The San Francisco call., 1908-03-26
fact unfair. unreasonaele and against the public

interest. -s = -
agreements between employer and employe when
mey are just and fair. A strike IS clumsy
weapon Tor righting wrongs done to labor and we
concihation. and arbitration as a substitute for
strikes. Moreover, Violence disorder and coer-
cion, when committed in connection with strikes,
should be as promptly and as sternly repressed
a OF Mhen committed in any other connection bui
serikes 81 themselves are and should be recognized
70 ue entirely legal. Combinations OF WORKING
men men nave peculiar reason for their existence;
Inc very wealthy individual employer, and, still
more, tne very wealthy corpora top, stands at
an enormous advantage when compared to the
INDIVIDUAL workingman; afd.s while there are
iap1rels 70 form union, in many ether cases ~
Is Indispensable. for otherwise the thousands OF
men na uni Hnts the tousands e workIng m
ten, VIII De left he sesss In their dealings VIII
employer.
ola odlawenty,two years ago by the act of June 70,
1856, trades unions were recognized by law and
Tue right OF laborng people to combine TOE an
right including combination for mutual protection
ana Dement'S, the regulation of wages, hours ana
% labor and the profession Oh % tne ia
cution of their trade or trades; and In the act
OF June 1898, strikes were recognized as legal
IN the same provision that forbade participation
in or instigation of force or violence against per-
sons or property or the attempt to prevent others
from working by violence, threat or or9intimidation
PROTECTION FOR ALL
The businessman must be protected in person
and property and so must tie farmer aud the
wage worker; and as regards alike the right Of
peacetui combination for ell lawful purposes
should be explicitly recognized The right OF
employers to combine and contract with one an
other and with their employees should be expiic-
itiy recognized and so should the right OF the
employees to combine and to contract with one
another and with the employers and to peaceabiy
persuade others to accept their views ana 10
from ne 81 erms for he
iapor. Nothing should be done TO legalize
BLACKLIST or boycott that would be iiiegai at
common law; this being the type OF boycott de-
hneu and condemned by the anthracite strike
commission.
The question of financial legislation is now
receiving such attention in both houses that we
nave right to expect action before the close OF
seSS e session $40 L is urgently necessary tnat
oe taken TO establish postal savings banks inese
postal savings banks are imperatiyely needed
1or the benefit of the wage workers and men OF
small means and will be valuable adjunct to
our whole financial system.
REVISION OF THE TARIFF
The time has come when should prepare
FOR revision of the tariff. This should be, and
indeed must be. preceded by careful inYestiga-
tion Ii is peculiarly the province of the CON
gress and not of the president. and indeed,
peculiarly the province of the house, of repre-
sentatiyes to originate a tariff bill and TO deter
mine upon its terms; and this l fully realize
Yet 1t seems to me that before the close OF this
session provision should be made for collecting
fuil material which will enable the congress
elected next fall 10 act Immediately arter IL
comes into existence. This would necessltate
some action before the congress at its present
session, perhaps in the shape of directing the
proper committee to gather the necessary infor-
nation, both through the committee itself ana
through government agents who should report
10 the committee and should lay before 1t the
facts which would permit it to act with prompt
and Intelligent fairness. These government
agents, IL it is not deemed wise TO appoint in
dfyduals from outside the public service, might,
with advantage, be members of the executive de-
partments designated by the president on his own
motion or on the request of the committee, to
act with 1t.
WOOD PULP ON FREE LIST
| am of the opinion, however, that one change
in the tariff could with advantage be made
forthwith. Our forests need every protection
and one method of protecting them would be to
put on the free list pulp wood with correspond
ing reduction upon papers made from wood pulp
when they come from any country that does not
put an export duty them.
Ample provisions should be made for per-
manent waterway commission with whatever
power is required to make 1t effective. The
reasonable expectation of the people will not be
met unless the congress provides at this session
for the beginning and prosecution OF the actual
work OF waterway improvement and control
The congress should recognize In fullest fashion
the fact that the subject of the conservation OF
our natural resources with which this commission
deals is literally vital for the future of the ma
ton.
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