The Labor Question 251 



as it is a matter of expediency to determine what 

 so-called "public utilities" the community shall it 

 self own and what ones it shall leave to private or 

 corporate ownership, securing to itself merely the 

 right to regulate. Sometimes one course is expe 

 dient, sometimes the other. 



In my own State during the last half-dozen years 

 we have made a number of notable strides in labor 

 legislation, and, with very few exceptions, the laws 

 have worked well. This is, of course, partly because 

 we have not tried to do too much and have proceeded 

 cautiously, feeling our way, and, while always ad 

 vancing, yet taking each step in advance only when 

 we were satisfied that the step already taken was in 

 the right direction. To invite reaction by unregu 

 lated zeal is never wise, and is sometimes fatal. 



In New York our action has been along two lines. 

 In the first place, we determined that as an employer 

 of labor the State should set a good example to other 

 employers. We do not intend to permit the people's 

 money to be squandered or to tolerate any work that 

 is not the best. But we think that, while rigidly 

 insisting upon good work, we should see that there 

 is fair play in return. Accordingly, we have adopted 

 an eight-hour law for the State employees and for all 

 contractors who do State work, and we have also 

 adopted a law requiring that the fair market rate of 

 wages shall be given. I am glad to say that both 



