The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-09-05

Roosevelt delivered the following ad-
dress IN this city today;
Today-on Labor DAY. speak in
one sense especially TO those person
ollv and vltally interested in the la
Dor struggle; and yet | speak of this
primarily as one aspect of the larger
social struggle growing out OF the
attempts TO readJust social condi-
lions and make them more equitable.
The nineteenth century was dis
tinctly one OF economic triumphs-
irlumphs IN the domain of production,
Including transportation and the me.
chanics OF exchange. The marvellous
progress made In these respects mul-
tIplled man. productive power to an
almost inconceiyable degree. In the
matter Of the production Of wealth,
as much progress was made during
the nineteenth century as during all
previous periods since history dawn
ed-that la, the change brought In
a single century through machinery
and steam have been greater than the
sum total OF the changes OF preced-
Ing thousands OF years, and these
very changes and this material pro-
gress have thrust upon us social and
political problems of the FIRST magni-
tudc. The triumphs of the physical
sciences i'm the nineteenth century
represented progress primarily in the
material elements OF civilization. The
most pressing problems that confront
the present century are not concerned
With the material production OF wealth
but with its distribution. The de-
mands Of progress now deal not so
much with the material as with the
moral and ethical factors Of clviliza-
tion. Our basic problem is TO see that
the marvclously augmented powers OF
production bequeathed TO us by the
nineteenth century shall in the twen-
tleth be made 10 administer 10 the
needs OF tho many rather than be eX-
plotted for the profit OF the few.
The American wage-ca'ner faces
this larger social problem in a dual
capacity; first. as citizen OF the Re'
public charged with the full duty OF
citizenship. and next as a wage'earn-
cr-as a wage-worker-who, toGcth'
er with his fellowworkers. IS gitally
concerned In the question wages
and general conditions OF employment
which affect not only his ~ell-beinG
and that Of his wife and children, but
the opportunities of all workers for 4
higher development
UnionIsm Is Defended.
l. is true of wage-workers, as oil all
other citizens, that most OF their pro
gress must depend upon their own
Initiative and their own efforts. New
ertheless. there are three dinerenI
factors In this progress There Is
hrs.. the share which the mans own
individual qualities must determine
This Is the most important oi all
for nothing can supply the place OF
individual capacity. Yet there are
TWO other factors also OF prime i'm
portapcc; namely. what can be done
by government-that is. by the instru
ment through which all the people
work collectively. Wages and othe'
most important conditions OF EN-
pIoyment must remain largely out
side of government control; must be
left for adjustment by free conuac'
between employers and wage-earncrs
But TO attempt TO leave this merely
Ia Individual action means the ab
solute destruction OF indivldualism
for where the individual is so weak
that he, perforce. has to accept what
ever strongly organized body
chooses to fivc him. his individual lib
erty becomes mere sham and mock
ery II is indispensably necessary
IN order TO preserve TO the largest dc
rrec our system OF individualism. thai
there should he effective and organR
ed collective action. The wage-earn
erg must act Jointly. through the pro
cess OF collective bargaining. In grea
industrial enterprises. Only thus
can they he Dut upon a plane OF econ
omic equality with their corporate
employers. Only thus Is freedom o
contract made a real thing and no
a mere legal fiction. There are oc
casional occupations where this Is no
necessary. but. speaking broadly !
In necessary throughout the eTea
world OF organized industry believe
this practice OF collective bargaining
effective only through such oTganiza
tons as the trade unions. 10 hav'
been ono OF the most potent force
IN the past century in promoting tn
progress OF the wage-earners and II
occurring larger social progress 10
.hum1nity. ] believe in the principle
oI organized labor. and In the practic
OF collective bargaining. not merely a
n desirable thing for the wagc-eorr
ers. but as something which has bee
demonstrated to be essential in tn
long run 10 their permanent progress
Labor Unions Make Mistakes.
This does not mean that I unequiN
ocally indorse any OF all practice
Tint labor organizations may happe
10 adopt. or any or all principles thu
II they may choose TO enunclate Iab0
organizations have the weakuessc
and defects common 10 all othC
forms of human organizations. Som,
times they act very well. and some
times they act very badly: and M
for them when they act well. and
am against them when they act bodll
J believe that their existence is q M
oessitv. believe that their aims an
purposes are geaerally good: aud
believe that all OF them hive occi
sionany made mistakes and thr
some Of them have been guilty
"rongdoing Just In so far as the