Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-09-08

DtASt anu ITO WI n - OAAly
The labor organization helps those
outside of 1t as its members because
the increased wages and improved
conditions are shared by non-union
men as well as by union men.
Do not understand me to say that
labor organization is perfect; "the
king can do no wrong" can no more
be spoken of a group than of indi-
viduals. The labor organization is COM
posed of men: its affairs are con-
trolled by human beings, and human
beings are not perfect. All that man
touches Is stained with mans imper-
fections, and his frailty can be traced
through all his works. But, fortu-
nately for the laboring man, the judg-
ment pronounced against his mistakes
must be tempered by the fact that
those with whom the laboring man
err. When the employe deals with
the employer, he is dealing with one Of
like passions with himself. Each Is
likely to be insistent upon what he
believes to be right, and the opinion
of each, as to what is right, is likely
to be colored by selfish interests and
affected by incomplete information az
to the facts If the employe has
sometimes resorted to violence to en-
force his wishes, the employer has
sometimes employed his position to
secure an unfair share of the joint
product. 1t is the province of the
law to place limitations upon both,
and the security of our government is
found in the fact that both employer
and employe, in their calmer mo-
ments, will join in the enactment of
laws which will restrain them in mo-
ments of temptation. Some assume
that labor is lawless and that to set
tie the labor question permanently we
need only enforce the law vigorously
/ yield to none in insistence upon
obedience to the law. Law is neces-
sary in human society, and its en-
forcement is essential to peace and
ORDER but we must remedy abuses by
law If We whould insure respect for,
and obedience to, law.
The important lesson to be learned
by the citizen in a government like
ours is that the ballot is both shield
and sword--it protects him from in
jury and enforces his rights.
The first thing that is needed for
better understanding of labor ques-
tions is the recognition of the equal
rights of all, and, second, more in
innate acquaintance. We have rights
that may be called natural rights; they
are inherent; we have them because
we are human beings. The govern
ment did not bestow them upon us
the government cannot rightfully
withdraw them from us. We all come
into the world without our volition;
the environment of youth largely de-
termnes the course of our lives, and
this environment in not of our choos'
ing. We live under the same moral
obligations, and are responsible to the
same Eupreme Being We have out
needs that must be supplied; we re-
quire food, clothing, shelter. compan-
ionship. We have our domestic ties
and the tenderness of these ties is not
measured by wealth or position in so
ciety. Man has used petty distinc-
tions to separate society into differ
ent classes, but these distinctions are
insignificant when compared with the
great similarities that unite us in a
common destiny and impel us toward
common end.
On this day it is well to emphasize
the fact that We are linked together
by bonds which we could not break IL
we would and should not weaken II
we could 1t ought to be easy to learn
this lesson In the United States, for
here. more than anywhere else. peo-
pie feel their interdependence. We
have no law of primogeniture to sepa-
rate the Oldest son from his brothers
and sisters; and We have no law of
entail to prevent the alienation of an
estate. There is no aristocracy rest
ing upon birth or kingly favor; and
If the people perform their civic
duties, there will be no plutocracy rui-
ing in the name of the dollar. Here
the road to advancement Is public
highway. and 1t is within our power
to keep 1t open to all alike. Here, too
the government is within the control
of the people, and no department OF
the service is out of the reach of the
voter or beyond the influence of pub
lie opinion Under our constitution
some branches of the government are
more responsive than others to the
public will. but our government car
be controlled by the people, from the
organic law which we call the con
stitutlon to the statute and the courts
decree.
A long step toward the elevation o
4, labor to It's proper position in the ma
tion's deliberations is to be found II
the establishment of department oi
labor with cabinet officer at lis
head. The wage-earners deserve thii
recognition, and the executive Is en-
titled to the assistance which such al
official could render him. regard
the Inauguration OF this reform as thu
opening of O new era in which thos'
who toll will have a voice in the de
liberations of the presidents council
chamber.
The labor organization has beer
seriously Handicapped by the fact tina
II has been-and | am not sure tina
II has not been done unwlttlngly--
yoked up with the Industrial eombl
nations known as trusts The prone
ness of trust defenders to use the la
Dor organization as an excuse for com
binations in restalnt OF trade hai
aroused the suspicion that they hav'
been classed together for the purpos'
of shielding the combinations OF capi
tai. AS the result of eighteen years
antttruat LEGISLATION only one maj