The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-12-08
ROOSeVe|fS Annual MESSAGE
Submitted to Congress Today

or all government. Some must lie
outside the domain of the federal gov
ernment. But there is legislation
which the federal government alone
can enact and which is absolutely vital
in. order to secure the attainment of
our purpose. Many laws are needed.
Labor.
There are many matters affecting
labor and the status Of the wageworker
to which / should like to draw your
attention. but an exhaustive discussion
of the problem in all it's aspects is not
now necessary. This administration is
nearing its end; and, moreover under
our form of government the solution
of the problem depends upon the action
of the states as much as upon the ac-
tlon of the nation. Nevertheless, there
are certain considerations which I
wish to set before you. because I hope
that our people will more and more
keep them in mind. A blind and ig-
norant resistance to every effort for
the reform Of abuses and for the re-
adjustment of. society to modern in
dustrial conditions represents not true
widest radica'ism; for wise radical
ism and wise conservatism go hand in
hand, one bent on progress, the other
bent on seeing that no change is made
unless in the right direction. l believe
in a steady effort, or perhaps it would
be more accurate to say in steady eff
forts in many different directions, to
bring about a condition of affairs un-
der which the men who work with hand
or with BRAIN the laborers, the super
intendents. the men who produce for
the market and the men who find
market for the articles produced, shall
own a far greater share than at pres
ent of the wealth they produce, and be
enabled to invest it in the tools and
instruments by which all work is car
ried on.
Protection for Wageworkers.
"The above is the merest sketch,
hardly even a sketch in outline, Of the
reforms for which we should work.
F! But there is one matter with which
! the congress should deal at this session.
There should no longer be any palt
| ering with the question of taking care
of the wage workers, under our pres
ent Industrial system, become killed,
cripp ed or worn out as part of the
regular incidents of a given business.
| The majority of WageworkerS must
| have their rights secured for them by
state action; but the national govern
ment should legislate in thorOughgo-
/ ing and far-reaching fashion not only
for all employees of the national gov
ernment, but for all persons engaged
! irt interstate commerce. The object
sought for could be achieved to a
measurable degree, as far as those
killed or crippled are concerned, by
proper emp 'oyers' liability laws. AS
far as concerns those who have been
worn out, 1 call your attention to the
fact that definite steps toward pro-
viding oldage pensions have been TAX
en- in many of our private industries.
These may be indefinitely extended
Through voluntary association and con-
tributory schemes, or through the
agency of savings banks, as under the
| recent Massachusetts plan. To
should be our immediate duty; it is
not at present necessary to consider the
larger and more general governmental
schemes that most European govern
|ments have found themselves Obliged
to adopt.
The Courts.
II most earnestly urge upon the con-
gress the duty Of increasing the to-
Italy inadequate salaries now given to
lour judges. On the whole there is no
body of pubic servants who do as
valuable work, nor whose moneyed re-
ward is so inadequate compared to
their work. Beginning with the su-
creme court the judges should have
their salaries doubled. 1t is not be-
lifting the dignity of the nation that
it's most honored public servants should
be paid sums so small compared to
what they would earn in private life
that the performance of public SER
Twice by them implies an exceedingly
heavy pecuniary sacrifice.
'It is earnestly to be desired that
some method should be devised for
lOOlng away Will lu0 IOIS ueldyS WHICH
lnow obtain in the administration of
ljustice, and which operate with pecu-
liar severity against persons of small
lmeans, and favor only the very crimi-
nails whom it is most desirable to
lpunish. These long delays in the
final decisions of cases make in the
aggregate a crying evil; and a remedy
should be devised. Much of this in
ltolerable delay is due to improper re-
gard paid to techn:calities which are
a mere hinderance to justice In some
noted recent cases this over-regard
for technicalities has resulted in a
striking denial of justice, and fragrant
wrong to the body polite.
AT the last election certain leaders
Iof organized labor made a violent and
lsweeping attack upon the entire judi
lciary of the country. an attack couchej
lin such terms as to include the most
upright. honest and broad-mindec
Judges. no less than those of narrower
lmind and more restricted outlook. II
was the kind of attack admirably fit
tied to prevent any successful attempt
To reform abuses of the judiciary, be-
lcause it gave the champions of the
xLo,r 90 Iocirod nn-