The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-09-08
TAFT DISCUSSES
CONSERVATION
Labor Day Address Regard
ing Conservation and
Oher Legislation.


Exhaustive Discussion Rex.rafnx
Conservation Made In Talk to Mia
nesota Earmers-Time for Glitter
ing oeneralisie. rass-Revi~w~
Work Done I'm the Interest of tire
Laboring Man-The Doctrine Of
square Deal Upheld
one OF the largest audiences ever as
sembled In this city. and amid the
greatest enthusiasm. President Taft
this afternoon formally opened the
State Agricultural Society.
The speech of President Taft
: touched principally upon the conser-
vation movement and legislation for
the classes His speech. which vas
often interrupted by applause. was -
follows:
This is labor day-a day given
ever 10 emphasizing the importance
of manual labor in cur civilization
aad 10 properly exalting it's dignity.
The two classes In the community
that are most important are It's farm
ers and its working men; and this
occasion. and this date, suggest
thoughts of both. To no one does
that subject come home with more
vital significance than TO the farmer.
If anybody Is to profit by conserva-
tion, and If anybody is TO make con-
servation profitable to others, IL is
the farmer. He is the one who, by
the manipulation OF the soil, its
: proper treatment, its drainage or ir-
rigation, its fertilization, is to make
!. it yield the largest crops under con-
, ditions that will preserve Ii best for
future years OF usefulness. This has
: been recognized by the general gov
ernment by the establishment of a
} Department Of Agriculture, where in
| its bureaus of research the secrets
) OF nature have been revealed for the
! profitable development OF modern
farming; and proper publicity has
been given so that those who till the
soil may take advantage of the new
discoveries. Experiment stations
have been established the country
over: free lectures have been given
ct the expense of the government for
: the benefit of farming communities;
, contributions have been made TO ag-
= ricultural colleges, and everything
= that wise craftsmanship could sug-
: gest has been afforded by the general
: government within its Jurisdiction
| for the production OF greater and
better crops.
The Erdman Act.
So, on the other hand, take the
working men. The government has
5 created a bureau of labor In which
: statistics are gathered and investiga-
tions are had into the conditions
prevailing in respect to all classes oi
labor, including child labor, with the
idea Of making clear the remedies
needed, whether by State or National
: legislation. The head of the bureau
: of labor and the chairman OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission
Q under what is known as the Erdmar
: Act, intervene officially in every dis
pute between interstate commerce
r railway companies and their EN-
ployees; and the amount OF good in
the settlement of controversies and
O the stopping Of disastrous strikes
l that has been done by Commissions
q Neill and Chairman Knapp canno
r be over stated.
Again, with respect to the EN-
ployes Of interstate commerce rail
ways law has been passed by Con
gress making it easier for the EN-
ployes who have been injured by tn.
: negligence OF the company or som.
other employe Of the company to re
7 cover compensation for their inju
= ries. The old common law upon thil
subject was unjust to the empioye
= and seemed to have been In the In
/ terest of the employer.
Again, the alien contract labo
law has been passed and strictly en-
forced with a view TO prevent I'll,
bringing in from other countries Z.
compete with the settled and estab
lished labor OF this country paupe
labor under contract to serve a
wages far lower than the prevailiH;
wage in the United States
This legislation is In the interes
, and for the benefit of a class;
working class; but they are so larg
. class. and their welfare Is SO inn
: portant to the public at large, tina
while ii might be characterized a
= class legislation. 1t Is greatly for tn
= public veal, and can not be demon
= mated privileged or Objectionable
We need and I hope we shall secur
6 more of such legislation.
9 Vicious Class Legislation.
a. But there is a kind of legislation
to which / would refer, that doe