Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-09-07
ROOSEVELT TALKS
TO WAGE-EARNERs
Labor Day Address Delivered at
Fargo Is Well Received.
JOINT ACTION A NECESSITY
Trades Unions Commended, But Some
Of Their Acts criticised-Ameri-
can Federation Planks APP
proved by Speaker.

labor forces of Fargo and thousands
of other persons had a treat today
when Theodore Roosevelt delivered
the Labor Day address. He spoke
with great seriousness and with frank
ness, and his speech was well re.
revived by the big crowd that heard IT,
Colonel Roosevelt's address was as
follows:
Today-on Labor Day-I speak in one
sense especially TO those personally and
vitality interested in the labor struggle.
and yet I speak OF this primarily as one
aspect OF the larger social struggle grow
ing out of the attempts to readtust social
conditions and make them more equitable.
The nineteenth century was distinctly
one OF economic ACCOMPLISHMENTS in
the domain OF production, including trans
pOrtation and the mechanics Of exchange.
The marvellous progress made IN these
respects multiplied mans prod lctive
power to almost inconceivable degree
In the matter OF the production 81 wealth,
as much progress was made during the
nineteenth century as during all previous
periods SINCE history dawned: shat u.s. the
changes brought ia a single century
through machinery and steam have been
greater than the sum total Of he changes
of the preceding thousands OF years; and
progress have thrust upon US social and
political problems OF the hrst magnitude
The triumph OF the physical sciences In
the nineteenth century represented prog
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
demands of progress now deal not 10
much with the material as with the
moral and ethical factors OF civilization.
Our basic problem is to see that the mar
velously augmented powers OF production
bequeathed to as by the nineteenth cen
fury shall in the twentieth be made to adj
minister TO the needs Of the many rather
than be exploited for the profit Of the few.
The American wage-earner faces this
larger social problem IN a dual capacity;
first as a citizen Of the Republic charged
with the full duty OF citizenship; and next
as a ge-earner~as wage-worker-
who together with his fellow workers. is
vitality concerned In the question OF wages
and general conditions OF employment.
which AFFECT not only his well-heing and
that Of his wife and children but the
opportunities OF all workers for higher
development.
Must Depend on Our own Efforts.
1t is true Of wage-workers as of all
other citizens, that most OF their progress
and their own efforts. Nevertheless there
are three different factors In this prog
ress. There is. first the share which the
mans own individual qualities must de-
termine. This Is the most important of
all for nothing can supply the place Of
Individual capacity. Yet there are two
other factors also OF prime Importance;
namely what can be done by the wage
workers In cooperation with one another.
and what can be done by government
that is. by the instrument through which
all the people work collectively. Wages
and other most important conditions Of
employment must remain largely outside
OF government control must be left for
adjustment by free contract between en-
pioyers and wage-earners, But to attempt
to leave this merely 20 individual action
means the absolute destruction OF indlvi-
duailsm. for where the individual Is so
weak that he, perforce has 10 accept
whatever strongly organized body
choose TO give him. his individual liberty
becoms mere sham and mockery. II
Is indispensably necessary, I'm order 20
preserve tn the largest degree our sys-
tenn Of lndividualism. that there should
he effective and organized collective ac-
tion. The wage-earners must act joint
~. through the process Of collective bar
gaining. In great industrial enterprises.
Only thus can they be put upon a plane
OF economic equality with their corporate
employers. Only thus Is freedom OF con-
tract made real thing and not mere
legal Action There are occasional occu-
pations where this IL not necessary: but,
speaking broadly II IL necessary through
out the great world of organized Indus
try ! believe this practise of collective
bargaining, effective only through such
organizations as the trades unions. TO
have been one Of the most potent factors
In the past century In promoting the
progress OF the wage-earners and in Sc
curing larger social progress for human
ity. believe in the principle OF organ
ized labor and in the practise Of collec-
tive BARGAINING. not merely a desir-
able thing for the wage-earners. but as
something which has been demonstrated
20 be essential in the long run TO their
permanent progress.
This does not mean that unequivo-
cally indorse any or all practises that
labor organizations may happen TO adopt
or any or all principles that they may
choose TO enunciRte. Labor organizations
have the weaknesses and defects common
to all other forms OF human organiza-
tions. Sometimes they act very well and
sometimes they act very badly: and
&m for them when they act well. and I
am against them when they act badly.
believe that their existence Is n necessity;
believe that their aims and purposes are
generally good and l believe that all OF
them have occasionally made mistakes
and that some OF them have been guilty
OF wrong doing just In sotfar as they
are strong and effective they tempt de-
signing men who seek to control them
for their own interests and stimulate the
desires of ambitious leaders who may be
clever. crooked men. or who may be hon
est but visionary and foolish In other
words. in treating OF labor unions as In
treating OF corporations, or Of humanity
generally we viii do well to remember
Abraham Iincoln's saying that there is
a deal OF human nature in mankind"
whether In a man or in an organized
body OF men. the power 10 do good means
that such power may be twisted into evl,
land In proportion as the power grows SO
5t becomes steadily more important that
st should be handled Alright, just In pro-
portion as In its proper function power
IS important to social progress, so In its
amproper function II becomes fraught with
social disaster
We Course FOR Original Labor
Outside critics should appreciate the
necessity OF organized labor. and under
stand and sympathize with what is good
in II, instead of condemning Il lndserlm-
dnately. On the other hand. those within
its ranks should fearlessly aHalyze the
criticisms directed against il and ruthless
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