The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-31

81 | VI 0llON Clii0 NJ
Sakzz1zzzEzE " ssE
the limits of the truth when 1 say that
the senate has been for some years the
bulwark of predatory wealth and that
il even now contains so many members
who owe their election to favOr-seeking
corpora lions and are so subservient TO
their master as to prevent needed legis-
lation. The popular branch of congress
has four times declared in favor of this
reform by two-thirds vote and more
than two-thirds of the states have de-
manded il, and yet the senate arrogant
ly and impudently blocks the way.
Income Tax Advocated.
1.-THE income tax, which some in our
country have defined as socialistic
attack upon wealth, / am pleased to
report. has the Endorsement of the most
conservative countries in the old world.
1t is permanent part of the fiscal sys-
tenn of most of the countries of Europe.
and in many places it is graded tax,
the rate being highest upon the largest
incomes. England has long depended
upon the income tax for a considerable
part of ner revenues and an English
proposition to change from a uniform
to a graded tax l have been absent
too long to speak with any authority on
the public sentiment in this country at
this time, but l am so convinced OF the
Justice of the income tax that / feel
sure that the people will sooner or Ia
ter demand an amendment to the con-
stitution which will specifically author
ize an income tax and thus make IL pos
fn1n
ment to be apportioned among the peo
pie in proportion to their ability to bear
them 1t is little short of a disgrace
to our country that while it is able TO
command the lives Of its citizens in
time of war, II canuot, even in the most
extreme emergency, compel wealth to
bear its share of the expenses of the
government which protects it.
Plea for Arbitration.
at have referred to the investigation
of international controversies under a
system which does not bind the parties
to accept the findings of the court Of
inquiry This plan can be used in dis
putes between labor and capital in
fact, 1t was proposed as a means of set
Ting such disputes before it was ap-
piled 10 international controversies. It
is as important that we shall have
with neighboring nations, and peace is
only possible when 1t rests upon JUS
tice In advocating arbitration of diff
ferences between large corporate en-
ployers and their employees, I believe we
are defending the highest interests Of
three parties to the disputes, viz, the
employers, the employee and the public.
1.-The .employe cannot be turned over
to the employer to be dealt with as en-
ployer may please. The question
sometimes asked, Cannot 1 conduct my
business to suit MYSELF is a plausi-
BILE one. but when a man in conducting
his business attempts to arbitrarily fix
the conditions under which hundreds of
employees are TO live and to determine
the future of thousands of human be-
ings 1 answer without hesitation that
he has no right to conduct his own bus
mess in such a way as TO deprive his
employees of their right TO life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness. To sup
port this position, l need only refer 10
the laws regulating the safety of mines,
the factory laws fixing the age ar
which children can be employed, and
usury laws establishing the rate of in
terest. The effort of the employer to
settle differences without arbitration
those who work for him and to es-
TRANCE them-a condition deplorable
from every standpoint.
Equal Rights for Both.
But if IT is unwise to make the en-
ployer tho sole custodian of the rights
and interests of the employees, it is
equally unwise to give the employees un-
controlled authority over the rights and
interests of the employer. The en-
plOyes are no more to be trusted TO act
unselhshly and disinterestedly than the
employers. In their zeal to secure q
present advantage they may not only
Go injustice but even forfeit a larger
future gain. The strike, the only wea-
pom of the employe at present, is a two
edge sword and may injure the work
man as much as the employer and ever
when wholly successful is apt to leave
a ranking in the bosom of the wage
Garner that should not be there.
Society, moreover has something al
stake as well as the employer and EN-
| ploye, for there can be no considera bic
strike without considerable loss to the
public. Society, therefore. is justified
| in demanding that the differences be-
| tween capital and labor shall be set
| tied by peaceful means. If a permanent
| impartial board is created TO which
may appeal, or which can Of its mo-
! ton institute an inquiry, public opin
! ion may be relied upon to enforce tn,
! finding. If there is compulsory sub
mission to investigation il is not neces
sary that there shall be compulsory &C
! ceptance of the decision for a full anJ
! fair investigation will in almost ever!
| case bring about settlement.
Government by Injunction.
mo reference to the labor question il
complete that does not include some
mention of what is known as govern
ment by injunction. AS the main pur
pose of the writ is TO evade trial b.
jury. it is really an attack upon tn
jury system and ought to arouse
unanimous protest. So long as tn
meanest thief is guaranteed a trial b,
jury. a jury ought not to be denied. 4
wage earners. However. as the writ i
usually invoked in case of a strike, tn
Importance of the subject would b
very much reduced by the adoption o
system of arbitration because arbi
tratiOn would very much reduce, eve1
If it did not entirely remove, the prob
ability of a strike.
Just another word in regard to tn
laboring man. The. struggle TO secur