The sun., 1908-03-26

IL lie important that we should encourage
trade agreements between employer and
employee where they are just and fair, A
strike is a clumsy weapon for Hghtlng
wrongs done 10 labor, and we should e1-
tend 90 far as possible the process OF CON
ciliation and arbitration az q substitute
for strikes. Moreover. violence, disorder
and coercion when committed In connection
vita strikes, should be as pr mptly
and as steTnly repressed as when oon-
mitted In any other connection. But strikes
themselves are and should be, recognized
/ 10 be- entirely legal. Combinations OF
workingmen have a peculiar reason Tor
their existence. The very wealthy indi-
viduAl employer and still more the very
] wealthy corporation stand at an enormous
advantage when compared 70 the hdi-
vidual workingman, and while there are
many cases where II may not be necessary
| for laborers 10 form union, In many other
cases II Is indispensable, for otherwise the
| thousands Of small units, the thousands OF
individual workingmen, will be left helpless
in their dealings with the one Dig uhl''
the big individual OF corporate employer =,
Twenty-Five years ago, by the act OF
June 20, 1880, trade unions we're recognized
| by law, and the right Of laboring people 70
| combine for all lawful purposes wasformerly
recognized, this right including. oomDlna-
/ tion for mutual protection and behenm'
| the regulation OF wages hours ana cohdi-
| tions OF labor and the protection OF the indi-
! vidilal rights OF the workmen in the prosecu-
| ton Of their trade or trades and in the act
| OF June /, 1898, strikes we're recognized rs
| legal in the same provision that forbade
participation In or instigation OF force or
| violence against persons or property or the
attempt 10 prevent others from work ing,
| by violence threat or intimidation Inc
| business man must be protected IN person
| and property. and 30 must the farmer ana
! the wage worker; and as regards all alike
| the right Of peaceful combination for all
| lawful purposes should be explicitly recog-
| ulzed.
The right Of employers TO combine and
| contract with one another and with theiT
| EMPLOYEES should be explicitly recognized =
and 80 should the right Of the. employees
/ TO combine and to contract with one an
| other and with the employers, and 70 Seek
| peaceably TO persuade others 70 acceps
| their views and TO strike for the purpose OF
peaceably obtaining from employers satis-
| factory terms for their labor. Nothing
| should be done TO legalize either a blacklist
| or a boycott that would be illegal at COM
mon law, this being the type OF boycott de-
! Ane1 and condemned by the Anthracite
| Strike Commission, ,
The question OF financial legislation 10
now receiving such attention in both houses
| that we have a right TO expect action before
| the close Of the session, 10 Ia urgently
necessary that there should be such action
| Moreover, action should be taken TO estao,
lish postal savings banks. These postai
savings banks are imperatively needed
| for the benefit OF the wage workers and men
| of small means and will be valuable
adjunct 10 our whole financial system.
The time has come when we should pre-.
pare for a revision Of Me tariff, This should
be, and indeed must b, preceded by careful
inyestiRatlon. II il peculiarly the province
! of the Congress and not Of the President,
and indeed peculiarly the province oi the
House Of Representatives, TO originate
tariff bill and TO determine unon its terms
and this fully realize. Yet II seems TO me
! that before the close Of this session provision
| should be made for collecting full material
which will enable the Congress elected
| neyt fall 10 act Immediately after Il comes
| into existence. This would necessitate
! some action by the Congress at its present
session. perhaps in the share OF directing
| the nrorer committee 10 gather the neoes-
sary information, both through the com
mittRe itself and through Government
| agents who should report TO the committee
! aud should Law before II the facts Whlch
Wouldremit IL ttoact with prompt andlntelll-
, II il not deemed wise TO appoint individuals
from outside the public service, might with
advantage he members Of the executive
| dsrartments, designated by the President,
| ON his own motion OF on the request Of the
| committee. 10 act with II.
am OF the oninion. however. that one
| change In the tariff could with advantage
he made forthwith. Our forests need
every protection, and one method OF pro
fectine them would be 10 put upon the
| free list wood pulp. with corresponding
rad,ction unon paper made from wood
nuln. when they come from any country
| that does not put an export duty upon
| them,
Annie provsion should be made for a
| permanent waterways commission, with
| whatever rower is required TO make u
effective, The reasonable expectation OF
| the people will not he met unless the Con
press provides at this session for the begin
! ming and prosecution OF the actual WORK
NJ waterway Improvement and control
| The Congress should recognize in fullest
| fashion inc fact that the subject Of the con-
servation Of our natural resources, with
! which this commission deals, is literally
vital for the future Of the nation.
| Numerous bills granting water power
| rights on navigable streams have been
introduced. None Of them gives the Gov
eminent the right 10 make reasonable
charge for the valuable privilegesso granted
In spite ~ the fact that these water
mower privileges are equivalent 10 many
| thousands Of acres Of the best coal lands
for their production of power. Nor is
| anv definite time limit set. ss shouldalwavs
| he done in such caRes. | shall be oDiped
hereafter, in accordance with tie policv
stated i'm recent messsge, to veto anv
water power bill which does not provide
Tor time limit and for the right Of the
President or ot the Secretary concerned
10 fix and collect such a charge as he may
| find 10 he just and reasonable in earh care.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
THE WHITE HoUsE, March %, 1875
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