The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-06-12
ROOSEVELT PLEADS FOR WORK

ROOSEVELT PLEADS FOR WORK
every honest hand looks alike to
me,'' was the remark made by Presi-
dent Roosevelt 10 a crowd Of Ohio
workingmen who gathered at the de-
pot to welcome the national executive
during a few minutes stay at that
point. The rem ark was caused by the
apparent reluctance of begrimed la
borers to join in the handshakiug
function, many of them assuming th at
the pleasure was reserved for those
whose hands we're unsoiled and who
were in other ways prepared for the
occasion. Upon receiving assurance
that no honest hand was barred, no
matter what its condition might be,
Mr.. Roosevelt was kept busy g~rasping
the outstretched palms until his train
pulled out.
A few hours later, the president ar
rived at Lansing, Mich, where he took
part in the semi-centennia al celebration
of the Michigan Agricultural college.
In the course of his address to the
students and visitors Mr.. Roosevelt
dwelt principally upon the dignity Of
labor, a theme that has been frequent
ly discussed by orators and writer's,
but the common-sense views expressed
by the president cannot fail to impress
those who listened to them, and others
who read reports of the proceedings.
One Of the epigrams in that address
deserves a place in the memory Of the
rising generation, as we'll as those Of
more mature years, for there is whole.
some truth in these few words:
"Men should get over the idea that
to earn Sl2 per week and call it sal.
airy is better than to earn s25 a week
and call it wages"
The foolish notion that manual la.
Dor is less honorable than so.called
Intellectual pursuits was deprecated
by the president in his speech to the
Michigan students, the latter being re-
minded that an intelligent application
OF both brain and muscle is the ideal
method of obtaining the best results.
A tribute to the man who works with
his hands was paid in these portions
Of the presidents speech:
1--WE have been fond as a nation of
speaking Of the dignity of labor,
meaning thereby manual labor. Per.
sonally l don't think that we begin to
understand what a high place manual
labor should take: aud it never can
take this high place unless it offers
scope for the best type of man. We
have tended to regard education as a
IN natter Of the head only, and the re-
suit Is that a great many of our PEG.
pie themselves the sons of men who
worked with their hands, seem to think
tn at they rise in the world if they get
into a position where they do no hard
manual work whatever: where their
hands will grow soft, and their work
ing clothes will be kept clean. Such
a conception is both false and mis-
chievous.
1.-The calling of the skilled tiller O
the soil, the calling of the skilled me
chanic, should alike be recognized "a,
professions, just as emphatically a
the callings of lawyer, of doctor, o
banker, merchant, Or clerk. TIL
printer, the electrical worker, tn,
housepaintcr, the foundryman, shout,
be trained Just as carefully as tn
stenographer or the drug clerk. The
should be trained alike in head an
in hand. They should get over tn
idea that to earn Sl2 a week and ca
it "salary' is better than to earn :.
u week and call it "wages."
"There is but one person whose We
fare is as vital as the welfare of til
whole country a. Is that of the wage
worker who does manual labor: an
that is the tiller OF the soil--the farm
er. II there is one lesson taught b
history it is that the permanent grea
ness of any state must ultimately d.
pend more upon the character Of il
country population than upon an!
thing else. No growth of cities, u
growth of wealth can make up for
loss in either the number or the cha
acter OF the farming population.
the United States more than in almo
any other country we should reali;
this and should prize our count,
population. When this nation begs
its independent existence it was a n
ton Of farmers. The towns were sma
and were for the most part mere Sc
coast trading and fishing ports. II
chief industry of the country was a
riculture and the ordinary citizen WI
in some way connected with it..
every great crisis of the past a p
culiar dependence has had to