The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-12-10

~ All appear TO the old doctrine nj
states rights.
Inc proposal to make the national
government supreme over, and thcre
tore to give 1t complete control over
the railroads and other Instruments u,
Interstate commerce is merely pro
posal to carry out to the letter one of
the prime purposes, If not the prime
purpose, for which the constitution
was founded. 1t does not represent
Capitalization.
l believe that the more forsirbtol
corporations are themselves coming to
recognize the unwisdom of the violent
hostility they have displayed durin.
the last few years to regulation and
control by the national government of
combinations engaged in Interstate bust
ness.
Labor.
There are many matters affecting la.
Dor and the status of the wageworker
to which | should like to draw your
attention. AS far as possible | hone
to see frank recognition of the ad-
vantages conferred by machinery. or
ganiZation and division of labor. ac-
companied by an effort to bring about
larger share In the ownership by
wageworker of railway, mill and fac
tory. In farming this simply means
that we wish to see the farmer own his
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
that the farmer becomes like Euro
pean peasant.
The depositors in our savings banks
now number over onc-tenth of our en-
tire population These are all capital
lists who through the savings banks
loan their money to the workers-that
Is, In many cases to themseves-to
carry on their various Industries
Postal savings banks will make 1t easy
for the poorest to keep their savings
In absolute safety. The regulation of
the national highways must be such
that they shall serve all people with
equal justice. Corporate finances must
be supervised SO rs to make 1t far
safer than at present for the man Of
small means to invest his money in
stocks. There must be prohibition Of
child labor, diminution Of woman la
Dor, shortening of hours of all me-
chanical labor Stock watering should
be prohibited and stock gambling so
far as is possible, discouraged There
should be Il progressive inheritance
tax on large fortunes. Industrial edu-
cation should be encouraged.
Protection For Waseworkers.
There is one matter with which the
congress should deal at this session
There should no longer be any palter
ing with the question Of taking care
of the wageworkers who, under our
present industrial system, become kill
ed, crippled or worn out as part of the
regular incidents of given business.
The object sought for could be achiev
ed to a measurable degree, rs far as
those killed or crippled are concerned,
by proper employers liability laws.
AS far as concerns those who have
been Worn out, l call your attention to
the fact that definite steps toward pro
viding old age pensions have been
taken in many Of our private indus
tries.
Pending a thoroughgolng invcstiga-
ton and action there IS certain le@is
lation which should be enacted at
once. The law passed at the last ses.
sion Of the congress granting com
pcnsation To certain classes OF en-
ployecs Of the government should be
extended to include all employees of
the government and should be made
more liberal in its terms. In this re-
spect the generosity Of the United
States toward its employees compares
most unfavorably with that oe ever!
country In Europe-even the poorest.
The terms Of the act are also
hardship in prohibiting payment in
cases where the accident is in any
way due to the negligence of the EN-
ployce. It is inevitable that daily IA
mliarity with danger will lead men to
take chances that can be construed
into negligence.
renew my recommendation made
i'm n previous message that half holl-
DAYS be granted during the summer to
all wageworkers in government EN-
ploy.
I also renew my recommendation
that the principle Of the eight hour
day should as rapidly and as far as
practicable be extended to the entire
work being carried on by the govern
ment.
Tho Courts.
I most earnestly urge upon the con
eress the duty Of increasing the totally
Inadequate salaries now given to our
Judges. On the whole, there Is no
body Of public servants who DO as
valuable work nor whose moneveo
reward Is so inadequate compared TO
their work. Beginning with the SUI
premc court, the judges should nave
their salaries doubled.
It is earnestly to be desired that
II. Ian 1nEjSa1 for DO