Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-05

tive member of society, on the farm. and !
in the shop and in other occupations, |
may come The negroes are now Ameri-
cans. 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. Encounterlng the
race feeling against them, subjected at
times to cruel injustice growing out OF 1t,
they may well have our profound SYM
pathy and aid in the struggle they are
making We are charged with the sacred
duty of making their path as smooth ana
easy as we can. Any reorganization 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.
But it 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 widespread and acute as to inter-
fere 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 in
crease of race feeling which such an ap-
pointment is likely to engender There
fore, the Executive, in recognizing 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 encourage the
mere pretense of race feeling manHfac-
tured in the interest of individual political
ambition.
Personally I have not the slightest race
prejudice or feeling, and recognition of its
existence only awakens in my heart a
deeper sympathy for those who have to
bear it or suffer from it, and I question
the wisdom of a policy which is likely to
increase it. Meantime, if nothing is done
to prevent, 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 future of the South is to be much
benefited by the industrial and intellec-
tual 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 irresponsible of both races.
There is one other matter 10 which I
shall refer. 1t was made the subject of
great controversy during the election, a..i
calls for at least a passing reference
now. My distinguished predecessor has
given much attention to the cause of
labor, with whose struggle for better
| 49,
patty. AT his instance, Congress has
passed the bill fixing the liability of in
terstate carriers to their employees for
injury sustained in the course of employ
ment, abolishing the rule of fellow-ser-
want and the common law rule as to con-
tributory negligence, and substituting
therefor the so-called rule of comparative
negligence. 1t has also passed a law fix
ing the compensation of government en-
ployes for injuries sustained in the en-
ploy of the government through the
negligence of the superior. 1t also passed
a model child labor law for the District
of Columbia. In previous administra-
lions arbitration law for interstate
commerce railroads 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 this kind
was passed by the outgoing Congress
/ wish to say that in so far as [ can I
hope to promote the enactment of fur
Their legislation of this character. / am
strongly convinced that the Government
should make itself as responsible to en-
pioyes injured in its employ us an inter
state railway corporation is made re-
sronsible by federal law to its employees;
and L shall be glad. whenever any addi-
tional 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 in
terstate railways.
Another labor question has arisen which
| has awakened the most excited discus
sion. That is in respect to the power Of
the Federal courts to issue injunctons in
industrial disputes. AS to that, my con-
victions are fixed. Take away from
courts, if it could be taken away, the
putes and it would create a privileged
class among the laborers and save the
lawleSs among their number from most
needful remedy available 10 all men for
the protection of their business against
lawless Invasion. The proposition that
business is not u property or pecuniary
right which can he protected by equitable
in precedent or reason. The proposition