Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-03-04

/, shown themselves anxious to live for
it and to die for 1t. Encountering the
race feeling against them, subjected
ut times to cruel injustice growing out
of it. they may well have our profound
sympathy and aid in 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 from among
their number, is properly taken as an
encouragement and an appreciation Of
their progress. and this just policy
shall he pursued.
The Appointment Of Negroes.
But it may well admit of doubt
| whether in case of any race an APP
| pointment of che 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 appoint
| ment is likely TO engender. Therefore
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 en-
courage the mere pretense of race feel
ing manufactured in the interest of in
dividual political ambition.
1 No Race Feeling In White House.
i Personally l have not the slightest
4 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 it,
; and / question the wisdom of IL policy
} 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 future of the south is to be much
benefited by the Industrial and intel
lectual progress of the negro. The ex-
ercise of political franchises by those
OF his race who are Intelligent and
/ well to do will be acGuiesced in, and
the right to vote will be withheld only
from the ignorant and irresponsible of
both races
The Labor Question.
There is one other matter to which l
shall refer. 1t was made the subject
OF great controversy during the cleo.
:. ton and calls for at least passing
reference now. My distinguished pred
ecessor has given much attention to
the cause of labor. with whose strug
!, gle for better things he has shown the
: sincerest sympathy. At his instance
congress has passed the bill fixing the
liability Of interstate carriers to theil
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
rule of comparative negligence 1t has
also passed Il law fixing the compen
sation Of government employees fol
injuries sustained in the employ of the
government through the negligence OF
the superior. 1t also passed a mode
> child labor law for the District of Co
lumbia. In previous administration.
> an arbitration law for interstate com
:. merce railroads and their employee:
and laws for the application of safety
devices to save the lives and limbs Of
employees of Interstate railroads hat
? been passed. Additional legislation O.
this kind was passed by the outgoin,
congress.
l wish to say that, in so far as can
: / hope to promote the enactment O
further legislation Of this character
: am strongly convinced that the gov
eminent should make itself as respon
: sible to employees injured in its EN-
s ploy as an interstate railway corpora
ton is made responsible by fedora
e law to its employees, and 1 shall b
e glad, whenever any additional reasona
+ BILE safety device can be invented t
: reduce the loss of life and limb amon
+ railway employees, to urge congress
n to require its adoption by interstat
l. railways.
l. Use Of lnjunctions Necessary.
Another labor question has ariSel
: which has awakened the most excite,
o discussion. That is in respect to tn
power of the federal courts to issu
l. injunctions in Industrial disputes. A
'e to that, my convictions are fixed. TAX
{. away from courts, If it could be take
}. away, the power to issue injunction
I in labor disputes. and it would Great
'e privileged class among the laborer
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