Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1906-09-07
nry.n.s specs.

II return more deeply impressed
than ever before with the responsibility
which rests upon our nation as gan ex-
cmpiar among the nations, aud more
solicitous that we, avoiding the causes
wnich have led other nations To decay
may present a higher ideal than has
ever before been embodied la nation
al life and carry human progress to q
higher plane than IL has ever before
reached.
1 venture 10 suggest that we may
not only promote peace, but advance
our commercial interests by announc.
ing as national policy that our navy
VIII not be used for the collection of
private debts.
Marh the distinction between the
protection Of the lives Of our citizens
ana The use OF the navy to guarantee a
profit on Investments.
Our nation has lost prestige rathcr
than gsined it by our experiment in
colonialism. We have given the mon.
orchist a chance to ridicule our Decla.
ration OF Independence, and the scoiler
mas twitted us with Inconsistency.
"hile our. Legislative system IL su.
perior in many respects, II has one de
fect--that Congress does not meet in
regular session until Is months after
the election.
fetnIn more convinced than before
oi the Importance of a change IN the
method Of eIeeting Uniteu States Sen
ators.
Inc Senate has been for some wears
the bulwark Of predatory wealth.
Inc income tax has the endorsement
OF the lost conservative countries of
the old world. 1t is little short ola
disgrace to our country that it cannot,
even In the most extreme emergency,
compel wealth to bear its share Of the
expenses Of the Government which
protects it.
In advocating arbitration, | believe
we are defending the highest interests
of the three parties TO these Disputes
The employers, the employees and the
public.
lhose who oppose the eight-hour
day do 1t, l am convinced, more be-
cause Of ignorance OF conditions than
because OF lack OF pathy with those
who toll.
NO party can exterminate the trusts
so long az it owes its political successes
to campaign contributions secured
from the trusts
Politids should be honest, and /
political conditions In AmercA
II they do not presage Improvements
In the conduct OF cam paigns.
Our motto must be "a private mo-
nopoly is indefensibIe and intolerable,n
and our plan of attack must contem.
plate the total and complete overthrow
or the monopoly principle in industry.
1t is worth while 10 consider wheth-
er blow may not be struck at the
trusts by law making 1t Illegal for
the same person to act as director or
officer Of two corporations which deal
with each other or are ENGAGED in the
same general business.
The requiring of the corporation
10 take Federal license before engag-
ing in interstate commerce is simple,
easily applied and comprehensive.
A corporation differs from a human
being in that it has no natural rights
and it can be limited or restrained ac-
cording rs the public welfare may re-
quire.
The tariff question is very closely al
lied to the trust question, and the re-
duction Of the tariff furnishes an easy
means of limiting the extortion which
the trusts can practice.
One of the worst features Of tariff
for the avowed purpose of protection
is that it fosters the idea that men
should use their votes to advance their
own financial interests.
Railroads partake so much of the
nature OF monopoly that they must
ultimately become public property.
Believing, however, that the opera
ton of all the railroads by the Federal
Government would result in central
ization which would all but obIiterste
State lines, prefer to see only the
trunk lines operated by the Federal
Government, and the local lines by the
several State governments.
Trusts are a political development
rather than an economic one, and the
trust system cannot be permitted to
continue, even though it did result ia
a net economic gain.
Socialism weakness is that 1t
would substitute new disease-if not
worse one-for the disease from
which we suffer.
The Democratic party is not the
enemy Of property rights; it is, on the
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