Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-12-07
Epnmends Law Prohibiting Corporation
Campaign Contributions
AVORS AN INCOME TAX
Wv Condemns Lynchng and Says Crime of Rape Should
\ Punished by Death-QueSton of Marriage and
Divorce Should be Settled by Congress.

abuses connected With wealth into
campaign OF hysterlcal excitement and
falsehood In which the aim Il 10 in-
OF mankind. The sinister demagogues
aud foolish Missionaries who are always
eager 10 undertake such a campaign
OF destruction sometimes seek TO as.
soclate themselves with those working
for a genuine reform In governmental
and social methods and sometimes mas
uuerade as such reformers. In reality
they are the worst enemies of the
cause they profess to advocate, just as
the purveyors Of sensational SANDER In
newspaper or magazine are the worst
enemies OF all men who are engaged In
an honest effort to better what Is bad
in our social and governmental condi-
tons.
Corruption is never so rife as in com.
munities where the demagogue and the
agltator bear full sway, because In
such communities all moral bands be
come loosened, and hysterla and sensa.
tIonallsm replace the spirit of sound
judgment and fair dealing as between
man and man. In sheer revolt against
the squalid anarchy thus produced men
are sure In the end to turn toward any
leader who can restore order, and then
their relief at being free from the In
tolerable burdens Of class hatred, vio-
lence and demagogy is such that they
cannot for some time be aroused to In.
dignation against misdeeds by men OF
wealth. so that they permit new
growth of the very abuses which were
In part responsible for the original out,
break. The one hope fer success fol-
our people lies In resolute and fear
less but sane and cool headed advance
along the path marked out last year
by this very congress. There must be
n stern refusal to be misled into fol
lowing either that base creature VINO
appeals and panders to the lowest In,
stincts and passions In order to arouse
one set Of Americans against their fel-
base. but no baser, who in a spirit OF
greed or to accumulate or add to an
already huge fortune seeks to exploit
his fellow Americans with Gallons DIS
regard to their welfare of soul ana
body. The man who debauches others
in order to obtain high office stands
on an evil equality Of corruption with
the man who debauches others Tor
financial profit, and when hatred Is
sown the crop which springs up can
only be evil.
The plain people who think-the me-
cbonics farmers, merchants, workers
with head or hand, the men to whom
American traditions are dear, VINO love
their country and try to act decentiy
nv their neighbors-owe 1t TO them-
selves to remember that the most dam
aging blow that can be given popular
government is to elect an unworthy
and sinister agtator on a platform OF
violence and hypocrisy.
Railroad Employees Hours.
call your attention to the neeu VI
passing the bill limiting the NUMBER Vi
hours of employment of railroad EN-
ployees. The measure is very lloue,
ate one and can conceive OF no serl-
Gus objection to 1t. Indeed. SO iar as
# is In our power, 1t should be our ann
steadily to reduce the number or hours
Of labor with as a goal the general III
PRODUCTION of an eight hour day. liners
are industries in which 1t Is not pos
sIble that the hours of labor shouia
be reduced, just as there are commuhi'
ties not far enough advanced TOT sucn
. movement to be for their good, or, II
in the tropics, so situated that there IS
M analogy between their needs ana
orrs in this matter. On the lsthmus
of Panama, for instance, the conoi-
tions are in every way SO dineieh.
from what they are here that an eight
bour day would be absurd, just Is II
Is absurd, so far as the isthmus is con
cerned. where white labor cannot %
employed. to bother as to whether ine
necessary work is done by alien blacK
men or by alien yellow men. But 'ne
waoeworkers of the United States are
of so high grade that alike from the
merely industrial standpoint ana irolh
tbe civic standpoint it should pc our
object to do what we can IN the olrec-
tion of securing the general observance
of an eight hour day.
LET me again urge that the congress
nrovide for thorough investigatlon
If tbe conditions of child labor ana 0,
tho labor Of women in the unlteu
states. The horrors Incident 10 tne
emnloyment of young children IN rae Lac.
tories or at work anywhere are D'o'
on our civilization. ,,,od
Tn snite of all precautions exercised
nv employers there are unavoidapie az
o;aonts and even deaths involved III
nearly every line of business connec.
cd with the mechanic arts. u ~
oreat social injustice to compei the e,n
r,ovee or rather the family OF tne
,,i,,od or disabled victim, to bear .ne
entire burden of such an iiie'i .,.,.s
sacrifice. In other words, society SUI No
its duty by laying the whoie oos So, oS
the victim, whereas the injury CONES CONE
Cue euen, what may be called the iegitl-
mate risks of the trade. Compehsa, ,i''a
san accidents or deaths due In any ilhe
~ ,ndustrv to the actual conditions ui-
=. r1,h,ch that industry is carried On
aer , M he Maid by that portion of the
community for the benefit OF, OF y, wni bv
tSo industry is carried on-that u.s. py
those who profit by the industry. .ha
lnOse W. LII 10 nlaced upon tDe