The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-05

a stronger feeling than ever among the
| intelligent well-to-do and influential
element in favor of the industrial educa-
| ton Of tine negro and the encouragement
/ of the race to make themselves useful
| members Of the community The pro
grsSs which the negro has made in the
last fifty years from slavery, when its
statistics are reviewed, is marvellous. and
/ u furnishes every reason 10 hope that in
/ the next twenty-five wears still greater
| Improvement in his condition as pro-
| duetive member of society, the farm
and in the shop and in other occupations
may come. The negroes are now
y Americans. their ancestors came =
here years ago against their Will. =
y and this is their only country and y
y their only flag. They have shown y
themselves anxious to live for it and =
to die for 1t. Encounterfng the race
y feeling against them. subjected al y
y times to cruel injustice growing out =
= of it. they may well have our pro- =
y found sympathy and aid in the =
= struggle they are making. We are =
y making their path smooth and easy y
= as we can. Any recognition of their ,
distinguished men, any appointment y
y to office from among their number, y
y Is properly taken as an encourage
y ment, and an appreciation of their =
y progress. and this just policy shall =
y 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 community in which the race feel
ing IS so widespread and acute as to in
terfere 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 10 the
race TO outweigh the recurrence and in
crease of race feeling which such an ap-
po1ntment is likely to engeader. There
fore, the executive. in recognizing the
negro race by appointments. must eXer-
else careful discretion not thereby to
do IT more harm than good. On the other
hand we must be careful not to encourage
the mere pretnese of race feeling manu-
featured 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 these 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 AMI 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 intenec-
tual progress of the negro. The exercise
of political franchises by those of his
race who are intelligent and well-to-do
will be acquiescsd in. and the right to
vote viii be withheld only from the ig-
norant and irresponsible of both races.
The Labor Question.
There is one other matter to which 1
shall refer. 1t was made the subject of
great controversy during the election,
and calls for at least passing reference
now. Ny distinguished predecessor has
given much attention to the cause of la
Dor. with whose struggle for better things
he has shown the sincerest sympathy. At
his instance. congress has passed the bill
fixing the liability 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
IL has also passed a law fixing the COM
pensation Of government employees for in
juries sustained in the employ of the gov
eminent through the negligence of the
superior. 1t also passed a model child la
Dor law for the District of Columbia. In
previous administrations an arbitration
law for interstate commerce railroads and
their employees, and laws for the applica-
ton of safety devices to save the lives
and limbs of employees of interstate rail-
roads had been passed Additional iegts-
lation of this kind was passed by the out,
going congress.
l wish to say that in so far as I can, I
hope to promote the enactment of further
legislation of this character ] am strong
" convinced that the government should
make itself as responsible to employees in
iuTed in its employ as an interstate raw
WAY corporation is made responsible BY
federal law to its employees; and I shall
be glad whenever any additional reason
able safety device can be invented to re
duce the loss of life and limb among rail-
way employees. to urge congress to re-
quire its adoption By interstate railways.
Matter of Injunction.
Another labor question has arisen which
has awakened the most excited discussion.
That is in respect to the power of the
federal courts TO issue injunctions I'm in
dustrial disputes. AS to that, my convic-
tions are fixed. Take away from courts.
if it could be taken away. the power to
issue injunctions in labor disputes, and IT
would create privileged class among the
laboreTs and save the lawless among their
number from a most ueedful remedy avail
able to all men for the protection of their
business against lawless invasion. The
proposition that business is not property
or peeuniaTy 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 secondary boycott lawful. Such
a proposition is at variance with the
American instinct and will find no support
in my judgment when submitted to the
American people The secondary boycott
is an instrument of tyranny, and ought
not to be made legitimate.
The issuing Of a temporary restraining
order without notice has in several in
stances been abused by its inconsiderate
exercise. and to remedy this the platform
upon which I was elected recommends the
formulation in a statute of the conditions
under which such a temporary restrain
ing order ought to issue. A statute can
and ought to be framed to embody the
best modern practice, and can bring the
subject so closely to the attention of the
court as to make abuses of the process
unlikely in the future. American people,
if I understand them. insist that the au-
thority of the courts shall be sustained. |
and are opposed to any change in the
procedure BY which the powers of a court
may be weakened and the fearless and /
effective administration of justice be in
terfered with.
Having thus reviewed the questions like
IL to recur during my administration. and
having expressed in a summary way the
position which I expect to take in rec
n congress- and in my con-