The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-12-10

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
hardship in prohibiting payment in
cases where the accident is in any
way due to the negligence of the en-
ployee. 1t is inevitable that daily ia
miliarity with danger will lead men to
take chances that can be construed
into negligence.
renew my recommendation made
in a previous message that half holi-
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.
The Courts.
most earnestly urge upon the con-
gress 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 moneyed
reward is so inadequate compared to
their work. Beginning with the SUI
rreme court. the judges should have
their salaries doubled.
1t is earnestly to be desired that
some method should be devised for do
ing away with the long delays which
now obtain in the administration Of
Justice and which operate with pecul-
lar severity against persons of small
means and favor only the very crimi-
nails whom it is most desirable to pun
ish.
At the last election certain leaders
of organized labor made a violent and
swearing attack upon the entire ju-
dietary of the country, an attack
couched in such terms as to include
the most upright. honest and broad
minded judges no less than those OF
narrower mind and more restricted
outlook. Last year before the house
committee on the judiciary these same
mands, specifying the bill that con-
tanned them. refusing all compromise,
stating they wished the principle OF
that bill OF nothing. They insisted on
a provision that in a labor dispute no
Injunction should issue except to pro-
tect a property right and specifically
provided that the right to carry on
business should not be construed as
property right. and in a second pro-
vision their bill made legal in labor
dispute any act or agreement by or
between two or more persons that
would not hare been ::::.lss y full If done
by single person. In other words,
this bill legalized blacklisting and boy
cotting in every form. The demand
was made that there should be trial
by jury in contempt cases. thereby
most seriously impairing the authority
of the courts. All this represented a
course of policy which. if carried out,
would mean the enthronement of class
privilege in its crudest and most
brutal form and the destruction Of
one Of the most essential functions Of
the judiciary in all civilized lands.
The wageworkers, the workingmen,
the laboring men of the country, by the
way in which they repudiated the eff
fort to get them to cast their votes in
response to an appeal to class hatred
have emphasized their sound patriotism
and Americanism.
Courts lmperied by Judges.
But the extreme reactionaries, the
persons who blind themselves to the
wrongs now and then committed by
the courts on laboring men. should
also think seriously as to what such
movement as this portends. The
courts are jeoparded primarily by the
action of these federal and state
judges who show inability or unwill-
ingness to put a stop to the wrong
doing of very rich men under modern
industrial conditions.
There are certain decisions by va
rious courts which have been exceed
irgly detrimental to the rights OF
wageworkers This is true of all the
decisions that decide that men and
anteed their liberty" to contract to
enter dangerous occupation. or to
work an undesirable or improper num-
Der of hours. or 10 work in unhealthy
surroundings, and therefore cannot re-
cover damages when manned in that
occupation and cannot be forbidden
to work what the legislature decides is
All excessive number of hours. or to
carry on the work under conditions
which the legislature decides to be un
healthy.
There is also, l think. ground for
the belief that substantial injustice is
often suffered by employees in conse-
quence of the custom of courts issu
ing temporary injunctions without no.
tice to them and Furnishing them for
contempt of court in instances where,
as matter of fact. they have no
knowledge Of any proceedings. Pro
ton or temporary restraining order
issue otherwise than on notice, except
where irreparable injury would other
wise result. and in such case a hear
ing on the merits of the order should
be had within a short fixed period.
ard if not then continued after hear
ing it should forthwith lapse. Dcci-
sicns should be rendered Immediately
and the chance of delay minimized in
every way.
tn