Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-12-08


tire population. These are all capital
lists who through the savings banks
loan their money to the workers-that
IS. in many cases 10 themseiyes-to
carry on their various industries.
Postal savings banks viii make 1t easy
for the poorest TO keep their savings
in absolute safety. The regulation OK
the national highways must be such
that they shall serve all people with
equal Justice Corporate finances must
be supervised so as to make 1t far
safer than at present for the man OF
small means to invest his money in
stocks. There must be prohibition OF
child labor. diminution Of woman Ia
bor. shortening of hours Of all me-
chanical labor. Stock watering should
be prohibited, and stock gambling, SO
far as is possible, discouraged. There
should be a progressive Inheritance
tax on large fortunes. Industrial edu-
cation should be encouraged.
Protection For Waeeworkers.
There Is one matter with which the
congress should deal at this session.
There should no longer be any palter-
ing with the question Of taking care
of the wageworkers who, under our
present Industrial system, become kill
ed, crippled or worn out as part OF the
regular incidents Of a given business.
The object sought for could be achlev-
ed TO a measurable degree, as far as
those killed or crippled are concerned,
by proper employers liability laws.
AS far as concerns those who have
been worn out, I call your attention to
the fact that definite steps toward pro
viding old age pensions have been
taken In many Of our private indus
tries.
Pending a thoroughgoing investiga-
ton and action there is certain legis-
lation which should be enacted at
once. The law passed at the last ses-
sion OF the congress granting com
pensation to certain classes Of en-
ployees Of the government should be
extended TO include all employees OF
the government and should be made
more liberal in its terms. In this re-
spect the generosity Of the United
States toward its employees compares
most unfavorably with that Of every
country in Europe-even the poorest.
The terms Of the act are also a
hardship In prohibiting payment IN
cases where the accident is in any
way due to the negligence OF the en-
ployee. 1t is inevitable that daily IA
miliarity with danger will lead men to
take chances that can be construed
into negligence.
I renew my recommendation made
in a previous message that half holt
days be granted during the summer to
all wageworkers IN government en-
ploy.
also renew my recommendation
that the principle Of the eight hour
day should as rapidly and as far as
practicable be extended to the entire
work being carried on by the govern
ment
The Courts.
I most earnestly urge upon the con-
gress the duty of increasing the totally
inadequate salaries now given to our
Judges. On the whole, there is no
body Of public servants who do as
valuable work nor whose moneyed
reward Is SO inadequate compared to
their work. Beginning with the su-
preme court, the judges should have
their salaries doubled.
1t is earnestly to be desired that
some method should be devised for do
ing away with the long delays which
now obtain in the administration OF
Justice and which operate with pecul-
lar severity against persons Of small
means and favor only the very crimi'
nails whom It is most desirable to pun
ish.
At the last election certain leaders
Of organized labor made violent and
sweeping attack upon the entire 1u'
| dietary OF the country, an attack
couched in such terms as to include
the most upright honest and broad
minded judges no less than those OF
narrower mind and more restricted
outlook. Last year before the house
committee on the judiciary these same
labor leaders formulated their de
mands specifying the bill that con
tanned them, refusing all compromise
stating they wished the principle OF
that bill or nothing. They insisted or
a provision that in labor dispute ne
Injunction should issue except to pro
tect a property right and specifically
provided that the right to carry OF
business should not be construed as
property right, and in a second pro
vision their bill made legal in O labor
dispute any act or agreeiAent by OF
| between two or more persons thai
vSuld not have been unlawful If done
! by q single person. In other words
this bill legalized blackllsting and boy
cOtting In every form. The demand
was made that there should be tria
by jury in contempt cases, thereby
most seriously impalring the authority
Of the courts All this represented
course of policy which, If carried out
would mean the enforcement Of class
! privilege In its crudest and most
brutal form and the destruction OF
one of the most essential functions OF
the judiciary in all civilized lands.
The wageworkers, the workingmen
the laboring men of the country, by the
way in which they repudiated the eff
fort to get them to cast their votes In
$1,000, 20 M animal 70 class b1trpd