Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1906-12-08

performing nothing but evil vsSo
would set on the mob to plumber tie
who. for his own ends. would permit
the common people to be exploited by
government fail into the hands of men
of either of these two classes. we shall
show ourselves false to Americas past.
Moreover. the demagog and corrup-
zionist often work hand in hand. There
are at this moment wealthy reaction
aries of such obtuse morality that they
regard the public servant who prose-
cutes them when they violate the law.
or who seeks to Inalce them bear their
proper share of the public burdens as
being even more Objectionable than
the violent agitator who hounds on
nothing to choose between such a re-
dictionary and such an agitator; funda-
disregard of the rights of others; and
it is natural that they should join in
opposition to any movement of which
the aim is fearlessly to do exact and
even justice to ALL
Railroad Employees Hours.
He asks for the passing of the bill linn
iting the number of hours OF
employment of railroad employees. and
one. He says the aim of all should be
to steadily reduce the number of hours
of labor with as a goal the general in
PRODUCTION of an eight-hour day, but in
sists that on the Isthmus of Panama the
conditions are so different from what
they are here that the Introduction of an
eight-hour day the canal would be
surd as II is, so far as the isthmus is
concerned, where white labor cannot be
employed, to bother as 10 whether the
work is done by alien black men or alien
yellow men,
He urges the enactment OF a drastic
child labor law for the District of Co
lumbia and the territories, and a federal
investigation of the subject of child and
female labor throughout the country
He reviews the work of the commission
appointed to investigate labor conditions
in the coal fields of Pennsylvania in 1902
and refers to the wish of the commission
that the state and federal governments
NAV he pceIIed the cnmnuisory inYestiga@
ton of controversies between employers
and employees when they arise"
In this age of great corporate ana Ia
employees should be left completely at
pute, regardless of the righteousness OF
their respective claims. The proposed
measure would be in the line of securing
strikes the public has itself an interest
which cannot wisely be disregarded; an
fence, for the question of just and
sidered. In ali legislation of this kind
it is well to advance cautiously, testing
each step by the actual results; the step
proposed can surely be safely taken, for
not bind the parties in legal fashion, and
yet would give chance for public opin.-,
ion to exert its full force for the right
Control of Corporations.
is devoted to the subject of federal con-
troll of corporations in what he refers to
the passage at the last session OF the
rate, meat inspection and food laws, and
says that all of these have already 1uStl-
fed their enactment, but recommends
the amendment of the meat Inspection
law so to put dates on the labels of
meat products, and also to place the
cost of inspection on the packers rather
than on the government. Continuing on
this subject of the control of corporations
by the federal government he says:
r6DRAIe6 that
perience has conclusively shown the i'm.
possibility of securing by the actions OF OF
CHAOS in the way of dealing with the
exclusively within the limits of any one
state. In some method, whether by 4
we must exercise. and that at an early
date, far more complete control than
at present over these great corpora
things prevent the evils of excessive
overcapitalization, and that will compel
the disclosures by each big corporation
of it's stockholders and of its properties
and business, whether owned directly OF
thru subsidiary or affiliated corporations.
This will tend to puC stop 20 the secur-
ing of inordinate profits by favored
individuals at the expense whether of
the general public, the stockholders, or
the wageworkers. Our effort should be
not so much to prevent consolidation as
such, but so to supervise and control II
as to see that it results in no harm 10
the people. The reactionary or ultracon-
wealth assai the effort to secure such
control a step toward socialism, AS
matter of fact it is these reactionartes
and ultraconservatives who are thefn-
selves most potent in increasing socialis-
tic feeling. One of the most efficient
methods of averting the consequences OF
dangerous agitation, which is 80 per
cent. wrong, is to remedy the 20 per cent;
of evil to which the agitation is well
founded. The best way to avert the very
undesirable move for the gOVernne entail
ownership of railways is to secure by
Governments hRhalf
as 4 whole such adequate control and
regulation of the great interstate com
mon carriers as will do away With the
evils which give rise to the agitation
against them. So the proper antidote
against the men of wealth as such is to
secure by proper legislation and eXecu-
| abuses which actually do obtain in con-
nection with the business use OF wealth
system-of failure to exercise any ade-
| quate control at all. Some persons speak
as if the exercise of such governmental
| control would do away with the freedom
| of individual initiative and dwarf indi-
| vidual effort. This is not fact 1t
! put a premium upon Individual initiative,
! Individual capacity and effort; upon the
| energy. character and foresight which
it is so important to encourage in the
! individual. But as matter of fact the
! deadening and degrading effect of pure
| socialism, and especially of its extreme
| form OnlmuniSm, and the deSt~ lotion Of
! individual character which thy would
| bring about, are in part achieved by the
| wholly unregulated competition which
! results in a single individual or corpor-
| alton rising at the expense of all others
! until his or its rise effectually checks all
! competition and reduces former competi-
tors to position of utter inferiority and
! subordnation-
inheritance and Income Tax
1t was expected that the president
! would refer in some way to his belief
! in the necessity for the curbing of enor-
nous fortunes, and he has done so by
| recommending legislation for both in
/ come and an inheritance tax. He be-
| IieVeS the government should impose q
| graduated inheritance Y, and. if posi-
! bic. a graduated income tax. He says:
Il am we'll aware that such subject
as this needs long and careful study in
order that the people may become famil-
| lar with what is proposed to be done,
| may clearly see the necessity of proceed
! ing with wisdom and self-restraint and
| may make up their minds just how far
! they are willing to go in the matter;
| out the project in necessary detail. But
! 1 feel that in the near future nation
al legislators should enact a law provid-
| ing for a graduated inheritance tax by
| which a steadily increasing rate of duty
| should be put upon all moneys or other
| valUables coming by gift Request, OF
! devise to any individual corporation
| 1t may be well to make the tax heavy
| in proportion the individual benefited
is remote of kin. In any event, in my