Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1905-12-08

IL is because. in my Judgment, public
| ownership of railroads Is highly urdrslr-
! able and would probably in this country
| eniail far reaching disaster. that | wish
\ 80 sec such supervision and regulation
| win make it evident that there is no need
or public ownership. The opponents OF
;;o'yersment regulation dwell upon The
'liiicuIi les 10 ie encountered aud the
| intricate and involved nature OF the prob
lem. Eheir contention is true, IL is a
complicated and delicate problem. and all
connection with any plan, OF solution,
while no plan will hiring all the benefits
| hoped for by its more optimistic adher-
ents. Moreover. under any healthy plan,
rapdly. Finally. We must clearly under
stand that the public servants who are
to do this peculiarly responsible and
highest type both as regards integrity and
efficiency. They must be well paid. for
otherwise able men can not in the long
run be secured: and they must possess
lofty probity which will revolt as quick
" at the thought OF pandering to any
gust of popular prejudice against rich
remotely resembling SubS"fNiency to rich
| men But Willie / fully admit the diff.
eulsies IN the way. d" not for moment
admit hat these difficulties warrant US
| in stopping in our effort 10 secure a wise
and just system. They should have no
other. efect Than 10 spar US "n to the
exercise NJ the resolutions the even hand
| ed justice and tue fertility of resource.
which we like 10 think OF as typicaly
American and which will in the end
| achieve good results in this as in other
fields OF activity. The task is great
ore and underiss 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
attempt In solve it. AT present We face
such, inter lack OF snpeftisi9n. such
excellent men have often been literally
forced into doing what they deplOred
because otherwise they We're left at The
,arpv Of not
rail at and assai the men who have done
as they hest could under the conditions
accomrlisies little. What We need to do
| is 10 develop an orderly system; and
such u scstem can only come through
the gradually increased exercise of the
right OF efficient government control.
The necessity for safety appliances
on railroads. recommended III he
Presidents message To the last Con-
gross. is emphasized. together with
! the necessity for law regulating the
| hours OF labor OF railroad meu.
On the labor question. the mes
sage says:
There has been demand for depriving
courts Of the power 10 Issue injunct ions
| in labor disputes Such special limita ton
| he most umwise- 1t is true that some
| judges have mlsused this power: but this
| does not. justify a denial Of the power
any more than an improper exercise. OF
the power to call strike by labor
| leader would Justify the denial OF the right
| TO strike, The remedy is to regulate the
| due notice 10 the adverse parties before
granting the writ the hearing TO be ex
parte IL the adverse party does not APP
pear at the time and place ordered.
What is due notice must depend upon the
| facts of the case; it should not be used
! as u pretext 10 permit violation OF law.
| or course. this would not authorize the
| issuing of a restraining order or injunc-
ton In any case in which it is not already
authorized by existing law. 5aH&s
| ] renew the recomme ndat ton I made IN
| my last annual message for an investi ga-
ton by the Department of Commerce and
| 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 prob.
lens with which the question Of child
labor is connected 1t is true that these
problems can he actually met in most
| it would be well for the nation 10 endesiv-
or. to secure and publish comprehensive
| informatioi MS TO- The conditions Of tue
labor OF children in the different states.
so as to spur up those that are behind
hand, and TO secure approximately UNI
aG ihs se~er, Of s;ae hs' In c se
Republic as ours. the one thing that We
can not afford to neglect is the problem
Of turning out dec. citizens The he
| citizenship of the generations to come:
| the children OF to-day are those who to
morrow viii shape the destiny of our la nd
| and We can not afford TO neglect them.
| The legislature OF colorado has recon-
| mendcd that the national government
provide some general measure for the
| protection from abuse OF children n nd
dumb animals throughout the United
! States. j lay the matter before you for
what trust will be your favorable con-
| sideration
In any great labor disturbance not only
are employer and employe interested. but
also a third party-the general PUBLIC.
Every considerable labor difficulty In
| should be investigated by the government
and the facts officially reported to the
! public
| The question OF securing healthy self
respecting: and mutually sympathetic at
titude rs between employer and employe.
capitalist and wage worker. is a difficult
one. All phases Of the labor problem
PROVE difficult when approached Blu. the
Underlying principles. the root principles.
in accorda nee with which, the probe IN
can get justice and light dealing only II
We must face accomplished facts. and the
principle of treating a man on his worth
4 his social position. his occupation or the
| class to which he belongs. There are
selfish ana brutal men il, all ranks Of life.
liz hey are capitalists their selfishness
! and brutality may take q he form OF hard
| indifference to suffering, greedy disregard
of every moral restraint which inteite,cs
| with the accumulation If wealth. aud
cold blooded exploitation Of the weak. or.
/ il they are la borers. the form Of klZiness.
Of sullen envy OF the mo . fortunate. and
Of willingness 10 perform deeds Of mur,
as reprehensble in ONO case as in the
other. and all honest 2and farseeing mtn
it becomes manifest +lt..ividnai capitai-
list and Individual wage worker, corpora
tion and union. are. alike entitled TO the
LOBBY the law. Moreover in addition to
mere obedience to the law. each man.
II, he be a really good citizen. must show
genuine, desire 70 look at any question
| of that neighbor no less than from his
own: and 70 this end il i essential that
| suit freely one WITH the other. should ca CHI
strive to bring closer the day when both
QUESTIONS dues Ions Which inevitably arise Between
| them solely from the standpoint. which
envy Of the other side in ts,e mass is both
wicked and foolish. In the past the most
direful among the influences which have
spirit. the growth OF the spirit which
tends to make q man sub9rllnate the vel
fare Of Of the pnDf 70 Wien he
belongs This inevitably brings about a
tendancy to treat each man not on his
merits az al, Individual. but on his posi-
the community. II such spirit grows up
In this Republic 1t will ultimately prove
fatal 10 us, as in the past it has proved
fatal to every community in which it has
become dominant Unless we con!
! tinue to keep a quick and lively
sense OF The great fundamental
truth that our concern is with the Individual
worth OF the individual man. this govern
ment cannot permanently hold the place
which 1t has achieved among the nations. The
vital lines Of cleavage among our people do
not correspond and indeed run at right an.
giles to. the lines Of cleavage which divide