The Tupelo journal., 1905-12-08

the hands of those whose purpose 1t Is
to violate the law.
The question OF transportation lies
at the DOT 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-
p~hatically 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 penalixed; but we do
desire to see the system of railroad
transportation SO handled hat 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 a road on
land, was open to all; it belonged to
the public and the traffic along 1t was
free. At present the railway is this
highway. and we must do our best to
see that 1t is kept open to all on equal
terms. Unlike the old highway 1t Is
a very difficult and complex thing to
manage, and 1t is far better that 1t
should be managed by private indi-
viduals than by the government. But
1T can only be so managed on cOndt-
ton that Justice is done the public.
1t 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 1 wish to see such supervision
and regulation of them in the inter-
est Of the public as will make 1t evil
dent that there Is nc 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 n delicate prob
lem, and all kinds Of d~ificulties are
sure to arise in connection with n
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 his peculiarly responsible
and delicate work must themselves be
of the highest type both as regards
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 prejudice against rich men as
at the thought of anything even re-
motely resembling subserviency to
rich men. But while I 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 a 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 which
avn Ji1y> 81 fhipL ~ a. fvnica11v A~o>r-
lean, and which will in the end achieve
good results in this as in other fields
of activity. The task is 4 great one
and underlies the task of dealing with
the whole industrial problem. But the
fact that 1t is a great problem does
not warrant us in shrinking from the
attempt to solve 1t. 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 hi
they deplored because otherwise they
were left at the mercy Of unscrupu-
lous competitors. To rail at and as
sail the men who have one as they
best could under such conditions ac-
composites 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 a 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 dep-iving
courts of the power to issue injunctlons
in labor disputes. Such special limita-
ton of the equity powers OF our courts
would be most unwise. 1t is true tnat
some judges have misused THIS power
but his does not justify a denial OF the
nowe- any more than an improper exer-
cisa NJ the power to call a strike by a
labor leader would justify the denial OF
the right to strike. The remedy Is 10
regulate the procedure by requiring the
i,Sge tn give due notice to the adverse
parties before granting the writ, the hear
ing to be ex parte II the adverse party
does not appear at the time and place
ordered. What is due notice must depend
ln0n me 1dCIS u llC NooSb
be used as a pretext to permit violation
of law. or the jeopardizing of life or
nroperty. OF course this would not au-
thcrize the issuing of a restraining order
or Injunction in any case IN wnlcn IL ID
not already authorized by existing law.
7 renew the recommendation I made
in my last annual message for an In
~yestigation by the department of COM
merce and labor of general labor condi-
,- &kA~t{o~ IN ho naid IN tho
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. 1t
is true tina these problems can be actu-
ally met in most cases only by the states
themselves, but it would be well for the
nation to 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 b~ehindhand, and to secure approx
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 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 throughout the United
States. 1 lay the matter before you for
what 1 trust will be your favorable con-
s~ideration.
The department of commerce and labor
| should also make a thorough investiga-
ton of the conditions of women in in
dustry. Over 100000 American women
are now engaged in gainful occupations;
| yet there is an almost complete dearth