546 Presidential Addresses 



italist, of investor and private citizen, so as to secure 

 equity as between man and man in this Republic. 



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 abso- 

 lutely 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 enforce- 

 ment 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 effect- 



