With the sole exception of the farming interest, no one matter is of such vital moment to our whole people as the welfare of the wage-workers.  If the farmer and the wage-worker are well off, it is absolutely certain that all others will be well off too.  It is therefore a matter for hearty congratulation that on the whole wages are higher to-day in the United States than ever before in our history, and far higher than in any other country.  The standard of living is also higher than ever before.  Every effort of legislator and administrator should be bent to secure the permanency of this condition of things and its improvement wherever possible.  Not only must our labor be protected by the tariff, but it should also be protected so far as it is possible from the presence in this country of any laborers brought over by contract, or of those who, coming freely, yet represent a standard of living so depressed that they can undersell our men in the labor market and drag them to a lower level.  I regard it as necessary, with this end in view, to re-enact immediately the law excluding Chinese laborers and to strengthen it wherever necessary in order to make its enforcement entirely effective.

The National Government should demand the highest quality of service from its employees; and in return it should be a good employer.  If possible legislation should be passed, in connection with the Interstate Commerce Law, which will render effective the efforts of different States to do away with the competition of convict contract labor in the open labor market.  So far as practicable under the conditions of Government work, provision should be made to render the enforcement of the eight-hour law easy and certain.  In all industries carried on directly or indirectly for the United States Government women and children should be protected from excessive hours of labor, from night work, and from work under unsanitary conditions.  The Government should provide in its contracts that all work should be done under “fair” conditions, and in addition to setting a high standard should uphold it by proper inspection, extending if necessary to the subcontractors.  The Government should forbid all night work for women and children, as well as excessive overtime.  For the District of Columbia a good factory law should be passed; and, as a powerful indirect aid to such laws, provision should be made to turn the inhabited alleys, the existence of which is a reproach to our Capital city, into minor streets, where the inhabitants can live under conditions favorable to health and morals.

American wage-workers work with their heads as well as their hands.  Moreover, they take a keen pride in what they are doing; so that, independent of the reward, they wish to turn out a perfect job.  This is the great secret of our success in competition with the labor of foreign countries.