The Irish standard., 1908-03-28

IoUOF, anu we SnOulu extend, 30 I0r rs
possible. the process of Cancellation
and arbitration for strikes. Moreover,
violence. disorder and coercion. when
committed in connection with strikes.
should be as promptly and as sternly:
depressed as when committed in any
other connection. But strikes them
selves are, and should be recognized
to be entirely legal. Combinations OF
workingmen have peculiar reason
for their existence. The very wealthy
individual employer, and still more the
very wealthy corporation, stand at an
enormous advantage when compared
to the individual workingman; and
while there are many cases where 1t
may not be necessary for laborers to
from union, in many other cases it
Is Indispensable, for otherwise the
thousands of small units the thou
sands Of individual workingmen, will
be left helpless in their dealings with
the big one unit, the big individual or
corporate employer. :"
Objects to Boycott.
The right of employers to combine
and contract with one another and
with their employees should he explic-
lily recognized: apd 50 should the
right of the employesAo combine and
to contract with one another and with
the employers, and to seek peaceably
to persuade others to accept their
views, and to strike for the purpose of
peaceably obtaining from" employers
satisfactory terms for their labor
Nothing should be done. to legalize
either blacklist or a. boycott that
would be illegal at common law. this
being the type of boycott defined and
condemned by the anthracite strike
commission.
The question Of financial legislation
is now receiving such attention in
both houses that W. have a right to
expect action before the close of the
session. 1t is urgently necessary that
there should be such action Moreover
action should be taken to establish
postal savings banks. These postal
savings banks are imperatively needed
for the benefit of the iwageworkeEs and
men Of small means. and will be a val
liable adjunct 10 our whole, financial
system. s"-''
Tariff Revision.
The time has come when we should
prepare for a revision of the tariff
This should be. and indeed must be.
preceded by careful investigation. 1t
fs peculiarly the province of the con-
gress and not OF the president, and in
deed peculiarly the province of the
house of representatives., to originate
q tariff bill and to determine upon it's
terms; and this fully realize. Yet it
seems to me that before the close of
this session provision should be made
for collecting full material which
will enable the congress elected next
fall to act Immediately after it comes
into existence. This would necessitate
some action by the congress at it's
present session, perhaps in the shape
of directing the proper committee to
gather the necessary information, both
through the committee itself and
through government agents who
should report to tho committee and
should lay before 1T the facts.
am of the opinion, however, that
one change in the tariff could with
advantage he made forthwith Our
forests need every protection and one
method of protecting them would be
to put upon the free hat wood pulp.
with q corresponding reduction upon
paper made from wood pulp, when
they come from any country that does
not put an export duty upon them.
Waterways Commission.
Ample provision should be made
for q permanent waterways commits
sion. with whatever power is required
to make it effective. The reasonable
!, expectation Of the people will not be
met unless the congress provides at
this section for the beginning and
prosecution Of the actual work of wa
terway 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, 10
literally vital for the future OF the ma.
ton.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT,
The White House, March rs, 1908.