Gilpin observer., 1905-12-07
PRESIDENT OUTLINES
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Important Recommendations as to LEGISLATION Made
in Annual Message to Congress-Larse Part of
Document Devoted to Corporations and Railroad
Rate Legislation-Relatons of Labor and Capital
Dealt With Fully.

to see such supervision and regulation
OF them In the Interest of the public as
for public ownership. The opponents OF
ggo;1y,ernment g;1,s regulation dwell upon the
intricate and involved nature of the prob
lem. Their contention is true. 1t is a
complicated s and delicate problem, and all
connection with any plan of solution.
while no plan will bring all the benefits
Nor by its nSe dhs nsr
the benefits will develop gradually and not
rapidly, Finally. we. must clearly under
stand that the public servants who are
to, do this peculiarly responsible and
delicate work must themselves be OF the
highest type both as regards integrity and
effciency. They must be well paid, for
otherwise able men can not In the long
run be secured: and they must possess
a lofty probity which will revolt as quick
ly at the thought of pandering to any
gust OF popular prejudice against rich
men as the thought Of anything even
remotely resembling subserviency to rich
men. But while fully admit the diff
enities In the way. do not for a moment
and just system. They should have no
other effect than TO spur us on to the
ed justice. and the fertility of resource.
which we like to think Of as typically
achieve good results in this as In other
fields OF activity.
The necessity for safety appliances
on railroads, recommended in the
Presidents message to the last Con-
gress. is emphasized, together with
the necessity for law regulating the
hours OF labor of railroad men.
On the labor question, the mes
sage says:
courts of the power to issue injunctions
in labor disputes. Such special limitation
be most unwise Il % is ou true courts fbst wona soa
Judges have misused this power: but this
does not justify denial of the power
the power to call 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 to give
due notice to the adverse parties before
granting the writ, the hearing to be ex
pear at the time and place ordered.
What is due notice must depend upon the
facts of the case: 1t should not be used
as pretext to permit violation OF law.
or the 1eopardizing of life or property.
OF course. this would not authorize the
issuing OF a restraining order or injunc-
tion in any case in which II is not already
authorized by existing law.
In am, great labor disturbance not only
are employer and cmploye interested, but
Every considerable labor difhculty in
should be investigated by the government
and the facts officially reported to the
public.
The question of securing a healthy. self
respecting, and mutually sympathetic at
titude as between employer and employe.
capitalist and wage worker: is difficult
prove difficult when approached. But the
underlying principles. the root principles.
mus, be solved are entirely simple. We
can get justice and right dealing only II
We must face accomplished facts, and the
principle OF treating a man on his worth
as man rather than with reference to
his social position. his occupation. or the
class to which he belongs. There are
IL they are capitalists their selfishness
and brutality may take the form OF hard
of every moral restraint which interferes
with the accumulation OF wealth. and
cold -blooded exploitation OF the weak; or.
OF sullen envy OF the more fortunate. and
OF Willingness to perform deeds OF muir
derous violence. Such conduct is just
as reprehensible in one case as in the
other. and all honest and farseeing men
should Join In warring against it wherever
list and individual wage worker. corpora
tion and union. are alike entitled to the
obey the law. Moreover. in addition 10
mere obedience to the law. each man.
u he be really good citizen, must show
genuine desire to look at any question
arising between them from the standpoint
own: and to this end IL is essential that
capitalist and wage worker should con-
suit freely one with the other. should each
strive TO bring closer the day when both
shall realize that they are properly part
ners and not enemies. To approach the
them solely from the standpoint which
treats each side In the mass as the en- :
emy Of the other side in the mass is both
wicked and foolish. In the past the most
direfui among the influences which have
brought about the downfall of republics
has ever n been .he SoW,h OF the Sass
lends to make a man subordinate the wei
fare OF the public as whole TO the wei.
belongs. This inevitably brings about a
tendancy to treat each man not on his
merits as an individual. but on his posi-
ton as belonging to a certain class In
in this Republic it viii ultimately prove
fatal TO every eve " eommanl,y @ ' in which ose /. Sas
become dominant. Unless we con
snnss ,,nss 80 Keep aa,eE and LIVELY
truth that our concern is with the individual
worth OF the individual man. this govern.
which It has achieved among the nations The
vital lines OF cleavage among our people do
not not correspond, and indeed run a, right an.
occupation from occupation. which divide
wage-workers from capitalists. farmers from
bankers. men OF small means from men OF
large means. men who live In the towns from
imen who live In the country; for the vital
honest man who tries TO do we'll by his
neighbor from the dishonest man who does III
by his neighbor.. In o.ner words. the stand.
ard We shou.i establish Is the standard
OF conduct, not the standard of occupation.
OF means. or of social position, II is tho
mans moral quality. his attitude toward the
great questions which concern all humanity.
his cleanliness OF life. his power to do his
duty toward himself aud toward others. which
really count; and " we substitute for the
standard OF personal judgment which treats
eaeh man according TO bis merits. another
standard In accordance with which all men
o. one class are favored and all men OF an
other class Disseminated against. we shah do
lrreparable damage to the body polite. be-
levc that our people are too sane. too self
respecting. too At for self-governrnent, ever
to adopt such an attitude. This government
is not and never shall be government by a
plutocraey. This government 10 not and
never shall be government by a mob IL
shall continue TO bo In the future what IL
has been In the past. q government based on
the theory that each man. rich or poor, is to
- treated simply and solely on his worth as
a man. that sil his personal and property
neither to wrong others nor 10 sufsr wrong