The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-12-09

tons, or from the exercise of the peces-
would do injustice and wrong to the cor
pofauons- Both the preachers OF an UNI
restricted 1ndividualisnl, and the preach
ers OF an oppression which would deny 10
apie men of business the just reward of
their initiative and business sagacitS3
are advocating policies that would be
whole country To permit every lawless
capitalist, every law -defying corporation.
20 take any action, no matter now m
fquitous, in the effort to secure an i'm
proper profit and to build up privilege;
would mark the abandonment of the effort
10 secure in the industrial world the
spirit OF democratic fair-dealing- On the
other hand, to attack these wrongs in
that spirit of demagogy which can see
wrong only when committed by the man
OF wealth, and is dumb and blind in the
presence of wrong committed against men
OF property or by men of no property.
Is exactly as evil as corruptly to defend
the WrongdoinS of men OF wealth. the
war We wage must be Waged against
misconduct, against wrongdoing wherever
for the rights OF every decent man,
whether nc be a man of great wealth or
man who earns his livelihood as a
wageworker or tiler OF the SOIL
IT is to the interest of all of US that
there should be a premium put upon
individual initiative and individual ca
paeity, and an ample reward for the great
directing intelligences alone competent TO
manage the great business corporations
of to-day
Labor.
There are many matters affecting labor
and the status of the wageWorker 10
which / should like to draw your atten-
ton. but an exhaustive discussion of the
problem in all its aspects is not now
necessary This administration is nearing
its end; and. moreover, under our form
of government the solution of the prob
lem depends upon the action of the states
as much as upon the action or the nation.
Nevertheless. there are certain considera--
tions which I wish to set before YOU. be-
cause i hope that our people viii more
and more keep them in mind A blind
and ignorant resistance to every effort
flor the reform of abuses and for the re-
adjustment of society to modern indus
servatism but an Indictment TO the Wild
est radicalism; for wise radicalism and
bent on progress, the other bent on see
ing that change is made unless IN the
right direction. i believe IN steady
effort, perhaps IL would be more ac-
curate 10 say in steady efforts In many
different directions. to bring about con-
dition of affairs under which the men
who work with hand or with brain, the
laborers, the superintendent, the men
who produce for the market and the men
duced, shall own far greater share than
at present of the wealth they produce,
aid instruments by. which an work is
carried ON. As far as possible I hope
TO see frank recognition of the advan-
ton and division of labor. accompanied
by am effort to bring about a Iaiger
share in the ownership by wagewcr'1erI
ing, this simply m9ans 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 alb
sentee landlords who farm them by ten
ants, nor yet so small that the farmer
becomes like a European peasant Again,
the depositors in our savings banks now
number over one-tenth OF our entire
population These are all capitalists.
nh,
their money to the werkers-that is
in many cases to themselves-to carry
on their various industries. The more
we increase their number, the more we
introduce the Principles of cooperation
into our industry. Every increase in the
number of small stockholders in . cor
porations is a good thing, for the same
reasons; and where the employees are
the stockholders the result is particular
Nv good. Very much of this movement
must be outside of anything that can
be accomplished by legislation: but leg
inss banks will make it easy for the poor
est to keep their savings in absolute
Protection for Wageworkers.
The above is the merest sketch, hard
ly even a sketch in outline, of the re-
forms for which we should work. But
gross should deal at this session. There
should no longer be any paiter1ng with
the question Aof taking care OF the wage
workers who,- under present indus
trial system, become killed, crippled or
worn ont as part of the regular incidents
of a given business. The majority of
wage workers must have their rights Sc
cured for them by state action; but the
'7~+'-rHi ~"vernrnent should legislate in
acknowledging and far-reaching fashion
H. 49, -. ali employees of the nation
al government, but for all persons en-
gagged in interstate commerce. The OBJ
lect sought for could be achieved to
measurable degree, as far as those killed
or crippled are. concerned, by proper
employers liability laws. As far as con-
Germs those who have been worn out. |
/ call your attention to the fact that
definite steps toward providing oid-age |
pensions have been taken in many of
our private industries. These may be
Indefinitely extended through voluntary
association and contribntory schemes. or
as under the recent Massachusetts plan.
10 strengthen these practical measures
should be our immediate duty; 1t is not
at present necessary TO consider the larg- |
err and more general government Ia. |
schemes that most European governments |
have found themselves obliged To adopt !
Our present system, or rather no sys- |
TEN. works dreadful wrong, and is of
benefit TO only one class of people-the |
LAWYERS When workman is injured !
what he needs is not an expensive and
DOUBTFUL lawsuit. but the certainty OF |
relief through immediate administrative
action. The number of accidents which |
workers, in the union at large, is simply |
appalling; in very few years II runs
up total far in excess of the aggregate |
OF dead and wounded in any modern |
war. No academic theory about free |
dom of contract shold be permitted to |
ments. Progress in civilization has every |
WI meant n limitation and regIlla- 4