Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-12-04

the Jaw. or VINO seeks 10 make InGltf
bear their proper share OF the public
tionable than the violent akaitator
who hounds on the mob to plumber
the rich. There - nothing to choOse
between such an agitator and such .
reactionary: fundamentally they are
alike In their selfish disregard for the
*rt91hts of others; and 1t Ii natural
that they should join in opposition to
any movement Of which the aim Is
fearlessly TO do exact and even jus
tice to all.
HOURS N LAsoR ron WoRkMEN
Aim elouid ~ - Red0os Al 20 the
GIeGt- iloUr 0asis.
cal your attenticn 70 the need q
81 hours of employment Of railroad
employee The measure ts q very
moderate ono and can conceive IL
40 serious objection to It Indeed, 80
fbr ~ incur power, It should be our
4 aim t0 stSadtyy redsa IA the ss.urs nf
labor, with ~ goal the general IN
production cf an eight hour day.
There are industrfes IN which It IL
not possible that the hours Of labor
should ~ reduacds .juas az there are
communities NOT far enough advanced
\ aop1 Or III .ilS Tropics. 20 situated
that Shefe tssasc ANA Nv between their
needs and ours In y this matter. On
the Inkhmua Of Panama, for instance.
the eondtti0nB ara III every way 10
difE4r6iit from what they are here
that al eikht hour day would be abb
surd; lust a. Il y absurd. 20 Tar -
the isthmus II concerned, where white
labor cannot be employed To bother
a. to whether the necessary work y
done ~ alien black men or alien yell
low men. But the waseworkers Of the
United States are OF 20 high grade
/ that alike from the merely industrial
standpoint and from the civic stand
point Il should be our object to do
what We can In the direction OF secure
Ing the general observance 0f an
etght-hour day. Until recently the
I eight hour law on our statute books
has been very scantily observed.
Now. however, largely through the
instrumentality Of the Bureau OF La
Dor. II il being rapidly enforced. ana
shall speedily be able to say wheth-
Ell or not there - need Of further legis-
lation IN reference thereto; for our
purpose Is to see II obeyed In spirit
during sumner should be established
Tor government employees: II Is an
desirable for wage earners who toll
with their hands as for salaried Of
hcials whose labor Is mental that
there should be reasonable amount
" OF holiday.
Labor III Women and Children.
The congress at its last session wise
~ provided for q truant court for the
District Of Columbia; marked step
In advance on the path for properly
caring for the children Let me again
urge that the congress provide for a
!. thorough Investigation Of the condi-
tons OF child labor and Of the labor
OF women in the United States. More
and more our people are growing to
recognize the fact that the questions
which are not merely OF industrial
but Of social Importance outweigh
all others; and these two questions
most emphatically come in the cata-
CORY Of those which affect In the most
far-reaching way the home life OF the
nation. The horrors incident to the
employment Of young children in the
factories or Of work anywhere are a
blot upon our civilization. 1t is true
that each state must ultimately set
tie the question in its own way; but
thorough Official investigation OF the
matter, with the results published
broadcast. would greatly help towards
arousing the public conscience and
securing unity of state action in the
matter. There is however, one law
on the subject which should be en-
acted Immediately. because there Is
no need for an investigation IN ref
ference thereto. and the failure to en-
act 1t Is discreditable to the national
government A drastic and thorough
going child-labor law should Le en-
acted for the District OF Columbia and
the territories.
Employers Liability.
Among the excellent laws which the
congress passed at the last session
was an employers liability law. Ii
was q marked step in advance to get
the recognition of employers liability
on the statute books; but the law did
not go far enough. In spite OF all pre-
cautions exercised by employers there
are unavoidable accidents ANA even
deaths involved In nearly every line
of business connected with the me-
chants arts. This Inevitable sacrifice
OF life may be reduced to a minimum.
but It cannot be completely eliminate
ed. It as q great social injustice to
compel the employee. or rather the
family Of the killed or disabled vic
tim. to bear the. entire burden of
such an Inevitable sacrifice In other
words. society shir<s its duty. by lay
ing the whole cost on the victim. |
whereas the injury comes from what
may be called the legitimate risks OF |
the trade. Compensation for accident |
or deaths due in any line of Industry
TO the actual conditions under which |