Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-12-04

when W. speak of labor" The chic.
factor III The success of each man-wage-
WORKER FARMER and capitalist aiike-must
ever - the sum total OF his own individ-
ual qualities and abilities. Second only to
tl!S comes the power of acting in com
ohAt'ion or association with others. Very
great good mas been and will be accom- J.
piishtd by associations or unions Of wage
workers when managed with forathought
ana when they combine insistence upon
thtlr own rights with law abiding respect
Tor the rights OF others. The display of
these qualities in such bodie. IL "A duty
to the nation no less than to the associa
lions themselves. Finally there must also
in many cases be action by the govern
ment III 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 bv
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
tonal life for which we strive. Each man
must work fo? himself, and unless lie so
works no outside help can avail him But
each man must remember also that lie 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 stunbles or
halts, that each at times needs to have
the helping hand outstretched to him TO
be permanently effective aid must always
tako the form of helping a man 10 help
himself, and We can all best helD our
selves by joining together in the work
that is of common interest to all
miGrntiOn.
satisfactory We need every honest and
efficient Immigrant fitted to become an
American citizen. cvery immigrant who
comes here to stay. who brings here a
strong body. stout heart. n good head
ard u resOll;t- purpose 10 do his duty well
in every va 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
iect Of working q 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
archStic principles or members of anarch-
istic soci ties but also all persons who
are Of 4 low moral tendency or OF unsa-
worry reputation. This means that We
should require q more thorough system OF
inspection abroad and 4 more rigid svs-
tern IF examination at our immigration
s4ry.
Tho second object of a proper immlgra-
ton .aw ought 10 De to secure by care
fli and not merely Ierfuuctory education
al test some intelligent capacity 10 uppre-
ciate American institutions and act sane
ly as American citizens. This would not
keep out all anarchists, for many Of them
belong 10 the intelligent criminal class
but II would do what IS also i'll point-that
10 ~ q ~ ~ c,a
SO potent in producing the envy, suspi-
cioM, malignant passion and hatred of or
der ont OF which aEarchistic sentiment in
evtab!Y springs. Finally all persons
shoalI 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 10 in
sure L 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 it would dry
up the springs of the pestilential social
conditions in our great cities where an
archistic organizations have their great
est possibility OF growth.
Both the educational ana economic tests
IN a wise immigration law should be de-
signed 10 protect and elevate the general
body polite and social. A very close su
pervision should be exercised over the
steamship companies which mainly bring
over the immigrants. and they should he
held TO j strict accountability for any in
traction OF the law.
The Tariff.
There Is general acquiescence In our
present tariff system as national policy.
The iIrst requisite TO our prosperity is the
continuity and stability ot this economic
policy Nothing could bo more uu~i>e
than to disturb the business interests OF
the country by any general tariff change
at this time. Doubt, apprehension. un-
certainty. are exactly what we most wish
TO avoid i'll the interest OF our commercial
and material well being. Oar 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 it Is not only posi-
bic. but eminent!y desirable. 10 combine
with the stability Of our economic syS-
tenn 4 supplementary system OF reciprocal
benefit and obligation with other nations.
Such reciprocity is an incident ana result
of tho firm establishment and preservation
of our present economic policy. 1t WAS
specially provided for in the present tarIt
law.
Reciprocity nrIst he treated rs the hand
maiden of protection. our first duty is TO
see THAI the protection granted by the tar
III III every case where it is needed is
maintained ana thar reciprocity be sought
for so far as it can safely be done without
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 cardinal
feet that the duties must never be re-
dIced below the point that VIII cover tn"
difference between the labor cost here ana
abroad. The wen being Of the Hageworh-
er i Il prime consideration of our entire
policy OF economic legislation.
Subject 10 this proviso Of the proper
protection necessary 10 our industrial
well being at home the principle Of rcci-
procity must command our hearty sup
port. The phenomenal growth of uur
export trade emphasizes the urgency OF
the need for wider markets and for lib
aral policy in dealing with foreign ma
Uous. Whatever is merely petty and vey-
atious i'll the way of trade restrictions
should be avoided. The customers to
whom we dispose Of our surplus products
in the long run directly or indirectly pur
chase those surplus products by giving US
soue thing in return. Their ability to pur-
chase our products should as far as pos
sihlc be secured by 50 arranging our tar
if as TO enable us to take from them
those products which We can use without
harm to our own industries and labor or
the use OF which win be Of marked bene-
fit 20 .ls
It is most important tina. we shouil