The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-12-19
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

or who seeks 10 make them bear their pro
per share of the public burdens, as being
even more Objectionable than the violent
agitator who hounds on the mob 10 plum
der the rich. There is nothing TO choose
between such n reactionary and such an
agitator; fundamentally they are alike in
their selfish disregard of the rights Of
Others, and it is natural that they
should join in opposition to any move
ment of which the aim is fearlessly to
do exact and even justice to ALL
RAILROAD EMPLOYEES HOURS
AND EIGHT-HOUR LAW
1 call your attention to the need of pass
ing the bill limiting the number of hours
of employment of railroad employees. The
measure is very moderate one and I
can conceive of no serious objection TO it,
Indeed, so far as il is in our power. il
should be our aim steadily to reduce the
number of hours of labor, with rs a goal
the general introduction of an eight-hour
day. There are industries in which it
is not possible that the hours Of labor
should be reduced; just as there are COM
munities not far enough advanced for
such movement to he for their good.
or if in tire Tropics. SO situated that
there is no analogy between their needs
and ours in this matter. On the 18th
mus Of Panama. for instance the con-
ditions are in every way so different from
what they are here that an eight-hOur
day would be absurd: just as it is -
srrd so far rs the Tsthmus is concerned.
where white labor can not be employed.
to bother as to whether the necessary
work is done by alien black men or by
alien yellow men. But the wageworkers
of the United States are of so high a
grade that alike from the merely indus
trial point it should be our object to do
what we can in the direction of securing
the general observance of an eight-hour
day. Until recently the eight-hour law
on our Federal statute books has been
very scantlv observed Now. however.
largely through the instrumentality of
the Bureau of Labor. it is being rigidlv
enforced. and I shall speedily he able TO
say whether or not there is need of furth-
or legislation in reference thereto: for
our purpose is to see II obcvcd i'm spirit
no less than in letter Half HOLIDAYS
during summer should ho established for
Government employees: it is as desirable
for wagcwortcrs who toll with thcir
hands as for salarird officials whose Ia
bor &c mental that thoro should he rca-
Sonnhlo amount of holiday.
LABOR OF WOMEN AND CHILD
rem
The Congress at it's last session wisely
provided for a truant court for the Us
trict of Columbia, marked step in adj
vance on the path of properly caring for
the children. Let me again urge that
the Congress provide n thorough investi.
CATION of the conditions 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 in
dustrial but of social importance out
weight all others. and thesc two uucs-
tiOns most empha tically come in the
category of those which affect in the most
far-rcaching way the home life of thc
nation. The horrors incident to the en-.
ploymcnt of young children in factories
or at work anywhere are n blot on orr
civilizattin. 1t is true frat each state
must ultimately settle the question in
its own way but a thorough official in
vostigation of the matter, with the TO-
suits published broadcast. would greatly
help toward arousing the public con
science and securing unity Of state ac
tion in the matter There is, however,
ono lazy on tho subject which sbouId 10
cna"tcd Immediately. because there is no
need for az Investigation in reference
t""rct". and the failure TO enact II is
discrcditoblc 10 the National Government.
\ drastic and thorouGhGOing child-laohr
law should he enacted for tho 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. 1t was a
marked stem in advance to get the re
cognition of employers liability on the
statute books but the law did not go
far enough. In snite of all precautions
exercised by employers there are I'M
avoidablo accidents and even deaths in
volvcd in nearly every line of business
connected with the mechanic arts This
inevitable sacrifice of life may he reduc-
ed 10 a minimum. but il cannot be COM
pletely eliminated. II is n great social
injustice to compel the employee or rath
"r the fanny of the killed or disable.
victim, to bear the entire burden of such
an inevitable sacrifice. In other words
society shirks its duty by laying the whole
cost on the victim, whereas the injury
comes from wlrat may be called the
legitimate risks of the trade. Compcn-
sation for accidents or deaths due in
nnv line of industry to the. actual con
ditons under which that industry is car
ried on. should be paid by that portion
of the community for the benefit of which
the industry is carried on-that is. Dy
those who profit by the industry. If 80
entire trade risk is placed upon the en-
Dlover he will promptly asd properly .
it to the legitimate cost of production
and assess it prOportionately upon the
consumers of his commodity II is there
fore clear to my mind that the law should