United labor bulletin., 1913-09-06

ployer, the watered stock of the en-
ploying company, the manipulation OF
trade and the improper elimination of
competition will be inquired into and
taken into account in the final
reckoning to determine if labor's de.
mands are unreasonable or not.
But you say, you cannot interfere
with the right of private contract.
The law would be unconstitutional
and the courts would never enforce
it." No? That was the statement
made two decades ago when it was
confidently asserted that no commis-
sion could legally fix the rates for an
interstate carrier or, after a full
hearing. declare on behalf of state,
what rates a public service corpora
tion should charge. But honest and
fearless judges who yielded to no pow
er except their own conscience, said
public transportation, and other forms
Of public service, was something af-
fecting the public welfare SO intimate
!y as to be outside the rule of the
right of private contract and today in
nearly every state in the Union, ex-
cept, of course, Colorado commits
sion sits to fix the rates of public
service corporations. And when they
SO fix rates, after full hearing, they
are SO binding and valid that they are
seldom successfully questioned. And
nc corporation fears such a commits
sion. unless the corporation has some
illegal purpose to serve. Nor will any
honest corporation fear a similar COM
mission given power to pass on the de-
mands of wages to be paid laboring
men, for as President Lincoln said.
mo men living are more worthy to
be trusted than those who toll up
from poverty, none less inclined to
take or touch aught which they have
not honestly earned"
Vision Of the Future.
The world moves. Ideas change
and changing alter the course OF
events. Thought and experience in
fluence the trend of legislation. What
men thought impossible in legislation
generation ago seems easy of ac-
complishment today. l recall the
time when it was the darling dream
of the typographical unions to have 4
home for their aged members. Today
the home is a reality and its hospit-
able roof shelters in comfort the agec
of that great craft. But the men who
conceived this benevolent design
look beyond the splendid structure
they erected and see vision of men
and women. of every craft. honorably
retired upon living compensation
when the days of their usefulness shall
have passed. The forces that work
only for evil seem to fail and -wither
with the passing years; but men
whose aim is humanity and the bet
terment of mankind gather strength
with the flight of time. do not un-
oerrate the success Of men in the prac-
ticai affairs of life; but l would
rather have IL said of me that | had
lightened the burden of the poor and
restored rights to the oppressed than
to be the architect OF the most col
lossal fortune that was ever squand-
cred by hilarious heirs in the tango
orgies of our gilded cafes.
An Industrial Farce.
What a farce our management OF
our most important industrial ques.
tions is, II workman is injured we
give him the right TO sue his en-
ployer; that is We present the poor
fellow with a lawsuit After years OF
costly litigation he may recover some
small part of what is his due or he
may fail. through misadventire in the
courts, and sit crippled by the way
side OF life, holding out his empty
hands for aims, or creep into the poor
house to wait through dreary years
for paupcr burial. How much less a
farce 1t would be II we gave him at
once, from the state, a sum commen-
surate with his calamity. letting him
have his compensation at the time of
his greatest affliction. Yet | suppose
II such law was passed in Colorado
some philanthropist would provide the
money to secure petitions to refer it
to a vote of the people on the theory
that II tended to socialism. Yet
imagine 1t would make little differ
ence to the victim of an accident who
was blind or MANNED. or to his widow
or fatherless children, If he was
killed, what sort of law gave succor
in time of need. provided it came
quickly and one half of it did not go
to lawyers for securing it.
Beats thcm all. La Belle sc cigar,
union-made in Denver.