tho
problem Of turning out decent citizensS
The future of the nation depends upon
the citizenship of the generations til
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 childron|
and dumb animals throughout the United
States. lay the matter before you tod
what trust will bs your favorable cond
sideration.
The department Of commerce and laboI
ton Of the conditions Of women in IL
dustry. Over 100000 American women
are now engaged in gainfu1 occupationa4
yet there Is an almost complete deartl2
OF data upon which to base any trustl
worthy conclusions as regards q subject
a. important as 1t is vast ana compn-
Gated. There is need Of full knowledRa>
on which to base action looking toward
state and municipal legislation for the
protection of working women. The In.
PRODUCTION of women into industry u
working change and disturbance in thu
domestic and social life Of the nations
The decrease in marriage, and especIallv1
In the birth rate, has been coincident WITH
1t. We must face accomplished facts!
and the adjustment to factory conditiona
must be made; but surely it can be made
with less friction and less harmful effects
on family life than is now the case
This whole matter in reality forms ona
of the greatest sociological phenomena;
Of our time; 1t is a social question o.
the first Importance, of far greater i'm,
portance than any merely political or
economic question can be; and to solve
1T we need ample data, gathered in q
Sane and scientific spirit in the cour,a'
of an exhaustive investigation.
In concluding with the subject Of labor;
the president says:
In any great labor disturbance not only
oA0 SAp4OSCI dlAl tIuplOyc interested, DUG
also a third party-the general pubncj
Every considerable labor difficulty in
which interstate commerce is involved
should be investigated by the govern
ment and the facts officially reported b!
the public
Equal Rights for All.
The question Of securing q healthy.
self-respecting and mutually sympathetic
attitude between employer and en-.
ploye, capitalist and wage worker, L. q
difficult one. All phases Of the labor
problem prove difficult when approached.
But the underlying principles. the root
principles, in accordance with which the
problem must be solved are entirely sim
pie. We can get justice and right dealing
only If we put as of paramount impor-
lance the principle of treating q man on
his worth a man rather than with
reference to his social position, his occu-
patton, or the class to which he belongs.
There are selfish and brutal men in all
ranks of life. If they are capitalists
their selfshness and brutality may take
the form of hard Indifference to suffer-
Ing, greedy disregard Of every moral re.
straint which 1nterferes with the accun-
ulation Of wealth, and cold-blooded ex-
ploitation Of the weak; or, if they are
laborers, the form of laziness of sullen