The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-12-06

ercised by employers there are unavoid-
able accidents and even deaths involved
with the mechanic arts. This Inevitable
sacrifice OF. life nay be reduced to
minimum but it cannot be completely
eliminated. IT is a great social injlls-
family of the killed or disabled Victim.
to bear the entire burden Of such an
ciety shirks it's duty by laying the whole
cost on the Victim. whereas the injury
comes from what may be called h legi-
innate risks of the trade. Compensation
for accidents or deaths due in any line.
OF Industry to the actual conditions un-
der which that industry is carried on,
should be paid by that portion OF the
community for the benefit Of which the
INDUSTRY Is carried on-that is. by those
who profit by the Industry. If the en-
tire trade risk is placed upon the en-
ployer he will promptly and properly d
1t to the legitimate cost of production and
assess it proportionateiy upon the con-
clear to my mind that the law should
place this entire risk of a trade. upon
the employer. Neither the federal law.
nor, as far as / am informed, the state
laws dealing with the question of en-
pioyers' liability are sufficiently thor
oughgoing. The federal law should o
arsenals n the like.
Labor Disputes.
The commission appointed by the presi-
dent October 16, 1892, at the request OF
both the anthracite coal operators and
miners, to inquire into, consider and pass
upon the questions in controversy in con-
nection with the strike in the anthracite
regions of Pennsylvania and the causes
out of which the controversy arose, in
pressed the belief that the state and
federal governments should provide the
machinery for what may be called the
compulsory investigation of controversies
between employers and employees when
they arise This expression Of belief is
deserving of the favorable consideration
of the congress and the enactment of its
provisions into law. A bill has already
been introduced to this end.
Records show that during the twenty
81. 1860, there Were strikes affecting H.
500 establishments, and CLOS. 69f employees
Were thrown out of employment. During
involving nearly 10000 establishments,
throwing over 100000 people out of en-
ployment.
Many of these strikes and lockouts
would not have occurred had the parties
to the dispute been required to appear be-
fore an unprecedented body representing
for their contention. In most instances
the dispute would doubtless be found to
be due to a misunderstanding by each
of the others rights, aggravated by an
unwiilingness of either party to accept as
true the statements of the other as to the
justice or injustice of the matters in dis
pute.
The exercise of a judicial spirit by a dis
interested body representing the federal
government. such as would be provided
by a commission On cancellation and arbi-
tration would tend to create en- atmos-
phere of friendlincss and concilation be-
tween contending parties: and the giving
each sid an equal opportunity to present
fully its case in the presence of the other
would prevent many disputes from de-
veloping into serious strikes or lockouts,
and, in other cases, would enable the COM
mission to persuade the opposing parties
to come TO terms.
In this age of great corporate and labor
combinations. neither employers nor EN-
ployes should be left completely ait the
mercy OF; the stronger party to a dispute,
regardless of the righteousness of their
respective claims. The proposed measure
would be in the line of securing recogni-
ton of the fact that in many strikes the
not wisely be disregarded; an interest not
merely of general convenience, for tho
question of a just and proper public policy
must also be considered.
Coal Land Withdrawal.
IT is not wise that the nation should
ALLEVIATE it's remaining coal lands. L have
temporarily withdrawn from settlement
all the lands which the geological survey
has indicated as containing, or in all prob
ability containing, coal. The question,
however. can be properly settled only by
legislation, which in my Judgment should
provide for the withdrawal of these lands
from sale or from entry, save in certain
would then remain in the United States,
which shoul not. however, attempt to
work them, but permit them to be worked
system. the government keeping such con-
troll as to permit it to see that no excess
sive price was charged
1t would, of course. be as necessary to
mon carriers to transport the product as
the rates charged by those who mine it:
and the supervision must extend to the
they shall in no way favor one competitor
at the expense of another. The with
drawa! CT these coal lands would consti-
tute a policy analogous to that which has
been followed in withdrawing the forest
lands from ordinary settlement. The coal,
like the forest, Should be treated as the
property of the public and it's disposal
should be under conditions which would
inure to the benefit oS the public as a
whole.
Corporations.
The present congress has taken long
strides in the direction of securing proper
supervision and control by the national
Interstate business. and the enormous
majority of corporations of any size are
engaged in interstate business.
The passage of the railway rate bill, and
only to a less degree the passage of the
food bill, and the provision for in
creasing and rendering more effective ma
lluiidl Co.lIIol over the DeGI-paCK1nE IN
dustry, mark IN important advance in
the proper direction. In the short session
it will perhaps be difficult to do much
further along this line: and it may be
best to wait until the avs have been in
operation for a number of months before
endeavoring to increase their scope.
During the last five months the rail
roads have shown increased earnings and
some of them unusual dividends: while
during the same period the mere taking
effect of the law has produced an UMPIRE
cedented. a hitherto unheard of, number
of voluntary reductions in freights and
fares by the railroads. Since the founding
of the commission there has never been
a time of equal length in which anything
like 50 many reduced tariffs have been
put into effect. On August q, for instance,
two days before the new law went into
effect, the commission received notices of
over 5.O9o separate tariffs which represent
ed reductions from prericus rates.
1t must not be supposed, however, that
with the passage of these laws it will be
possible to stop progress along the line Of
Increasing the power of the national gov
eminent ever the use of capital in inter
state commerce. For example, there will
ultimately be need of charging the DOW
ers of the interstate commits
sion along several different lines, so as to
give 1T a larger and more efficient control
over the railroads.
1t can not too often be repeated that
experience has ~conclusive!y shown the i'm
possibility of securing by the actions of
nearly. half a hundred different state lesis-
Ia f.1yGs a11ythipor l,,+ ;,,,Fcoa+;,,an =. r.