Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1910-10-13
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 PIanks APP
proved by Speaker.

Fargo, n. D.. Sept. 5.-The union
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 we'll re-
ceived by the big crowd that heard it
Colonel Roosevelts address was as
follows:
Today-or Labor Day. 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 readjust social
conditions and make them more equitable
The nineteenth century was distinctly
one Of economic triumphs-triumphs in
the domain of production. including trans
pertation and the mechanics Of exchange
The marvellous progress made in these
respett Is multiplied mans productive
power to an almost inconceivab1e 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 dawned; that is. the
changes brought in single century
through machinery and steam have been
greater than the sum total Of the changes
Of the preceding thousands OF years; and
these very changes and this material
progress have thrust upon US social and
political problems Of the first magnitude.
Tho triumph OF the physical sciences In
tie nineteenth century represented prog
fsss primarily in the material elements OF
civilization The most pressing problems
that confront the pressnt century are not
concerned with the material production
u wealth. but with It's distribution. The
demands Of progress now deal not so
much with the material as with the
moral and ethical factors OF civilization.
Our besic problem Is 20 see that the mar
velously augmented powers of production
heQueathed to US by the nineteenth CEN
fury shall In the twentieth be made TO ad-
minister to the needs OF the many rather
than be exploited for the profit Of the few
The American wase-earner faces this
larger social problem in a dual capacity;
arst. az Q cstissn of the Republic charged
with the full duty q citizenship; and next
- q wnge-eeyner-as . vass-worker--
who. together with his fellow workers n
vitality concerned In the question of wages
md general esndftfons of employment.
which Affect not only ms wen- being and
that Of his Win and children, but the
opportunities u an workers for a higher
osvefoDment.
Must Dspsnd % OVr Own Effovts.
n II true Of wage workers. AZ of all
sther cftisens. that most Of their progress
must depend upon their own fnitiative
And thstr own efforts. Nevertheless, there
Are three dt6erent factors In this prog
pees. There In nrst the share which the
mans swn individual qualities must d.
termisA rrfjs 10 the most Important Of
ALL for Asthtns On supply the place Of
hdivtAsal ASaefty. Tot thsrs are two
sthsr rastorv aiss Of prime importance;
namely. what can ~ Gone ~ the wae--
workers IN oe-cDsratton with ens another;
nd what can be done by government
uhat IN. BY tire instrument through which
al the people work collectively. Wages
and other most important conditions OF
employment must remain largely outside
VI governments control; must be left for
adjustment by freo contract between EN-
eloyerv and waEs-earners. But TO attempt
10 leave thts merely ito individual action
means th,s ssssrute destruction OF indivi-
taaNsm: for where the individual Ia 20
weak that ha. perforce. has to accept
whatever . strongly orgapt7ed BODY
chooses - gfve him, his Individual liberty
I>comss q msre sham and mocksry.
b tndispensabiy necessary, in orasf 70
,reserve to the largest degree our sys-
Ism OF indfvtduaism. that there should
Ne effective and organized collective oc-
Non. This wage-earners must act joint
~. through the process of collective bar
gaining, In great industrial enterprises.
Only thus can thsy be put upon plane
NJ economic equality with their corporate
employers. Only thus is freedom Of con-
tract made a real thing and not mere
legal Action. There are occasional occu-
eetioas where this 70 not necessary; but.
speaking broadly, II Is necessary through
out the great world of organised 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 waye-earners and in Sc
curing larger social progress for human,
ity I believe in the principle OF organ
ICED labor and in the practise OF collec-
tive bargaining. not merely as desir-
able thing for the waee-earners, but as
something which has been demonstrated
to DE essential in the long run to their
permanent pDgrcss
This d. not mean that 7 unequivo-
caily inc SO any OF all practises that
labor organizations NAV happen TO adopt,
or any or all principles that they may
choose to enunciate. Labor organizations
have the weaknesses and defects common
IN all other forms Of human organiza-
tons. Sometimes they act very well, and
am for them when they act we'll, and
am against them when they act badly.
believe that their existence Is "a necessity;
7 believe that their aims and purposes are
generally good. and believe that all or
them have occasionally made mistakes.
and that some OF them have been guilty
of wrong doing. Just in so far 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 o. corporations, or Of humanity
generally, we will do we'll to remember
Abraham Lincoln's saying that there Is
deal of human nature In mankind"
Whether in a man or in an organized
body Of men, the power to do good means
that such power may be twisted into evil;
and In proportion as the power grows. so
II becomes steadily more important that
II should be handled Alright. Just in pro-
portion as In it's proper function power
Is important to social progress 80 In It's
improper function II becomes fraugft with
social disaster.
Wise Course Por Original Labor.
Outside critics should appreciate the
necessity Of organised labor and uAdeg