The Iola register., 1901-12-06
THE CHINESE PRonLEM.


with the sole exception of the farming
interest, no one matter is Of such vital
moment 70 our whole people as the wei
rare OF the wageworkers. II the farmer
ana tho wageworker are well Off IL is alb
SolutelN certain thN all others will be
Wen OFT, too. II is therefore "a matter for
hearty conGratulatiou that on the whole
wages are higher to-day In the United
states than ever before I'm 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 Sc
cure the pcrmanency of this condition OF
things ana Its Improvement wherever pos
sible Not only must our labor be protect
ed by, the tariff. but II should also be pro-
teeted so far ss II is possible from the
presence In this country of any laborers
Drought over by contract or of those who
coming freely; yet represent standard
OF Ilying so depressed that they can un-
dersell our men In the labor market and
drag them TO lower level I regard II as
necessary with this end in view. TO re-
enact Immediately the law excluding Chi
wherever necessary in order TO make lis
endorsement entirely effective.
Protection for Free Labor.
The national government should de-
mand the highest quality of service from
ls employees and in return Il should be a
@oou employer. If possible, legislation
should be passed IN connection with the
Interstate commerce law which will rem
DER effective the efforts oi different
states to do away with the competition
pi convict contract labor in the open la
Dor market So far as practicable un-
uer the conditions Of government work
provision should he made to render the
'hiorcement OF the etght-hour law easy
'"N certain. In all industries carried on
oifccuy OF Indirectly for the United
'istes government women and children
mould be protected from excessive hours
'i lAbOr, from night work and from work
Iudcr unsanitary conditions. The gov
"rnmcnt should provide in its contracts
mat al work should be done under fair"
conditions and, in addition to setting a
nigh standard, should uphold IL by Drou-
or inspection. extending If necessary TO
me Subcontractors. The government
should forbid all night work for women
and children as well as excessive over
time. For the District OF Columbia "A
good factory law should be passed and
as powerful indirect aid to such laws.
provision should be made TO turn the in
habited alleys. the existence of which is
reproach TO our capital city, into minor
streets, where the inhabitants can live
under conditions favorable to health and
morals.
American wageworkers work with their
heads as well as their hands. Moreover.
they take q keen pride in what they are
doing so that, Independent OF the re-
ward, they wish to turn out "A perfect
Job. This is the great secret OF our sue
cess IN competition with the labor OF for
eign countries
Good and Rad of Unioniam.
The most vital problem with which this
country, and for that matter the whole
clNllzeu world, mas 10 deal is the prob
lem which has for one side the better
ment of social conditions. moral and
physical. In large cities and for another
side The effort to deal with that tanRle
OF iar-reBching questions which we group
together when we speak OF labor The
chief factor in the success OF each man
wageworker, farmer and capitalist alike
must ever be the sum total of his own
individual qualities and abilities. Second
only "a this comes the power OF acting
In combination or association with others
Very great good has been and will be
accomplished bN assucia tions or unions
OF waReworkers when managed wTh
fOretbuuEht and when they combine in
sistence upon their own rights with law
abiding respect for the rights OF others.
bodies - duty TO the nation no less
than to the aSSocia tions themselves
Finally there must also in many cases be
action bv the government In order 10
safeguard the rights and interests OF ali
Under our constitution there rs much
md the municipality nan nv the nation
But on points such aS those touched on
above the ma tionsl government can act
When all is said and done. the rule of
brotherhood remains as the Indispensable
prerequisite 10 success in the kind of ma
tional life for which We strive. Each
man must work for himself and unlpss
he so works no outside help can avail
him. But each man must remember also
that he is indeed his brothers lceper.
and that while no man who refuses 10
walk can be carried with advantage to
himself or anyone else, vet that each at
times stumhlrs or halts, that each at
times needs TO have the helping hand out
stretched to him. To he permanently Of
fectiYe aid must always take the form OF
helping man to help himself and we
can all best help ourselves by Joining to-
gether in the WORK that IS Of common in