Evening star., 1901-12-03

the success Of each man-wage-w worker.
farmer and capitalist alike-must ever be
the sum total Of hisocwn Individual quali-
ties and abilities. Second only to this
comes the power Of acting in combination
or association With others. Very great good
has been and will be accomplished by asso-
Citations or unions of wage-workers, when
managed with forethought and when they
combine insistence upon their own rights
with law-abiding respect for the rights Of
others The dfsplayro Of these qualities in
such bodies Is afdutys to the nation no. less
than to the associations themselves Final
~, there must also iu many cases be action
oy the government In order to safeguard
the rights and intrests of all. Under our
constitution there iss much more scope for
such action by the state and the municipal
fty than by the nation. But on points such
as those touched on above the national gov
ernment 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 stumbies or
halts, that each at times needs to have the
helping hand outstretched to him. To be
permanently effective. aid must always take
the form OF helping man to help himself;
and we can all best help ourselves by join
ing together in the work that Is of common
interest to all.
Our present immigration laws are unsat-
isfactory. We need every honest and ef-
fcient immigrant fitted to become an
American citizen, every immigrant who
comes here to stay, who brings here a
strong body, stout heart, a good head,
and resolute purpose to do his duty well
In every way and to bring up his children
as w-abidfng and God fearing members Of
the community. But there should be q
comprehensive law enacted with the object
of working a three-fold improvement over
our present system. First, we should aim
to- exclude absolutely not only all persons
who are known to be believers in anarchis-
tic principles or members of anarchistic So
cieties. but also all persons whofare Of
low moral tendency or of unsavory reputa-
tion. This means that we should require q
more thorough system of inspection abroad
and more rigid system of examination at
our immigration ports the former being es-
pecfally necessary.
The second object Of a proper immigra-
ton law ought to be to secure by a careful
and not merely perfunctory educational test
some intelligent capacity to appreciate
American institutions and act sanely as
American citizens. This would not keep
out all anarchists, for many of them belong
to the intelligent criminal class. But it
w a In int hot ic
tend to decrease the sum of ignorance, so
potent in producing the envy, suspicion
malignant passion, and hatred Of order, out
Of which anarchistic sentiment inevitably
springs. Finally, all persons should be ex-
cluded who are below a certain 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 insure decent start un-
der American conditions. 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 pestilen-
tial social conditions in our great cities.
where anarchisuc organizations have their
greatest possibility Of growth.
Both the educational and economic tests
in a wise immigration law should be de-
signed to protect and elevate the general
body polite and social. A very close super
vision should be- exercised over the steam
ship companies which mainly bring over
the immigrants, and they should be held to
strict accountability for any infraction
of the law.
The Present Tariff System
There is general acquiescence in our pres
ent tariff system as a national policy. The
first requisite to our prosperity is the con-
tinuity and stability Of this economic policy.
Nothing could be more unwise than to disturb
the business interests of the country by any
general tariff change at this time. Doubt,
apprehension, uncertainty are exactly what
we most wish to avoid In the interests Of
our commercial and material well-being.
Our experience in the past has shown that
sweeping revisions Of the tariff are apt to
produce conditions closely approaching
panic in the business world. Yet 1t is not
only possible, but eminently desirable, to
combine with the stability Of our economic
system a supplementary system of reci-
procal benefit and obligation with other ma
tions. Such reciprocity is an incident and
result Of the firm establishment and preser-
walton Of our present economic policy. 1t
tariff law.
Reciprocity must be treated as the hand
maiden Of protection. Our first duty is to
see that the protection granted by the tariff
in every case where 1t is needed Is main-
tanned, and that reciprocity be sought for
SO far as it can safely be done without in
jury to our home industries. Just how far
this is must be determined according to the
individual case, remembering always that
every application Of our tariff policy to
meet our shifting national needs must be
conditioned upon the cardinal fact that the
duties must never be reduced below the
point that will cover the difference between
the labor cost here and abroad. The we'll
being of the wage-worker Is q prime con-
sideration Of our entire policy OF economic
legislation.
Subject to this proviso Of the proper pro-
lection necessary to our industrial we'll
being at home, the principle of reciprocity
must command our hearty support. The
phenomenal growth of our export trade
emphasizes the urgency Of the need for
wider markets and for liberal policy in
forot0D