The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-05

the civic standpoint it 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
employment Of young children In fac
tories or at work anywhere are a blot
on our civilization.
In spite Of all precautions exercised
by employers there are unavoidable ac-
cidents and even deaths involved in
nearly every line Of business connect.
ed with the mechanic arts. 1t is a
great social injustice to compel the en-
ployee. or, rather, the family of the
killed or disabled 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 what may be called the legiti-
mate 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 entire trade risk is placed upon the
employer, he will promptly and prop
erly add 1t to the legitimate cost Of pro-
duction and assess it proportionately
upon the consumers of his commodity.
1t is therefore clear to my mind that
the law should place this entire "risk
Of trade upon the employer.
- Capital and Labor Disputes.
Records show that during the TWEEN
ty years from Jan. 1, 1884, 20 Dec. 81,
1900, there were strikes affecting H.
500 establishments, and 6,105,694 en-
ployees were thrown out Of employ
ment During the same period there
were 1905 lockouts, involving nearly
10000 establishments, throwing over
100000 people out Of employment.
These strikes and lockouts involved an
estimated loss to employees Of $307,-
100000 and to employers Of $143,OO0,-
600, total of S450.Oo0,O00. The public
suffered directly and indirectly prob
ably as great additional loss.
Many of these strikes and lockouts
would not have occurred had the par
ties to the dispute been required to
appear before an unprejudiced body
representing the nation and. face to
face. state the reasons for their con-
| tention. The exercise Of d 1udicia!
spirit by a dsinterested body repre-
senting the federal government, such
as would be provided by a commission
on Cancellation and arbitration, would
| tend to create an atmosphere of friend
illness and Cancellation between con-
tending parties.
Control of Corporations.
1t cannot too often be repeated that
experience has conclusively shown the
impossibility of securing by the actions
of nearly half hundred different state
! legislatures anything but ineffective
chaos in the way Of dealing with the
great corporations which do not oper-
ate exclusively within the limits OF
any one state. In some method, wheth-
er by a national license law or in other
fashion, we must exercise, and that ut
an early date, far more complete
control than at present over these great
corporations-a control that will, among
other things, prevent the evils of ex-
cessive overcapitalization and that viii
compel the disclosure by each big cor
| poration of its stockholders and of its
properties and business. whether own
ed directly or through subsidiary or
affiliated corporations. This will teno
to put a stop TO the securing OF inor-
dinate profits by favored individuals at
the expense whether of the general
public, the stockholders or the wage
workers. Our effort should be not SO
Continued on Fourth Paae.l