The sun., 1901-09-03

md substituted for them Il government II
" the people, through their representa- q
ives, in which every citizen might share a
Ind all have equal legal rign,s. So we
disposed of problem No. l.
Then came the question of land own "
,rship. We studied this prob !
en-. and gradually reformed the system
by abotishng feudal tenures, manorial
titles, primogeniture and entailcd es-
tates So we solved problem Il
No. 2.
Next came the more complex question
of dealing with capital and its combina
tions Men had already learned that lv
combining their energies and capital
they could accomplish great enterprises
otherwise impossible. We studied
the problem long and fhoroughly during
the nineteenth century. The outcome
was system Of laws III regard to cor
pcrations which sought to retain all their
powers for doing good and to deprive
them of their powers for doing harm.
IL So we have solNt, problem No. 3.
lastly. we have been confronted with |
the problem Of labor. its relation to capi- |
tal an their joint relation to the COM |
mnnty at large. That problem we are |
still wrestling with. We began by free.
| ing the laborer from all the Old World
tyrannies and mcdiaeval oppression by
decreeing that he should no longer be
serf, peon or slave. He should be free
| to chose ais occupation, free to make
contracts to work where and how he
pleased. Furthermore. we have decided
that he has the same freedom as the
capitalist to combine and organize with
his fellow workmen for mutual protec
ltion and benefit. Rich and poor in Amer
81, hny annol rights
and equal protection in the courts.
We think il will be readily conceded
that Mr.. Seward overreached the marx,
in assuming that all the problems he has
enumcrated, excepting the last one, has
been solved 1t is true that as Amcri-
leans. accepting the conclusions of the
founders of the Republic MS final, as to
the source. character and purpose Of gov
ernment we may reasonably conclude
that the problem involved in the ,lispo'i
. , tion Of "crowns, thrones. ranks and
titles and privileged classes" has been
solved so far as the theory is concerned.
Practically there are many points vet to
he determined. The sources of govern
lmrnt. its character and purpose have
d been pretty we'll established, but tue
!. whence and what of the problem, are fol
!, llowed by very serious how. That phase
lof the problem is fought over and solved
, anew Mt every election.
j, The second problem named by Mr.
!, Seward, is not regarded as finally set
. tied. Objections to present conditions
say that i'll them IS to he found the ro"t
/, lof all the evils manifest in the economic
to what Mr.. Seward calls the problem
of today. Ii that be true, the land own
crship problem cannot be regarded a
solved.
Present commercial ana industrial cor
~ ditiops give room for Sllspecting at least
y that the problem of capital and its con b
~ nations has been solved. There ara
~ great many thoughtful capable pcopl
" who are ready to dispute Mr.. Seward
= assumption about it, and there is ever
= evidence Of a coming struggle for ne'
Isoluticn of that problem. The peopl
" generally do not regard it as solved.
The labor problem is what Mr. Sewar
49, calls the problem of today. 1t seems
:. rs that his naming it as the ''prohlcm ,
!. tuday" is an admission thar it is yet
bc solved. and that this admission
contradictory Of his statements about
as they indicate belief, on his par
that even that problem has been solve
- us enuncratcs much that huS been lul
for the emancipation Of labor, all
~ which will he admitted with the +
u, serve implied in his statement that "
have decided" certain things. tnfor
matcly these decisions are theoretical.
has been decided that what is right Sh;
be, when il can be brought about. Tn
', is, we have discovered til" ideal shou
wv. lie, and believe we have found the 10;
,'a leading to it, We believe that we sh;
H., reach it. This, however. is sure. il h
y, not been attained. W. decided that I
slaves should be free, and that they NJ
.:.. their children should be fire." to :loo
their uv0cations That has not he
=. realized We decided that thrs, slav
We anu tneit tiill''fVii st'''.i't n"N V'l"'' !
~, litical rights, and find equal protect
in the courts. They do not enjoy eq,
:, political rights, nor do they find Ell
T. protection in the courts Not only is
,,,,. tue that these freed slaves are not euu
4, ~ free, and are not equally protected
n, the courts but il is true thut very on
b,t gctic efforts are heing mall in ina
,rl States to reverse the former lccisi
,.,I made in their favor. These are V,
w, conclusive proofs that what 1--WE h;
,b, decided" has not been practically II
,ro llZed 1t follows, we thinn, 50 intimat
va are these various problems related, Il
,os, n0ne of thcm will 10 fully solved, NJ
,Ids hey are all solved. Considerations
,pa citations of these problems i is als3 $
I'M ,cstcd. that the solutions, when attain
.,.,.. Must all hc of like character. That
c,1 having started with the declaration Ii
,ro. al men are born free, and adopted. as
tbo SSential of that cOnditiun of birth.
: II ,dra Of political equality. t!'e idea
tnrn quality cannot hc eliminated from
,orl outon Of thu problems that follow
,rct hr evolution of the government fount
rho lpnn that idea. 1t cannot he elimina
uch rom tif' soi'l'loh OF 'ile lrople'l "l ~
Tho in its relations to capital The pres