Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-02-18
More Radical Re-
forms Are Pro-
posed
Once Launched on Socialism
There Is No Place
to Make a
Halt


Australia at the present time.
The conservative element in thii
and other countries, locate the respor
sibility for the changes asked for ol
the Socialists, who hold the balanc
OF power in the Australian parliament
! At this distance, newspapers who's,
mission It is to condemn everything
that tends to stop the accumulation o
the worlds wealth in the hands o
a few, condemn in unmeasured termi
the tendency Of things in Australia
as they condemn like tendencies here
One OF the reforms asked for Is an
eight-hOur working day. This is In
complete harmony with the drift Of
things in America, as applied to Ia
Dor. In all the large cities where
unionism controls labor eight or nine
hours constitutes a working day.
No one who has dipped into the
subject at all deeply and Is inclined
TO view IL fairly; who recognizes the
needs Of men and the welfare Of the
nation as expressed through those
who produce its wealth, object to the
eight hour limit for working days.
Another thing asked for is that a
tax be imposed upon non-resldents. In
order that the resources Of the coun.
try may not be exploited by foreign.
ers.
natural SCENE OF irrigation, sim.
ilar In plan TO that being proposed for
this country in certain sections. is
asked to be made a part OF the work
OF the central government. In Aus
tralia, as in this country, there Is
much land that cannot be reclaimed
without the expenditure OF a consid.
cradle sum Of money. used in con.
serving the waters during food times.
and spread over the land when
drought appears.
One OF the most far-reaching re.
forms proposed for Australia is what
Is known as progressive land tax.
by which IL is sought to prevent large
holdings in real estate.
Should the proposition meet with
success, a small allotment will 90
practically untaxed. but should a man
double his holdings, his tax will be
probably four times what he would
have paid before. and should a man
insist upon holding largo tracts OF
land, he must expect to nav mora
than his Just share OF taxes. The av.
cuse made by those who wish TO nusb
this law is that II is in the interests
.of the country that the land be held
In small allotments by large mum.
Der OF people, rather than that laroo
portions OF the country be mopono.
lized by a few.
Yet another reform which the con.
trolling political power in Austrsli,
demands, is the taking In hand nv tho
government OF the liquor traaic There
Is no question but what as ciyiII,,.
ton advances 10 a higher plane m,
tendency will be 10 give the state
absolute control OF the liquor bust.
ness thus removing irresponslbuitv
greed and avarice, and the train of
eyh influence that follow in tbair |
wake especially in this business
one other reform asked for in far. !
away Australia is that the state %,
gage In the life insurance business
This no doubt is a novel idea ~
many readers OF Tho Journal but tbe
iaet that YOU may not have read abopt
H. or heard OF H. or in any way given
II your consideration, in no way inn.
pairs the wisdom OF the idea
When Socialism b gan TO make for
llseif name in Germany. at the time
bismarck was in control no thmeht
ne could stem the tide by concos
sion In the form OF the state eD,er
.ns into the life insurance business
Il became part OF the law. and ba /
carrying OF insurance function o,l
government
This thing has developed In Co..,
many until today practically eye,v
'erman is a goyornment policy hold.
'r Tho wisdom Of it has been thor
'ushly' demonstrated, and today there
perhaps no institution In GERMANY
WIN which the people would be mora
oath 10 part
Perhaps at some future time
nay take up this point OF the nro
''e1 Australian reform and discuss
more at length, because We believe
'@l every state should be engaged
'he NE insurance business ana