The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1905-12-09

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unless for good reasons they were direct
ed 20 do so hy the interstate commerce
commission. lt is greatly to be desired
that some way might be found by which
an agreement as 70 transportation with
in a state Intended TO operate as a fraud
upon the federal interstate commerce
laws could De brought under the juris-
diction OF the federal authorities. Al
present % occurs hat large shipments OF
Interstate traffic are controlled by con
esslons on purely state business, which
of course amounts TO an evasion Of the.
law. The commission should have power
% 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 TOR expeditions action by the
Interstate commission in all
hese matters, whether in regulating
rates for transportation or for storing
or for handling property or commodities
n transit. The history Of the cases liti-
gated under the present commerce act
shows that its efficacy has been to a great
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 president asks for legislation com
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their lines, and also calls the attention Of
congress TO the excessive hours of labor
of train service employees Of the railroad
companies are oSten 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 correction 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 he most unwise. II is true that
some Judges have misused this power;
but this does not Justify a denial Of the
mower any more tina an improper exer-
else of the power to call a strike by a
labor leader would justify the denial Of
the right to strike. The remedy is to
regulate the procedure by requiring the
Judge 20 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
uson the facts Of the case; 1t should not
be used as a preteNt to permit violation
of law. or the jeopardizing of life or
property. OF course this would not au-
thorize the issuing of a restraining order
or injunction in any case in which 1t Is
not already authorized by existing law.
l renew the recommendation l made
IN my last annual message for an in
vestigation by the department OF com
merce and labor of general labor condl-
4Fonr o~,aoto1 otfanfFnp 70 ho nafd tn 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 1t would be well for the
nation to endeavor to secure and publish
comprehensive information as to the con-
ditious 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 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
ernment provide SOM general measure
for the protection from abuse Of children
and dumb animals throughout the United
States. l lay the matter before you for
what I trust will be your favorable con-
sideratlon.
The department of commerce and labor
should also make a thorough investiga-
ton Of the conditions Of women In in
dustry. Over 5000 900 American women
are now engaged in gainful occupations;
yet there is an almost complete dearth
Of data upon which to base any trust
worthy conclusions as regards. a subject
as important as II Is vast and compfi-
Gated. There is need Of full knowledge
on which to base action locking toward
state and municipal legislation for the
protection Of working women. The in
PRODUCTION of women into Industry is
working change and disturbance in the
domestic and social life Of the nation.
Til decrease in marriage, and especially
In the birth rate, has been coincident with
It. We must face accomplished facts,
and the adjustment to factory conditions
must be made; but surely II can be made
with less friction and less harmful effects
on family life than is now the case.
This whole matter In reality forms one
Of the greatest sociological phenomena
Of our time; it is a social question Of
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 a
sane and scientific spirit in the course
Of an exhaustive investigation.
In concluding with the subject Of labor
the president says:
In any great labor disturbance not only
are employer and employee interested, but
also a third party-the general public.
Every considerable labor difficulty in
which interstate mme is involved
should be investigated by the govern
ment and the facts officially reported to
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, list
difficult one. All phases of the labor
problem prove dificult~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 II we put as Of paramount impor-
lance the principle of treating a man on
his worth as a man rather thai 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
. it,