Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-03-05
Page Three

the negro has made in the last fifty years from slavery, when it's statistics are reviewed, is marvellous, and it fur nishes every reason to hope that in the next twenty-five years still great CT improvement in his condition as a | productive member of society, on the farm, and in the shop and in other oe- eupations, may come. The negroes are now Americans. Their ancestors came here years ago against their will, and this is their only country and their only flag. They have shown themselves anxious to live for it and to die for it. Encountering the race feeling against them, subjected at times to cruel injns- tiee growing out of it, they may well have our profound sympathy and aid Tn the struggle they are making We are charged with the sacred duty of making their path as smooth and easy as we can. Any recognition of their distinguished men, any appointment to office among their number, is properly taken as an encouragement, and an ap- preciation of their progress, and this just policy shall be pursued.
 But it may well admit of doubt whether, in, the ease of any race, an appointment of one of their number to a local office in a community in which the race feeling is so widespread and acute as to interfere with the ease and facility with which the local govern ment business can be done by the ap. pointee, is of sufficient benefit by way of encouragement to the race to out weigh the recurrence and increase of race feeling which such an appointment | ,a EEolxy t, executive, in recognition of the negro race by appointments must exercise a careful discretion not thereby to do it more harm than good. On the other hand, We must be careful not to en- courage the mere pretense of race feel ing manufactured in the interest of :n- dividual political ambition. ! Personally, I have not the slightest race prejudice or feeling, and recogni- ton of its existence only awakens in my heart deeper sympathy for those who have to bear it or suffer from 1t, and question the wisdom of a poli- 1, cr which is likely to increase it. Mean time, if nothing is done to prevent, a better feeling between the negroes and the whites in the south will continue to grow, and more and more of the white people will come to realize that the flu. ture of the south is to be much bene- fted by the industrial and intellectual progress of the negro. The exercise of political franchises by those of his race who are intelligent and well-to-do will be aequieseed in, and the right to vote will be withheld only from the ignorant and irresponsible of both races.
 | Cause of Labor,
 | There is one other matter to which shall refer. It was made the subject of great controversy during the cleo tion, and calls for at least passing reference now. My distinguished predecessor has given much attention to the cause of labor, with whose struggle for better things he has shown the sin cerest sympathy. At his instance, con gress has passed the bill fixing tho Ii. ability of interstate carriers to their employees for injury sustained in the course of employment, abolishing the rule of fellow-servant and the common law rule as to contributory negligence, and substituting therefor the so-called ruleSof comparative negligence. It has also passed a law fixing the compensa- ton of government employees for injur- l ies sustained in the employ of the gov ernment through the negligence of the superior. It also passed a model child labor law for the District of Columbia. In previous administrations an arbitra- tion law for interstate commerce rail roads and their employees, and laws for the application of safety devices to save the lives and limbs of employees of interstate railroads had been passed. Additional legislation of this kind was passed by the outgoing congress.
 | wish to say that in so far as I can, I hope to promote the enactment of fur. ther legislation of this character I am strongly convinced that the govern ment should make itself as responsible to employees injured in it's employ as an interstate railway corporation is made responsible by federal law to its em- ployes; and shall be glad, whenever any additional reasonable safety device can be invented to reduce the loss of life and limb among railway employees, to urge congress to require its adoption by interstate railways.
 Power of Injunction.
 Another labor question has arisen which has awakened the most excited discussion. That is in respect to tho power of the federal courts to issue in- functions in industrial disputes. As to that, my convictions are fixed Take away from courts, if it could be taken away, the power to issue injunctions in labor disputes, and it would create a privileged class among the laborers and save the lawless among their number from most needful remedy available to all men for the protection of their business against lawless invasion. The proposition that business is not a prop erty or pecuniary right which can be protected by equitable injunction is ut terly without foundation in precedent or reason. The proposition is usually linked with one to make the secondary boycott lawful. Such proposition is at variance with the American instinct and will find no support in my judg ment when submitted to the American people. The secondary boycott is an instrument of tyranny, and ought not to be made legitimate.
 The issuing of q temporary restrain ing order without notice has in several | l.o. ,l-. =