The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05


are sure in the end to turn toward any
leader who can restore order, and then
their relief at being free from the in
tolerable burdens Of class hatred, vio-
Ience and demagogy Is such that they
cannot for some time be aroused to in
dignation against misdeeds by men OF
wealth. so that they permit a new
growth of the very abuses which were
In part responsible for the original out
break The one hope for success for
our people lies in q resolute and fear
less but sane and cool headed advance
along the path marked out last year
by this very congress. There must be
a stern refusal to be misled into fol-
lowing either that base creature who
appeals and panders to the lowest in
stincts and passions in order to arouse
one set of Americans against their fell
lows or that other creature, equally
base, but no baser, who IN q spirit of
greed or to accumulate or add to an
already huge fortune seeks to exploit
his fellow Americans with callous dis
regard to their welfare of soul and
body. The man who debauches others
In order to obtain a high Office stands
on an evil equality of corruption with
the man who debauches others for
financial profit, and when hatred is
sown the crop which springs up can
only be evil.
The plain people who think-the me-
chanics farmers, merchants, workers
with head or hand the men to whom
American traditions are dear. who love
their country and try to act decently
by their neighbors-owe it to them.
selves to remember that the most dam
aging blow that can be given popular
government is TO elect an unworthy
and sinister agitator on a platform of
violence and hypocrisy.
Railroad EmpIoy~es' Honrs.
I call your attention to the need OF
passing the bill limiting the number of
hours of employment of railroad en-
ployees. The measure is very moder-
ate one, and | can conceive of no seri-
Gus objection TO It, Indeed. so far as
1t is in our power, it should be our aim
steadily to reduce the number of hours
of labor, with as goal the general in
PRODUCTION of an eight hour day. There
are industries in which it is not pos
sibIe that the hours of labor should
be reduced, just as there are communi
ties not far enough advanced for such
a movement TO be for their good, or, IL
in the tropics, so situated that there Is
ours in this matter. On the isthmus
of Panama, for instance, the condi-
lions are in every way so different
from what they are here that an eight
hour day would be absurd, just as it
is absurd. so far as the isthmus is con-
cerned. w~re white labor cannot be
employed. to bother as to whether the
necessary work is done by alien black
men or by alien yellow men. But the
of the United States are
Of so high grade that alike from the
merely industrial standpoint and from
the civic standpoint 1t should be our
object to do what we can in the direc-
ton of securing the general observance
Of an eight hour day.
Let me again urge that the congress
provide for a thorough investigation
of the conditions of child labor and of
the labor of. women in the United
States. The horrors incident to the
tories or 1T work anywhere are a blot
on our civilization.
In spite of all precautions exercised
BY employers there are unavoidable ac-
,idents and even deaths involved in
nearly every line Of business connect
I'd with the mechanic arts. 1t is n
great social injustice to compel the en-
Dloyee. or. rather. the family of the
killed or disabled victim, to bear the
entire burden of such an inevitable
In other words. society shirks
is duty by laying the whole cost on
he victim. whereas the injury comes |
rom what may be called the iegiti- |
nate risks of the trade. Compensation |
or accidents or deaths due in any line |
II industry to the actual conditions I'M !
Ter which that industry is carried on |
should be paid by that portion of the |
community for the benefit of which 4
he industry is carried on-that is. by /
hose who profit by the industry. If /
he entire trade risk is placed upon the |
Employer. he will promptly and prop
luction and assess it proportionately |
pon the consumers of his commodity. /
t is therefore clear to my mind that
be law should place this entire risk
t trade" upon the employer.
Capital and Labor Disputes.
Records show that during tiSs TWEEN
Y years from Jan. 1. 1881. to Dec. 81,
900, there were strikes affecting H.
90 establishments. and 6.105,694 en-
loyees were thrown out of employ
lent. During the same period there
7ere 1905 lockouts. involving nearly
5000 establishments. throwing over
100000 people out of employment.
'hese strikes and lockouts involved an
loss TO employees of S307,
10000 and to employers of S143.ooo,
90, a total Of S45o. 900. 900. The public
Uttered directly and indirectly prob
bly, as great additional loss.
Many Of these strikes and lockouts
rould not have occurred had the par
es TO the dispute been required to
ppear before an unprecedented body
presenting the nation and. face to
ice. state the reasons for their con-
,ntion. The exercise OF a judicial