Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-03-10

profound sympathy and aid In the
struggle they are making. We are
charged with the sacred duty Of max
/ ing their path as smooth and easy
as we can. Amy recognition OF their
distinguished men, any appointment
to Office from among their number, Is
| properly taken as an encouragement,
and an appreciation Of their progress.
and this just policy shall be pursued.
Sees Era Of Better Feeling.
But 1t may well admit of doubt
whether, in the case of any race, an
appointment of one of their number
to a local Office In a community In
which the race feeling is so wide
spread and acute as to interfere with
the ease and facility with which the
local government business can be
done by the appointee, Is of sufficient
benefit by way OF encouragement to
the race to outweigh the recurrence
and increase Of race feeling with such
an appointment is likely to engender.
Therefore, the executive, In recogniz-
ing the negro race by appointments.
must exercise a careful discretion not
thereby to do 1t more harm than good.
On the other han1 we must be careful
not to encourage the mere pretense
of race feeling manufactured in the in
terest of individual political ambition.
Personally 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 policy
which is likely to increase it. Mean
time, If nothing is done to prevent,
better feeling between the negroes
and the whites in the south will con-
tinue to grow, and more and more OF
the white people will come to realize
that the future of the south is to be
much benefited 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 acquiesced in,
and the right to vote will be withheld
only from the ignorant and irresponsi-
Bile Of both races.
Labor Legislation.
There is one other matter to which
| shall refer. 1t was made the subject
of great controversy during the cleo
ton, and calls for at least a passing
reference now. My distinguished prede-
cessor has given much attention to tho
cause of labor, with whose struggle
for better thiIRs he has shown the sim
cerest sympathy. At his instance, con-
gress has passed the bill fixing the liza
bility 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.
1t has also passed a law fixing the
compensation of government employees
for injuries sustained in the employ
of the government through the negli-
gence of the superior. 1t also passed
a model child labor law for the Dis
trict of Columbia. In previous admin
istrations an arbitrary law for inter-
state commerce railroads and their
employees, and laws for the application
of safety devices to save the lives and
limbs of employees of interstate rail-
roads had been passed. Additional
legislation of this kind was passed by
the outgoing congress.
l wish to say that in SO far ~ I
can, hope to promote the enactment
of further legislation of this charac-
ter l am strongly convinced that the
government should make itself az re-
sponsible to employees injured In its
employ as an interstate railway cor
poration is made responsible by fed
eral law to it's employees.
Federal Injunctions Upheld.
Another labor question has ariseD
which has awakened the most excited
discussion. That is in respect to the
power of the federal courts to issue In
functions in industrial disputes. AS
to that, my convictions are fixed. Take
away from the courts, If it could be
taken away, the power to issue in
functions in labor disputes, and it
would create a privileged class among
the laborers and save the lawless
among their number from most need
full remedy available to all men for
the protection of their business against
lawless invasion. The proposition
that business is not a property or pc
cuniary right which can be protected
by equitable injunction is utterly
without foundation in precedent or
reason The proposition is usually
linked with one to. make the second
airy boycott lawful. Such PROPOSE
ton is at variance with the American
instinct and will find no support in
my Judgment when submitted to the
American people. The secondary boy
colt is an instrument of tyranny, and
ought not to be made legitimate.
The issuing of temporary restrain
ing order without notice has in sew
eral instances been abused by its in
exercise, and to remedy
this, the platform upon which was
elected recommends the formulation In
a statute of the conditions under
which such temporary restraining
order ought to issue. A statute can
and ought to be framed to embody the
I1oct v,0dorp rronfioo and cQn hiring