The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-12-06


tries.
Labor.
The mcst vital problem with which this
country, and for that matter the whole
civilized world has to deal Is the prob
lem which has for one side the betterment
Of social conditions, moral and physical
in large cities and for another side the eff
fort to deal with that tangle of farreach-
ing questions which we group together
when we speak of labor" The chief
factor in the success of each man-wage-
worker, farmer and capitalist alike-must
ever be the sum total of his own individ-
ual qualities and abilities. Second only to
this comes the power of acting in COM
blnation or association with others. Very
great good has been and will be accom-
pllshed by associations or unions of wage
workers when managed with forethought
and when they combine insstence upon
their own rights with law abiding respect
for the rights Of others. The display of
these qualities In slch bodies is duty
to the nation no less than to the associa-
tions themselves. Finally there must also
In many cases be action by the govern
ment in order to safeguard the rights and
interests of ALL Under our constitution
there Is much more scope for such action
by the state and the municipality than by
the nation. But on points such as those
touched on above the national govern
ment can act.
When all is said and done the rule of
brotherhood remains as the indispensable
prerequisite to success In the kind of ma
tional life for which we strive. Each man
must work for himself, and unless he so
works no outside help can avail him. But
each man must remember also that he is
indeed his brothers keeper and that while
no man who refuses to walk can be car
ried with advantage to himself or any one
else. yet that each at times stumbles or
halts. that each at times needs to have
the helping hand outstretchcd to him. To
be permanently effective aid must always
take the form of helping a man to help
himself, and we can all best help our
selves by Joining together in the work
that is Of common interest to all.
Immigration.
Our present immigration laws are un-
satisfactory. We need every honest and
efficient immigrant fitted to become an
American citizen, every immigrant who
comes here to stay, who brings here a
strong body, q stout heart, n good head
and resolute purpose TO do his duty well
in every way and to bring up his children
as law abiding and God fearing members
of the community. But there should be a
comprehensive law enacted with the OBJ
ject of working a threefold Improvement
over our present system. First we should
aim to exclude absolutely not only all per-
sons who are known to be believers in an
| arch!stic principles or members OF anarch-
| istic societies. but also all persons who
are of q low moral tendency or of unsa-
| worry reputation. This means that we
should require more thorough system OF
/ inspection abroad and more rigid sys-
/ TEN Of examination at our immigration
! ports, the former being especially neces-
! sary.
The second object OF a proper immigra-
tion law ought TO be to secure by care
| full and not merely perfunctory education
| al test some intelligent capacity to appre-
clatc American institutions and act sane
| ly as American citizens This would not
keep out all anarchists, for many Of them
belong to the intelligent criminal class.
but 1t would do what is also in point-that
is, tend to decrease the sum of ignorance
| so potent in producing the envy, suspi-
cion, malignant passion and hatred of or
der out of which anarchistic sentiment in
evitably springs. Finally all persons
should be excluded who are below GER
tain standard Of economic fitness to enter
our Industrial field as competitors with
American labor. There should be proper
proof OF personal capacity to earn an
American living and enough money to in
suro a decent start under American condi-
tions. This would stop the influx of cheap
labor and the resulting competition which
| gives rise to so much of bitterness In
American industrial life, and 1t would dry
up the springs Of the pestilential socia
conditions in our great cities where an
archistic organizations have their great
est possibility of growth.
Both the educational and economic tests
In a wise immigration law should be de-
signed to protect and elevate the genera
body, polite and social. A very close su
pervision should be exercised over tht
steamship companies which mainly bring
| over the immigrants, and they should bt
. hpi n n accountability
fraction of the law.
The Tariff.
There Is general acquiescence In oul
present tariff system as a national policy
The first requisite to our prosperity is the
continuity and stability OF this economic
policy. Nothing could be more unwist
than to disturb the business interests OIL
the country by any general tariff change
at this time. Doubt apprehension, un
certainty. are exactly what we most wish
to avoid in the interest of our commercial
and material well being. Our experience
in the past has shown that sweeping revi
sions of the tariff are apt to produce con
ditions closely approaching panic in the
business world. Yet 1t is not only posi-
BILE. but eminently desirable. TO combine
| with the stability OF our economic sys
tenn supplementary system of reciprocal
benefit and obligation with other nations
Such reciprocity Is an incident and resul
of our present economic policy. 1t wai
specially provided for in the present tariff
| law
Reciprocity must be treated as the hand
maiden of protection. Our first duty Is tC
see that the protection granted by the tar
iff in every case where II is needed !.
maintained and that reciprocity be sough
for so far as 1t can safely be done withou
injury to our home Industries Just how
far this is must be determined according
TO the Individual case, remembering al
ways that every application of our tariff
policy to meet our shifting national needs
must be conditioned upon the cardna
fact that the duties must never be re
duced below the point that will cover tn
difference between the labor cost here anc
abroad. The well being OF the wagework
er Is a prime consideration of our entr,
policy OF economic legislation.
Subject to this proviso OF the prope
protection necessary to our industria
well being at home the principle of reel
procity must command our hearty sup