Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-12-05

the opening an eloquent eulogy was
paid to William Mckinley, who was
spoken Of as 'sthe most widely loved
man in all the United States" Then
the question of anarchy is considered
and the president urges a more rigid
exclusion Of undesirable foreigners
1t is also recommended that the federal
courts be given jurisdiction over anv
man who kills or attempts to kill the
president or any man who by the
constitution or by law is in line of sue
cession for the presidency.
During the last five years business con-
hdence, continues the president, has been
restored, and the nation is to be congratu-
lated because of its present Astounding
prosperity. SUCH prosperity can never be
created by law alone, although it is easy
enough to destroy it by mischieyous laws
Then follows cOnside ion of the trusts
The creation of great corporate fortunes
has not been due to the tariff nor to any
other governmental action, SAYS the Dres-
dent, but to natural causes in the business
world, operating in other countries as they
operate in our own. The process has
aroused much antagOnism, a great part of
which Is wholly without warrant 1t is
not true that as the rich have grown richer
the poor nave grown poorer. On the con-
tPary, never before has the average man
the wage worker, the farmer the small
trader, been so we'll off as in this country
and at the present time. A chief reason
for caution i'll dealing with corporations is
to be found in the International CONNER
clal conditions of today. The same bust
ness conditions which have produced the
great aggregatiOns of corporate and in
diyidual wealth have made them very DO
tent factors in international commercial
competition. business concerns which have
the largest means at their disposal and are
! managed by the aDleSt men are naturally
those which take the lead in the strife for
commercial supremacy among the nations
of the world. 1t cannot too often be
pointed out that to strike with ignorant
violence at the interests of one set of
men almost inevitably endangerS the in
tereStS of all.
There is a widespread conviction in the
minds Of the American people that the
great corporations known as trusts are in
certain of their features and tendencies
hurtfui to the general welfare. Corpora
| lions engaged in Interstate commerce
I.Should be regulated if they are found to
exercise license working to the public i'll
| jury. 1t should be as much the aim of
| those who seek for social betterment to
| rid the business world of crimes Of cum
| ming as to rid the entire body polite Of
| crimes Of violence. The first essential in
| determining how to deal with the great in
! dustriaI combinations is knowledge Of the
| facts-publicity. In the interest of the pub
| llc the government should have the right
to inspect and examine the workings of
| the great corporations engaged i'll inter
! state business. Publicity is the only sure
remedy which We can now invoke. What
! further remedies are needed in the way of
governmental regulation or taxation can
only be determined after publicity has
| been obtained, by process of law, ana in
| the course Of administration. The large
! corporations, commonly called trusts,
| though organized i'll one state, always do
! business il many states, often doing very
| little business in the state where they are
Incorporated. There is utter lack of uni
fOrmity in the state laws about them; and
| as no state has any exclusive interest in
| or power over their acts, it has in prac
| tice proved impossible to get adequate reg
| ulatiOn through state action. Therefore,
| in the interest of the whole people the ma
! tion should, without interfering with the
! power of the states in the matter itself,
| also assume power of supervision and regu-
| latlOn over all corporations doing an inter
state business. The president believes that
a law can be framed which will enable the
national government to exercise control
| along the lines above indicated, protiting
| by the experience gained through the
! passage and administration of the inter
st2te-commerce act. If, however, the judg-
| ment of the congress is that 1t lacks the
constitutional power to pass such an act,
then a constitutional amendment should be
submitted to confer the power,
There should be created d cabinet officer,
TO be known as secretary Of commerce and
industries, as provided in the bal intro
duced at the last session of the congress.
1t should be his province to deal with com
merce in its broadcast sense, including
among many other things whatever con-
Germs labor and all matters affecting the
great business corporations and our mer
chant marine. If possible legislation should
be passed, in connection with the interstate
commerce law, which will render effective
the efforts Of different states to do away
with the competition of convict contract
labor in the open labor market. In all in
dustries carried on directly or indirectly
for the United States government women
and children should be protected from eX-
cessive hours of labor, from night work,
and from work under unsanitary condi- |
tons The government should provide in |
its contracts that all work should be done /.
under fair conditions, and In addition to |
setting a high standard should uphold it
by proper inspection, extending II neceS- |
sary to the subcOntractOrs. The govern |
ment should forbid all night work for |
women and children.
IMMIGRATION.
Our present immigration laws are IN
satisfactory. We need every honest and
efficient Immigrant fitted to become an
American citizen, every Immigrant who
comes here to stay, who brings here
strong body, q stout heart, a good head,
and a resolute purpose to do mis- duty We'll
in every way and to bring up his children
as law-abiding and God-fearfng members
of the community. But there should be a
"
Of working 4 threefold 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 anarchfStic
but also all persons who are OF a
low moral tendency or of unsavory reputa-
ton. The second object ought to be to Sc
cure by a careful and not merely perfume
tory educational test some intelligent
capacity to appreciate American institu-
ions and act sanely as American citizens. !
Finally, all persons should be excluded who
ire below Il certain standard of economic | :
illness to enter our industrial field as COM
DetitorS with American labor. There
should be proper proof of personal capacity :
o earn an American living and enough :
money to insure a decent start under +
American conditions. ;
THE TARIFF. q
There is general acquiescence in our pres Il
mt tariff system national policy The a
inuity and stability of this economic pol n
CIV Nothing could he more unwiSe than b
o disturb the business interests of the 0
ountry by any general tariff change at this r
ime. Yet it is not only possible. but emf Is
emily desirable. TO combine with the ! L
liability of our economic system a supple h
lpntary system of reciprocal benefit and 81
litigation with other nations. Such reel a
rocity Is an incident and result Of the o.
rm establishment and preservation OF is
ur present economic policy. 1t was spe "
tally provided for in the present tariff law. Ct
reciprocity must be treated as the hand ct
laiden of protection. Our first duty is to fl
ae that the protection granted by the
arif In every case where it is needed is ~
and that reciprocity he sought Fl
lr so far as ii can safely be done without OF
liury to our home industries. Just how is
If this is must be determined according TO "
lie Individual case. remembering always h
, meet our shifting national needs must nj
2 conditioned upon the cardinal fact that 70