davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
Declares Reputation of the Program Proves Patriot
ism of Workingmen and Their Lack of
Class Hatred

bia- There should be no ambiguity
On this point II there Is any doubt
on the subject. The law should be re-
enacted with special reference 20 the
District OF Columbia This act. how
ever, applies ociy TO employees OF
common carriers. In all other Occu-
patiCns the liaL ilit- law OF the Dis
trict Is the old common law.
The severity and iujustice OF the
common law IN this matter has been
IN some degree or another moCiled
only Jurisdiction under the exclusive
control Of the Congress should be
ahead and not behind the states OF
the Union in this respect A com
should be passed for the District Of
Columbia
i renew my recommendation made
in a previous message that half-holl-
days be granted during summer 10
a. Wage-w workers in Government en-
ploy.
that the principle of the eight hour
day should as rapidly and as far as
practicable be extended 70 the entlre
work being carried on by the Gov
ernment. the present law should be
amended 10 mbraCe contracts on
n ose public works which the present
wording Of the act seems 70 exclude
THE COURTS.
I most earnestly urge upon the Con-
gress the duty OF increasing the to-
tally Inadequate salaries how given
to our judges On the whole, there
is no body Of public servants who do
as valuable work nor whose moneyed
reward is SO inadequate compared to
their work Beginning with the a.
2reme Court, the judges should have
their salaries doubled Il is not be
fitting the dignity Of the nation that
It's most hOnOred public servants
should be paid sums so small com
pared TO what they would earn J.:
private life that the performance o.
public service BY them implies an eN
ceedfugIy heavy peCuniary SaCTlnce-
II is earnestly 10 be desired mat
some method should be devised Tor
doing away with the long delays
which now obtain In the adminiStEa-
tfon OF Justice, and which operate with
peculiar severity against persons OF
small means, and favor only the very
criminals whom IL Is most desirable
,-f5ese long delays IN the final deci-
siCns Of cases make IN the aggregate
a CRYING evil. and a remedy ShoGld De
devised Much Of this intOlera Ole oe-
Law is due to improper regard paid
70 techniCalitieS which are mefe
h{ndrance 20 Justice. In some noted
reC@nt cases this OVer-re gard for Lech-
nfcalities has resulted in q STRIKING
denial Of Justice, and fragrant wrong
to the body polite
At the last election certain leaders OF
organized labor made a VinlenI ana
sweeping attack upon the ecurS judi
ciarv OF the country. an ATTACK coUcned
in such terms as 70 include the most
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
NUMBER NO QUESTION.

Whether / per cent or 10 per cent OF
those following a given occupation ac-
tuaIly suffer injury or death ought not
10 have any bearing on the question Of
their receiving Compensation II is a
grim logic which says to an injured
empIoye or 10 the dependents Of one
killed that he or they are entitled TO n,
compensation because very few people
other than he have been injured or kill
ed in that occupation. Perhaps one OF
the most striking omissions IN the law
Is that Il does not embrace peace officers
and others whose lives may be sacrificed
in enforcing the laws Of the United
States
The terms Of the act providing COM
pcnsatiCn should be made more liberal
than in the present act,
A years compensation is not adequate
for a wage-earner's family IN the event
OF his death by accident in the course
of his employment And in the event or
death occurring. say, ten or eleven
months after the accident, the family
woulC only receive as compensation the
equivalent OF one or two months carr
ings. IN this respect the generosity Of
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
REGULATION NEEDED.

There should be regulation by the Ma
tional Government OF the great inter
state corporations, including a simple
method Of account keeping. publicity,
supervision OF the issCe % securities,
abolition Of rebates and OF special
privileges There should be short time
franchises for all corporations engaged
in public business: including the cor
porations which get power from water
rights There should be national as well
as state guardianship Of mines and for
ests. The labor legislation hereinafter
referred TO should cOncurrentIy be en-
acted into law.
To accomplish this, means Of course
q certain increase in the use Of-not
the creation Of-pOwer. by the central
Government The power already exists;
II does not have to be created; the only
question is whether II shall be used or
left idle-and meanwhile the corpora
Iions over which the power ought to be
exercised will not remain idle. Let those
who object 10 this increase in the use
OF the only power available. the national
power. be frank. and admit openly tndI
they propose 10 abandon any effort to
control the great business corporations
and 10 exercise supervision over the ac-
CumuiatiOn and distribution of wealth:
for such supervision and control can
only come through thls particular kind
Of increase of power.
We no more believe in that emplricism
which demands absolutely unTestrained
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT IN HIS MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
URGES BETTER LAWS FOR CONTROL OF CORPORATIONS
THE COURTS AND LABOR

the the made payof u
Some scheme should be found do
leaders
phtp
%
IS n the most dbutafo
n as GtzenSbH as class
fac the American
d
arebu t he courts
is Ibetyt
o hes changes
a a the ecne
ofen the epooe5 paid
is mIncionS do han.
o rne,h shouldn't be
the OF delay ymhni
are the ga o author
NJ
o 5 O IL
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
OUR WATERWAYS.

Unit! river improvement work is
begun in a modern way. it cannot
have results.
Funds for river and harbor work
should be provided from current rev.
enue or sale Of bonds.
The Agricultural Department should
control national parks.
1 would take the Indian service
completely out of political activity.
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
ON HOSPITAL SHIPS.

1t IS absurd to put a hospital ship
under a line officer.
Nothing ever was better for the
navy than the fleets cruise around
the world.
The present condition Of the fleet
should be a matter Of profound graf
ification to the American people.
The Washington times., 1908-12-08

the United States toward its employees
compares most unfavOrably with that
Of every country in Europe-even the
poorest
The terms Of the act are also a hard
ship in prohibiting payment IN cases
where the accident is in any way due
10 the negligence Of the employe. II is
inevitable that daily familiarity with
danger viii lead men To take chances
that can be construed into negligence So
well IS this recognized that in practically
all countries in the civilized world, e.
cept the United States, only a great de-
gree of negligence acts as a bar To Sc
curing compensation. Probably in no
other respect is our legislation both
State and national. so far behind prar-
ucaly the entire civilized world as in
the matter Of liability and compeusa-
ton for accidents In industry.
SINGLES US OUT.
1t is humiliating that at European in
teTnational congresses on accidents the
United States should oe singled out rs
the most belated among the nations in
respect to employers liability legisla-
ton This Government is itself A large
employer Of labor. and in it's dealings
with its employees it should set 9. stand
ard in this country which would pace
II on par with the most progressive
countries in Europe. The laws of the
United States in this respect and the
laws OF European countries have been
summarized in a recent bulletin of the
Bureau or Labor. and no American who
reads this summary can fail to be struck
Dy the great contrast between our prac-
uces ana theirs-a contrast not IN any
serse to our credit
Inc Cor gress should without further
deiay Iass model employers liza
Diilty Law for the District OF Co
lumbia. The employers liability act
recently declared Unconstitutional. on
account OF apparently including in its
PROVISIONS employees engaged in intra-
state = Enmerce as well as those en-
gagged II interstate commerce, has
been he'd by the local courts TO be
stlli IN effect so far as its prOvi-
sions apply to the District OF Colum-
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
HEALTH BUREAU.

Preserving the health OF the cour-
try demands intelligent action.
The Government Printing Office
should be under the Department OF
Commerce and Labor.
l advocate the immediate admission
Of New Mexico and Arizona as
States.
The Washington times., 1908-12-08

30 the Senate and House of Represen-
tives:
The financial standing of the nation
at the present time is excellent, and the
financial management of the nation S
interests by the Government during the
Ia. seven years has shown the most
satisfactory results. But our currency
system is imperfect. and it is earnestly
10 be hoped that the Currency Com
mission will be able 10 propose a
thorough good system which will do
away with the existing defects.
During the period from July 1, 1901,
10 September 80, 1908, there was an in
crease in the amount of money In cir
culauOn Of $912. .99l. .599. The increase in
the per capita during this period was
S5-t6 Within this time there were sew
era occasions when IL was necessary
for the Treasury Department to come to
the relief Of the money market by pur-
chases or redemptions Of United states
bonds; by increasing deposits in national
banks; by stimulating additional issues
OF national bank notes. and by 'acili-
tatiug importatiOns from abroad OF gold
BAD SYSTEM.
Cur imperfect currency system has
made these proceedings necessary. and
they We're effective until the monetary
disturbance In the fall OF 1907 Immensely
increased the difficulty of ordinary
methods Of relief. BY the middle OF
November the available working bal
ance in the Treasury had been reduced
To approximately $5050,OG0.
Clearing house associations through
out the country had been obliged TO
resort 10 the expedient of issuing clear
ing house certificates. 10 be used as
money. In this emergency it was deter
mined 10 invite subscriptions for 500
600 Panama Canal bonds. and $780,,
100000 , per cent certificates of in
debtedness authorized by the act Of
June 13 1895 1t was proposed 10 re-
deposit in the national banks the pro-
ceeds Of these issues. and to permit their
use as a basis for additional circulating
notes of national banks
The moral effect OF this procedure
was so great that il was necessary 10
issue only $24 .63l.gSO Of the Panama
Canal bonds and SO. 500 of the GER
tlhcatcS of Indebtedness.
During the period from July 1, 1901.
to September 30, 1915, the balance be-
tween the net ordinary receipts and the
net ordinary expenses of the Govern
ment showed a surplus in the four
years 1902, 1903. 1900. and 1907. and
deficit in the years 1904. 1915. 1908. and
a fractional part of the fiscal year 1853.
The net result was a surplus of $SS,-
4
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
TO SAVE FORESTS.

Reckless use Of forests has brought
us upon the verge OF a timber lam
inc.
Il would be criminal to let con-
siderations Of temporary conven-
fence keep Us from preventing fur
ther mischief
Mankind should have benefited by
the lesson Of deforestation in China.
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
CHILD LABOR LAW.

There must be prohibition OF child
labor and diminution Of woman Ia
Dor.
The state must care for the rights
OF the majority Of wageworkers-
Private industries in many cases
have provided Old age pensions
Lawyers are the only benehciaries
OF the present system or lack OF
system.
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
FOR BIG NAVY.

I approve the plan for an increase
OF the navy
It is desirable to complete a squad
ron Of eight battleships Of the ex-
isting type.
The general board OF the navy
should be turned into a general star
by law.
The Secretary Of the Navy must
be supreme
The Washington times., 1908-12-08

upright. honest. and brOad-minded
judges. no less than those Of narrower
mind and more restricted oUtiocS- It
was the kind Of attack admirably lifted
20 prevent any successful attempt 70
reform abuses Of the judiciary, because
it gave the champions OF the unjust
Judge their eagerly desired opportunity
70 shit their ground into a champion
ship Of just Judges who were unjuEtly
The Washington times., 1908-12-08

but for all persons engaged in interstate
commerce. The object sought for could
be achieved TO a measurable degree, as
far as those killed or crippled are con-
cerned, by proper employers liability
laws. As far as concerns those who
have been worn out, 1 call your atten-
tion to the fact that definite $. .ps to-
ward providing old-age pensions have
been taken In many of our private in
dustries. These may be indefini. ely ex-
tended through voluntary association
The Washington times., 1908-12-08

that the farmer becomes like a Euro
pedn peasant
Again, the depositors in our savings
banks now numoer over One-tenth OF
our entire population. These are all
capitalists, who through the savings
banks loan their money 10 the workers
-that IS, In many cases 10 themseIves-
- carry on their various Industries.
me more we Increase their number.
the more We Introduce the prime pies
OI cooperation into our industry.
Every increase in the number Of small
stochnolderS IN corporations IS a good
thing, for the same reasons. and where
the employees are the stockholders the
result IS particularly good. Very much
OF TINS movement must be outside OF
anything that can be ACCOMPLISHED by
good deal
Postal savings banks will make If easv
IOr the poorest 10 keep their SAVINGS
~ ~ absolute safety The regulation OF
me national highways must be such
mat they shall serve all people with
equal justice. Corporate finances must
De supervised so as 10 make II far
SAFER than AT present for the MAJ ~
sIhaiI means 10 invest his money in
stocks- Ihere must be prohibition OF
chlld labor diminutiOn Of woman labor
shortening OF hours of all mechanical
LABOR. stock watering Slould he no
hib.ted, and stock gambling So far az
Is possible discouraged. There should
De progressive Inheritance tax on
IarSe fortunes Industrial education
should be ENCOURAGED.
AS far as possible we shoul4 Uqbre,
the burden Of taxation on tie Small
mGn. - o'Aif'4i
We should put premium uron. tbr:Ti.
tidIu WORK. and business energy: hrt
these qualities cease 10 he fSs ~, - ~
factors in accommodating a fortune lone
before that fortune reaches a r.oi1f
Wnere II would be seriously affected Lv
any IN eT1tance- tax SuCN as [ Dr0DOse
II IS eminently right that the nation
should hX the terms upon whicb tbe
greaL fortunes are inherited They
rarely DO good and they often do harm
tirety. - men eli-
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
CONDEMNS 1T

Such an attitude can not he condev,-,.y7
too severely. for men Of propertv sbouII
recognize that they jeopardize the rights
OF property when they fail heartily 10
JOIN In the effort to do away with the
abuses Of wealth.
On the other hand. those who advo-
cate proper control on behalf of the
public, through the State. Of these great
corporations. and Of the wealth engaged
on a giant scale in business operatIo-e
must ever keep in mind that unless tbe,,
do scrupulous justice 10 the corporation
unless they permit ample profit ,Do
CoIQlally encourage capable men ~
business so long as they act with hon
tSIy' they are striking at the root OF
run. under the mere pressure of ,,,.tle
RAJ dlSIrfSS, the people as a whole
would probably go back to the reign oF
an unrestricted individualism rather
GIdL submit TO control by the state
50 drastic and so foolish. cO0cef,-egS :,
a spirit OF such unreasonable and III III
row hostlity to wealth. as to DreUent
business operations from being Drofi
tioIe, and therefore to bring rrJin ,,,,or,
tHe entire business community. and ,iIfi
HlateIy upon the entire body OF citizens
Inc opposition 70 Gol..t.ur1aT.r
troll of these great corporaffone L..
Ils most effective effort in the shane
Ol an appeal to the old doctrine of
state rights OF course. there are
many sincere men who now believe
IN IN unrestricted individualism in bust
ness just as there were formerly
many sincere men who belieLed a.
S!ayery-that is, in the unrestricted
tIEHI OF an individual 20 own another
Individual These men do NOT nv
t,L-ell themselves nave great weight. how
The Washington times., 1908-12-08

fraught with the sTavest harm TO the
Who.e country. To permit every lawless
capitalist, every law-defying corpora
ton, 10 take any action, no matter how
iniquitOus, in the effort TO secure an
improper proht ana 10 build up pTiViI-
ege, would be rutnous 20 the republic
and would mark the abandonment Of
the ef1oTt 10 secure in the Industrial
world the spirit OF democratic fair
dealing.
On me other hand. to attack these
wrongs in that spirit of demagogy
Wnlch can see wrong only when com
mltted by the man Of wealth. and is
dumb and blind in the presence of
wrong committed against men OF prop
actly as evil as corruptly to defend the
Wrongdoing Of men of wealth. The
war we wage must be Waged against
mlSc9nduct, against wrongdolng where.
ever II IS found. and we must stand
heartily for the rights of ever decent
man whether he be a man of great
Wealth or man who earns his iveli-
hood as a wage worker or a tilIer OF
PREMIUM ON CAPACITY.
1t is to the interest Of all of us that
there should be a premium put upon
individual initiative and individual ca
pacity, and an ample reward for the
great directing intelIigences alone com
petent to manage the great business
OpSldbOHS OF To-Day II IS well 10 keen
IN mind that exactly as the anarchist
Is the worst enemy OF liberty and 1I.s
reactionary the worst enemy of order.
so the men who defend the rights Of
property have most to fear from the
"FOngdoerS OF great wealth. and the
men wEo are Championing DOprlIar
rights have most 20 fear from the dena-
SoSues who in the name of popuIar
rights would do wrong 40 and IDpress
honGst business men, honest men OF
wealth; for the success Of either tvDe
OF WrongdoeT necessarily invites a Vio-
lent reaction against the cause the
Wrongcoer nominally upholds.
IN point OF danger 10 the nation there
IS nothing TO choose between on the one
hand the corruptionist. the bribe-giye1-
tne Drlbe-taker, the man who enDlOvs
ms great talent 10 swindle his fellow
clIlzens on a large scale, and. on the
other hand. the preacher OF class ha-
treu' the man who. whether from igno-
rance or from willingness to saCTlhce
MS country to his ambition. persuades
weIl-meaninS but wrong-headed men to
Try 70 destroy the instruments uD0n
whlch our prosperity mainly rests. LET
eacn group OF men beware Of and ytla-5
against the shortcomings 70 which that
group Is itself most liable Too often
We see The business community in .
spirit OF unhealthy class cOasciOusness
deplore the effort TO hold TO account nm
der the law the wealthy men who in
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
FoRMuLATE DFMANDS.

Last year. before the House Commit
tee on the judiciary, these same labor
leaders formulated their demands.
specifying the bill that contained them,
refusing all compromise, stating they
wished the principle Of that bill or
nothing They insisted on a provision
that in a labor dispute no injunction
should issue except 10 protect P prep
erty right. and specifically provided
that the right TO carry on business
should not be construed as property
right: and in a second provision their
bill made legal in a labor dispute any
act or agreement by or. between two or
more persons that would not have been
unlawful If done by a single person
IN other words, this bill legalized
blacklisting and boycotting in every
form. legalizing. for instance, those
forms Of the secondary boycott which
the anthracite coal strike commission
so unreservedly condemned: while the
right to carry on a business was ex-
pliciuy taken out from under that pro-
lection which the law throws ever
property. The demand was made that
there should be trial by jury in con-
tempt cases. thereby most seriously i'm
pairing the @gtbority Of the courts.
All this represented a course Of
ls---CA WHICH, II carried out. would mean
the enthronement OF class privilege in
Its crudest and most brutal form. and
the destruction OF one of the most es-
sential functions of the judiciary In all
civilized lands.
The violence Of the crusade for this
legislation, and its complete failure.
illustrate two truths which il is essen
ual our people should learn. In the
first place, they ought TO teach the
WOrRingman. the laDOrer the wage
worker that hy- GE-rrour7fucr
improper and impossible he plays into
the hands Of his foes. Such a crude
and vicious attack uDOn ths courts
even If it were temporarily successful
would inevitably IN the end cause a y-io-
lent reaction and would band the great
mass OF citizens together. forcing them
TO stand by all the judges. conIDetent
and incompetent alike. rather than to
see the Wneeis OF Justice stopped. A
movement of this kind can ultimately
result in nothing but damage to those
IN whose behalf il is nOminaIIv under
taken This is most healthy truth.
which 1t Is wise for all our people to
learn
ON CLASS HATRED.
any movement based on that class
hatred which az times assumes the
name OF class consciousness" is certain
ultimately TO fs.l, and Il II temporarily
succeeds, 70 do far-reaching damage.
Glass consciousness" where II is mere
ly another name for the odious vice
Of class seihshness. is equally noxious
whether in an employers ASSOCIATION
or IN workingman's association
The movement in question was one
IN which the appeal was made 10 all
"orktngmen 70 vote primarily. not as
American citizens, but as individuals Of
a certain class In society Such an an
peal in the first place revoits the more
hlgh-minded ana far-sighted among the
persons 10 whom il is adreesed- aSd A.,
the second place tends to arouse a
strong antagOniSIn among all other
classes OF citizens, whom it therefore
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
ON CORPORATIONS.

AS regards the great corporations en-
gagged in interstate business, and espe-
cially the railroads, l can only repeat
what 4 have already again and again
said in my messages to the Congress.
I believe that under the interstate
clause Of the Constitution the United
States has complete and paramount
right to control all agencies Of inter-
state commerce, and 1 be ieve that the
National Government alone can exer-
Csc THIS right with wisdom and effect
lNeneSs so as both to secure Justice
from, and 10 90 justice 10, the sreat
corporations which a. G the most i'm
porJant factors in modern business
believe that IL is worse than folly
10 attempt TO prohibit all combinations
as IS done by the Sherman antitrust
W. because such a law can be en-
forced only impe. fectly and uneUuaIly-.
aHo ltS enforcement works almost as
much hardship as good
strongly duv0cate mat instead Of an
NnWise effort TO prohibit all combina-
bpns, there shall be substituted a law
Mhlch snail expressly permit cOmbina-
lohS which are in the interest of the
puohc. but shall at the same time give
10 some agency of the National Govern
HleuL run power Of control and SuDer-
VISION over them. one Of the chief fea-
lures OF this control should be securing
ehure publicity in all matters which the
pdniic mas right 10 know, and further
more tHt power. not by judicial but By
executive action, to prevent or put Il
Stob- 10 every form Of improper favCrit-
FrIN| "a
The Washington times., 1908-12-08
WANTS RECOGNITION.

AS far as possible l hope 20 see a
frank recognition Of the advantages
conferred by machinery, organization,
and division Of labor, accompanied by
an effort 10 bring about a larger share
in the ownership by wage worker OF
railway, mill, and factory.
In farming, this simply means tnat
We wish 10 see the farmer own mis-
own land; We DO not wish. to see the
farms so large that they become the
property OF absentee landlords who
farm them by tenants. nor yet so small