Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-12-08

venting willful violations OF the Law. II
would mol be necessary for them 10 ex-
anime into the accounts CT any railroad
unless for good reasons they were direct
cd 10 do 20 by the interstate commerce
commission. IL i greatly 70 be desired
thai some way nigh; pe found by which
an agreement az 10 transportation with
in q state intended 10 operate as fraud
upon the federal interstate commerce
laws could be brought under the juris-
dction OF the federal authorities. Al
presen; i occurs that large shipments Of
interstate traffic are controlled by con
cessions Oh purely stale business. which
Of course amounts 70 an evasion Of the
law The commission should have power
Q enforce ;air treatment by the ,1ea
trunk lines Of laiers! ana branch lines
Immediate Action Urged.
urge up,u ihe congress the need OF
providing Tor expeditions action by the
interstate commerce commission in all
.hese matters. whether in regulating
rates for transportation OF for storng
" for handling property or commodities
in transit. The history of the cases liti-
gated under the present commerce act
shows that il efficacy has been 10 a great
degree destroyed by the weapon of delay
almos, the most formidable weapon in
he hands Of those whose purpose IL is
10 viOiaie the law.
The president asks for legislation com
peling railroads TO install block systems OF
Their lines and also calls the attention Of
congress 10 the excessive hours Of labor
Of tram service employees Of the railroad
companies are often subjected to He rec
Ommends that a commission be APPOINTED
to study Of employers liability with the oh
jet Of the enactment Of law covering the
subject and applicable 10 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 depTiving
courts OF the power TO issue injunctlons
in labor disputes. Such special limita-
ton Of the equity powers of our courts
woUlo be most unwise II is true thst
some judges have misused this power;
nut this does not justify a denial Of the
power any more than an improper exeT-
else of the power TO call strike by a
labor leader would justify the denial Of
the right to strike. The remedy is 10
regulate the procedure by requiring the
nudge to give due notice 10 the adverse
parties before granting the writ, the hear
ing TO be ex parte If the adverse party
does not appear al the time and place
ordered What is due notice must depend
upon the facts of the case; II should not
be used as a pretext TO permit violation
OF law OF the Ieopardizing Of life or
property OF course this would not au-
thorize the issuing Of restraining order
or injunction IN 2Iy case IN which II IS
not already authorized ny existing law
! renew the recommends ion ! made
in my last annual message for an in
vestigation by .he department Of com
merce and labor OF general labor rcndi-
tions. especial attention 10 he paid 10 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 states
themselves, but II would be well for the
nation TO endeavOr to secure ana publish
! comprehensive information as to the cor
ditons OF the labor Of children in the dii-
| 'erent states, 30 as to spur up those thar
are behindhand, and 10 secure spprox-
imately uniform legislation Of a high
| character among the several states. In
such a republic as ours the one thing
! that we cannot afford 10 neglect is the
] problem Of turning out decent citizen,
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 throughout the United
States. ] lay the matter before you 70,
what ! trust will be your favorable con.
sideration.
The department OF commerce and labor
should also make thorough investiga.
ton Of the conditions of women in in.
dustry. Over 5,OO0,OOo American womer
are now engaged in gainful occupations
yet there Is an almost complete deartl
OF data upon which to base any trust.
worthy conclusions as regards a subject
as important as it is vast and comm
Gated. There is need Of full knowledge
or which TO base action looking towarr
state and municipal legislation for N,
protection of working women. The in.
PRODUCTION o. women into industry I,
working change and disturbance in IN,
domestic and social life of the nation
The decrease in marriage and especial,
in the birth rate has been coincident with
il. We must face accomplished facts
and the adjustment to .lctory condition,
must be made but surely il can be mad,
with less friction and less harmful effect,
on family life than is now the case
This whole matter in reality forms on,
of the greatest sociological phenomens
OF our time II is social question o.
the first Importance of far greater i'm
portance than any merely political Of
economic question can be, and to soly,
! 1t we need ample data, gathered in
sane and scientific spirit in the cours,
OF an exhaustive investigation.
In concluding with the subject of Labor
the president says:
In any great labor disturbance not onlO
are employer and employe interested, bu
also a third party-the general public
Every considerable labor difficulty II
which interstate commerce is involved
! should be investigated by the govern
ment and the facts officially reported t.
the public.
Equal Rights for All.
The question OF securing a healthy
self-respecting and mutually sympathetic
attitude as between employer and EN-
ploye, capitalist and wage worker, is
difficult one. All phases Of the labo
problem prove difficult when approached
But the underlying principles, the roo
principles, in accordance with which tn
problem must be solved are entirely sim
pie. We can get justice and right dealin,
only II We put as Of paramount impor
lance the principle Of treating a man OF