The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-05

LlG BuDIC ana LlG LIei4C aA0i48 II was
free At present the railway IS this
highway, and we must do our best 70
see that it is kept open to all on eQual
terms. Unlike the old highway Il Is
a very difficult and complex thing thing
to manage. and it is far better that 1t
should be managed by private 1nu1-
viduals than by the government. But It
can only be so managed on condltloh
that justice is done the public. It is
because in my judgment, public owner
ship OF railroads is highly undesirable
and would probably in this country en-
tail far-rea ching disaster, thar i wish
to see such supervision and regulation
of them in the interest of the public as
viii make it evident that there IS no
need for public ownership. The OPP
ponents of government regulation
dwell upon the difficulties to be en-
countered and the intricate and in
volved nature Of the problem. Their
contention is true. 1t is a comph-
Gated and delicate problem. and all
kinds of difficulties are sure to arise
in connection with any plan OF soiu-
ton, while no plan viii bring all the
benefits hoped for by its more optimis-
tic adherents.
Moreover, under any healthy plan,
the benefits viii develop gradually and
not rapidly. Finally, we must clearly
understand that the public servants
who are to do this peculiarly respon-
sible and delicate work must them
selves be of the highest type both as
regards integrity and efficiency They
must be we'll paid for otherwise able
men can not in the long run be Sc
cured; and they must possess lofty
probity which viii revolt as quickly at
the thought of pandering to any gust
Of popular prejudice against rich men
as at the thought of anything even re-
mOtely resembling subserviency to rich
men. But while 1 fully admit the diff
culties in the way, 1 do not for a mo-
ment admit that these difficulties war
rant as in stopping in our effort to
secure a wise and just system. They
should have no other effect than to
spur US on to the exercise of the resO-
luton, the even-handed justice, and
the fertility of resource, which we like
to think of as typically American, and
which viii in the end achieve good re-
suits in this as in other fields of ac-
tivity. The task is great one and un-
derlies the task of dealing with the
whole industrial problem But the fact
that it is great problem does not
warrant US in shrinking from the at
tempt 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 to the mercy of unscrupulous COM
petitors. To rail at and assai1 the men
who have done as they best could I'M
der such conditions acCOmplishes little.
What we need to do is to develop an
orderly system; and such a system can
only come through the gradually in
creased exercise OF the right of eff
cient government control.
Safety Appliances.
In my annual message to the fifty
eighth congress, at its third session. /
called attention to the necessity for
legislation requiring the use of block
signals upon railroads engaged in in
-
serious collisions upon UNLOCKED roads
that have occurred within the past
year adds force to the recommended
ton then made. The congress should
provide, by appropriate legislation,
Tor the introduction of block signals
upon all railroads engaged in inter-
state commerce at the earliest prac-
/ tfcable date, as a measure of increased
safety to the travelling public
Through decisions of the supreme
court of the United States and the
lower federal courts in cases brought
before them for adjudication the safe
ty-appliance law has been materially
strengthened, and the government has
been enabled to secure its effective
enforcement in almost all cases, with
the result that the condition of rail-
road equipment throughout the cOun-
try is much improved and railroad
/ employees perform their duties under
safer conditions than heretofore. The
governments most effective aid in ar
irving at this result has been its in
spection service, and that these i'm
/ proved conditions are not more gen
/ eraI is due to the insufficient numb Der
/ of inspectors employed. The inspee-
4 ton service has fully demonstrated its
| usefulness, and in appropriating for its
/ maintenance the congress should make
I provision for an increase in the num-
/ Der of inspectors.
The excessive hours Of labor to
which railroad employees in train SER
vice are in many cases subjected is also
q matter which may well engage the
J serious attention of the congress. The
strain, both mental and physical, upon
those who are engaged in the move
1 ment and operation of railroad trains
/ under modern conditions is perha ps
! greater than that which exists in any
! Other industry, and If there are any
reasons for limiting by law the hours
4 of labor in any emplOyme nt, they GER
/ tainly apply with peculiar force to the
employment of those upon whose vigil
/ lance and alertness in the performance
4 of their duties the safety of all who
! travel by rail depends.
In my annual message to the fifty
/ seventh congress. at its second session.
/ I recommended the passage of an EN-
/ ployerS' Liability Law for the District
/ of Columbia and in our navy-yards.
/ renewed that recommendation in my
/ message to the hfty-eighth congress.
| at its second session, and further sug-
I gested the appointment of a commits
sion to make comprehensive study
4 of employers liability, with a view to
the enactment of a wise and constitu-
tional law covering the subject, appli-
cable to all industries within the scope
+ of the federal power. I hope that such
a law viii be prepared and enacted
! as speedily as possible.
Labor.
The national government has as a
rule but little OCCASION to deal with the
formidable group of problems con-
j nected more or less directly with what
is known as the labor question, for in
the great majority of cases these prob
lens must be dealt with by the state
and municipal authorities and not By
the national government. The ma
] tionaI goVernment has control of the