The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-04-04
COMMENT ON CURRENT EVENTS.
LOCAL, STATE AND NATION.

It is seventy-seven years ago since
Thomas Jefferson died, and now there
is movement on foot for the purpose
Of raising funds for the erection Of a
monument to his memory at the ma
tlonal capital. Admiral Dewey is pres
ident Of the Jefferson Memorial Asso-
citation. The appeal Of the: association
for funds recites the fact that there is
no monument to Jefferson at Washing
ton. The soldiers Of the revolutionary
and civil wars are we'll represented
with statues, but there are few erect
ed for our statesmen. For a nation Of
civilians, we have a strange leaning
towards uniformed men mounted on
war horses. Why not celebrate our in
tellectual achievements. The best sta
tues to erect are the perpetual monu-
ments In the hearts Of our citizens
which can be done by praising and
glorifying the great principles of true
democracy for which Jefferson and his
colleagues stood.
Anything to get the peoples money.
1t is we'll known that most savings
banks fix a maximum sum beyond
which they decline to receive deposits
1t is also known that many depositors,
having attained a maximum deposit,
leave it in the savings bank to draw
interest for an indefinite period. Now
come the Pennsylvania Legislature
with bill which provides that the
mutual savings funds, building associ-
ations, and every financial institution
under the supervision Of the bank ex-
aminer shall report forthwith to the
examiner the names Of depositors, with
the amounts of their deposits, who
have not claimed the payment Of said
deposits within twenty years. The bill
proceeds to direct the examiner to ad-
vertise for the depositors in question:,
and to summon them to appear and
claim the money within a year. II at
the expiration Of twelve months a de-
post remains unclaimed, it is to es-
cheat to the state, and the commiss-
ioner Is to be allowed one per cent Of
the amount escheated.
It is incredible that such a bare
face fraud as this should be perpetra-
ted by the lawmakers Of such a. re-
sourcefu1 state. The law in most
states, with respect to unclaimed saw
ings funds deposits provides that these
shall be turned over to the state when
thirty years shall have elapsed since
the last deposit, but the right is cheer
fully reserved to the depositor or his
personal representatives Of = proving
identity at5any Time and siing the
state for the srec0Yaty IS money
IRA i1s
ISL prop H,6 ion 'of
the banksg
would be the privacy is. 3
which all the depositors desire. The
working people whose sole purpose is
to acquire an old age competency, and
many sacrifices are made In middle age
to hold intact the savings Of early life.
so that when old age does come, and
when ones earning capacity is de-
stroyed, they may not suffer for want.
Sixteen states have now reclared
through their legislatures that they
favor the election of United States SEN
ators by direct vote of the people. CAL
ifornia, Nevada, Missouri, Kansas,
Montana, N. Dakota, Oregon, Ken
lucky, Minnesota, Arkansas, Idaho,
washington, Texas, Nebraska, Utah
and Tennessee, have passed resolutions
in both houses. It is said that Maine
will soon declare for the resolution
when two-thirds of the states. shall
have declared for the amending Of the
Federal Constitution. Congress will
be compelled to call a constitutional
convention.
OF the states declaring for the new
amendment, fourteen are west Of the
Mississippi River. and two are South
ern States. South Dakota, Iowa and
Colorado are the only states west of
the Mississippi that have not been
heard from, and before their legisla-
lures adjourn, favorable action is ex-
pected. We are glad that Minnesota
is ip the van guard of this movement.
Minnesota Democrats were wise last
summer when they nominated L. A.
Rosing for governor. It was charged
quite freely at the convention that the
gold Democrats wanted to defeat Ros-
ing for the purpose OF securing con-
troll Of the party for 1904. This phase
Of the opposition> was not given very
much attention at the time. It now
appears that there was a general
Involvement throughout the country
along this line. In most Of the East
ern states the gold Democrats now
cyfvy N ~ 40 11,y1o fkc