The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1921-10-28
GOVERNMENT SUPREME.

III his comment Oh IHe pfOpOSeu Tdll
road strike Col. John Emmett Edger
| ton, former Columbian and one OF
distinguished manufacturers of the
country, said that the time had now
come to decide whether or not the
government was at Washington or at
Cleveland Ohio, meaning whether the
nation would take orders from its
chosen Representatives of the latter
take orders from the railroad unions.
What Col. Edgerton said was well
said. The Herald believes in the alb
solute supremacy of this government
in every issue. 1t is opposed to the
government yielding to the dictates
of any single interest whether that in
terest be the railroad brotherhoods,
the labor unions, the farmers blocs
or any other special interest. I'll
fares the land to Fastening ills a
pray that ever yields to the dicta,
ton of group or class. There is no
room in America for class appeals.
He is not a patriot who would array
one class or one group of the popula.
ton against another.
II an interest, labor or the farm
ers, or a profession, has just griev-
ance at government, or seeks re-
FORM it should make it's appeal through
the primaries and the elections. I'm
der our benign system, that has prov
ed not only a blessing to this country
but is the light of hope to the Cypress
ed of all the world, any wrong can
be remedied or any reform achieved
if upon its merits, it appeal to ma
jority of the voters. There Is never
any excuse for force or revolution.
The government must always be SUI
preme. 1t must never yield to the
threats'or intimidations of a minority.
Col. Edgerton declares that the
passage of the Adamson law in 1916
was one of the most calamitous pieces
of legilation since the flood. In a
sense this is true. 1t was not the act
itself SO much as the method used to
force it through congress. But there
was some excuse for the abject surren-
der of the administration and the con-
gress at that time. 1t will be remem-
bred that in August 1916 civilization
was desperately struggling for it's very
existence on the ensanguined plains
of France. The world was in the
throes of an awful war and upon it's
termination depended the great issue
of human freedom and progress
America was not then officially party
to the war, but her supplies and mum.
tons were pouring across to the allies
giving them supplies without which
they might not have stood the on
slaughts of the enemy. A paralysis
of railroad transportation at that time
in America would have been worth
more than a million of fresh troops
for the cause of the Hun. That ac-
counts for the ease with which the Ad.
amson law was forced through con.
gress. Those who too severely con.
denim the administration then in
power should recall the circumstances
under which its surrender was made.
AS matter of fact it was Roose-
welt who set the precedent for gov.
ernmental interference between en-
ployers and employees in their wage
disputes. He interposed the power of
government to settle the coal strike.
Wilson simply followed the precedent
then set. But it is all wrong Gov
eminent should never he forced to ac-
ton by any interest whether that in
terest be labor or capital. Labor often
has just cause to strike. 1t has an
inherent right to do SO. When it dozen
the only duty of government is to pre-
serve order and see that those who do
want work have that privilege. Gov
eminent is instituted primarily to pro-
teet life, liberty and property. When
it goes beyond that duty it often
treads on dangerous ground.