Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-01
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Two houses OF congress nave Ueen
graphing with many important prob
lens and solving some of them in
whole or in part, II must not be for
gotten that there are still big and inn
portant questions ahead.
The enactment Of the railroad rate
regulation law Is a great step forward
along the path OF national control Of
corporations engaged in Interstate
commerce, but the last word has by no
means been said as to national rail-
way regulation. The operation of the
new law is sure to develop its strong
and its weak points, sure to disclose
loop-holes through which obstreper-
Gus railroad officials might crawl II
they chose to try and TO call for
further legislation to perfect 1t and
make il workable in all its parts.
The vigorous enforcement of the
antitrust laws promises to curb the
most odious capitalistic monopolies,
but the numerous Investigations,
throwing the search-light of publicity
upon trade combinations, are uncover
ing abuses which can be effectively
remedied. only by new laws that apply
by compulsion to all alike allowing no
one an undue advantage over his COM
petitor. The question of dealing with
| the trusts and Industrial combines
promises to demand more attention
in the immediate future than II has in
| the past.
| Closely allied with combinations of
capital are combinations OF labor,
which open up the whole field of the
relations between the wage worker
and his employer. That the greatest
wisdom will be needed to see that
these relations are properly adjusted
with strict regard TO the just rights
of each will require wisdom and judg-
ment based upon broad experience.
Another Industrial question ahead
of us is that of tariff revision for
which a stronger demand is sure soon
to be felt. The principle of protection
to home industry and home labor is
accepted as a thoroughly established
part of American policy, but the re-
Arrangement of the schedules when
ever It comes will involve all the local
interests affected one way or the other
| by the tariff system.
For the west, in particular, several
other big questions loom up on the
horizon. The management and dispo-
| % 10 NJ
cially those unsuitable for cultivation
and suitable only for live stock graz
ing is of the most vital moment to a
large number of our own people.
Closely akin is the successful develop
ment of the various irrigation projects
now in the way and the extension of
the national irrigation system to the
further reclamation of tracts of land
waiting only for water already within
reach to make them habitable and
productive. Affecting the same agri-
cultural and live stock interests, too,
is the question of national inspection
and regulation of live stock slaughter
ing and the preparation OF meat and
food products generally, which has just
had the center of the legislative stage
and which is not yet off the boards
All these questions are internal
questions apart and aside from the
important matters constantly growing
out of our foreign relations and our
acquisition of insular possessions
across the seas. All of these are sure
to press from time to time for further
legislative consideration.
The present pertinency of stress
upon the big questions lies in
the fact that the people of Nebraska
are just taking the initial steps to
select the representative who is 70
voice their views for six years in the
upper house Of the national legisla-
ture. To pass intelligently for them
upon all these far reaching problems
requires something more than man OF
one idea. II Nebraska is to contribute
toward their solution. the state must
send to the United States senate a man
in touch not only with one of these
questions, but with the greater num-
Der of them. If not all of them Ne
braska can be either a factor in shap.
ing national legislation or simply q
spectator answering to the roll call
IL Ia for the people of Nebraska, and
especially the republicans, to say
which part they want their state tC