Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-31
the members feel less responsibility because
of defeat at the polls.
Election of United States Senators.

the members feel less responsibility because
of defeat at the polls.
Election of United States Senators.
II return more convinced than before
of the Importance of change in The meth
cd of electing United States senators. There
Is noticeable everywhere a distinct move
ment toward democracy in it's broadest
sense. In all the countries which 1 have
visited there is a demand that the govern
ment be brought nearer to the people.
In China constitution is under consid-
Grafton; in Japan the people are demanding
that the ministry, instead of being chosen
by the emperor from among his particular
friends, shall be selected from parliament
and be in harmony with the dominant SEN
timent; in India there is agitation in favor
of native congress; in Russia the car
has been compelled to recognize the popu-
lar voice in the establishment OF duma,
and throughout Europe the movement man
ifests itself in various forms.
I'm the United States this trend toward
democracy has taken the form of growing
demand for the election Of United states
senators by a direct vote of the people. II
must be difficult to overestimate the strate-
gle advantage of this reform, for since
every bill must receive the sanction of the
Senate as well as of the House of Repre-
sentatives before it can become law, no
important legislation of a national chafac-
ter is possible until the Senate Is Drought
into harmony with the people.
Il am within the limits of the truth When
1 say that the Senate has been for some
years the bulwark of predatory wealth, ana
that it even now contains some men VINO
owe their elections to faVor-seeklhS cor
poration, and are so subservlent TO thelr
masters as to prevent needed legislation;
1.-The popular branch of Congress mas
four times declared in favor Of this re-
form by a tWo-thirds vote, and more than
two-thirds of the states have demanded H.
and vet the Senate arrogantly and lmpu-
IDENTIFY blocks the way.
Income Tax Strongly Endorsed.
1.-THE income tax, which some In our
country have denounced socialist1c
attack,upon wealth, has, 1 am pleased to
report. the Endorsement of the most con-
servative countries in the old world. IL
is a permanent part of the fiscal system
of most countries of Europe. and in many
places it is a graded tax the rate being
highest upon the largest incomes Eng
land has long depended upon the income
tax for a considerable part of her reve-
nues, and an English commission Is now
investigating the proposition to change
from uniform to graded tax.
II have been absent too long to speak
with any authority on the public senti-
ment in this country at this time, Dut L
am so convinced of the justice of the In
come tax that l feel sure that the people
will sooner or later demand an amend
ment to the Constitution which will spe-
officially provide for an income tax, and
thus make it possible for the burdens Of
the federal government to be apportloned
among the people in proportion to their
ability to bear them It is little short of a
disgrace to our country that while 1t is
able to command the lives of its citizens In
time of war, it cannot, even in the most
extreme emergency, compel wealth to bear
its share of the expenses OF the govern
ment which protects it.
roho- n;e,,,,%oc IN A rhiferS
81 have referred to the investigation of
international controversies under sys-
tenn which does not bind the parties to ac-
cept the findings of the court of inquiry.
This plan can be used in disputes between
labor and capital; in fact. it was proposed
as a means of settling such disputes before
It was applied to International controver-
sizes. 1t Is as important that we shall
have peace at home as that we shall live
peaceably with foreign nations, and peace
is only possible when it rests upon justice.
"In advocating arbitration of differences
between large corporate employers and
their employees, l believe we are defending
the highest interests of the three parties to
these disputes viz, the employers. the en-
ployes and the public The employee can
not be turned over to the employer to be
dealt with as the employer may please. :
1.-The question sometimes asked, Can 1
not conduct my business to suit myself?'
is plausible one. but when a man in
conducting his business attempts to arbi-
trarily fix the conditions under which hum
dreds of employees are to live, and to de-
termine the future of thousands of human
beings l answer without hesitation that
he has no right to conduct his business in
such a way as to deprive his employees of
their right to life. liberty and the pursuit
of happiness To support this position, l
need only refer to the laws regulating the
safety of mines the factory laws fixing
the age at which children can be employ
ed and usury laws establishing the rate of
interest.
1.-The effort of the employer to settle
differences without arbitration has done
much to imbitter him against those who
work for him, and to estrange them from
hirf1-a condition deplorable from every
standpoint.
Rights of Employer and Employe.
But if it is unwise to make the employer
the sole custodian of the rights and inter
ests of the employees, it is equally unwise
to give to the employees uncontrolled au-
thority over the rights and interests of the
employer. The employees are no more to
be trusted to act unselfshly and disinterest-
eddy than the employers. In their zeal to
secure a present advantage they may not
only do injustice. but even forfeit larger
future gain. The strike, the only weapon
of the employe at present, is two-edged
sword, and may injure the workman as
much as the employer, and, 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 at
stake as we'll as the employer and en-
ployes, for there can be no considerable
strike without considerable loss to the pub
lie Society, therefore, is justified in de-
manding that the differences between CAPT
tai and labor shall be settled by peaceful
means. If a permanent. impartial board
is created, to which either party of an in
dustral dispute may appeal or which can
Of it's own motion institute an inquiry, pub
lie opinion may be relied upon to inforce
the finding. If there is compulsory SUBJ
mission to investigation, it is not necessary
that there shall be compulsory acceptance
of the decision, for full and fair investi-
cation will in almost every case bring about
a settlement.
Government by Injunction.
mo reference to the labor question is
complete that does not include some mem
ton of what is known government by
the injunction. AS the main purpose Of