The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1906-09-08

could secure TO American investors By
an attempt to put the government
back of their private claims we would
lose many dollars by closing the door
to investment. Mark the distinction
between the protection of the lives OF
our citizens and the use of the navy
to guarantee profit on investments.
We do not imprison for debt In the
United States; neither do we put men
to death because of their failure to
pay what they owe, and our moral
prestige. as we'll as our commercial In.
terests. will be conserved by assuring
all nations that all American invest
ments demand protection upon the
laws of the country to which the In
vestors 60.
return more convinced than before
Of the importance OF a change in the
method Of electing United States SEN
ators. There Is noticeable everywhere
Q disRinct movement toward democ-
facy In its bSpadest sense In all the
countries which | have visited there
IL demand that the government be
brought nearer to the people. In
China q constitution is under consid-
GRAFTON; In Japan the people are de-
handing 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 senti.
ment; In India there Is agitation in
favor of q native congress: In Russia
the car has been compelled to rec
ognixe the popular voice in the estab.
lishment Of q dour1a. and throughout
the country the movement manifests
itself In various forms. In the United
States this trend toward democracy
has taken the form of a growing de.
mand for the election OF United States
senators by a direct vote of the PEG
pie II must be difficult to overthrow
the strategic advantage Of this reform.
for since every bill must receive the
sanction of the senate. as well as Of
the house of representatives. before
It can become law, no important leg
islation of q national character Is pos
sible until the senate is brought into
harmony with the people. i am with
In the limits of the truth when say
that the senate has been for some
years the bulwark of predatory wealth.
and that It even now contains SO many
members who owe their election to ia
vor-seeking corporations and are SO
subservient to their masters as to
prevent needed legislation. The pop
ular branch of congress has four
times declared in favor of this reform
by two-thirds vote. and more than
two-thirds of the states have demand
ed It, and yet the senate arrogantly
and impudently blocks the way.
The income tax. which some In our
country have denounced as Social
istic attack upon wealth has. am
pleased to report, the enforcement OF
the most conservative countries In
the old world. 1t is a permanent part
Of the, fiscal system Of most of the
countries Of Europe. and In many
places It is graded tax. the rate be-
ing highest upon the largest incomes.
England has long depended upon the
income tax for considerable part of
her revenues, and an English commits
sion Is now investigating the PROPOSE.
ton to change an uniform to graded
tax ! have been absent too long to
speak with any authority on the pub
lie sentiment in this country at this
time, but / am so convinced OF the
justice of the income tax thatI feel
sure that the people will sooner or
later demand an amendment to the
Constitution which will specifically
authorize an income tax and thus
make It possible for the burdens OF
the Federal government to be appor-
toned among the people in proper
ton to their ability to bear them. 1t
Is little short of disgrace to our
country that while II is able to COM
mand the lives of its citizens In time
Of war 1t cannot, even In the most ex-
IRENE emergency, compel wealth to
bear It's share of the expenses of the
government which protects it.
have referred to the Investigation
Of International controversies under a
system which does not bind the par ;
ties to accept 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 IL was
applied to international controversies.
It Is as important that we shall have
peace at home as that we shall live
peaceably with neighboring nations.
and peace Is only possible when It
rests upon justice. In advocating ar
bitration of differences between large
corporate employers and their en-
ployes believe We are defending the
highest interests OF the three parties
to the disputes. ST., the employers.
the employees and the public. The EN-.
ploye cannot be turned over to the
employer to be dealt with as the en-
ployer pleases. The question some
times Is asked: Can I not conduct
my business to suit myself?" Is a
, plausible one, but when man. In
conducting his business. attempts to
arbitrarily tx the conditions under
which hundreds of employees are to
live and to determine the future OF
thousands of human beings. I answer
without hesitation that he has no right
to conduct his own business in such q
way as to deprive his employees OF
their right to life, liberty and the pur.
suit OF happiness. To support this 20
sition I need only refer to the laws
regulating the safety OF mines. the
factory laws fixing the age at which
children can be employed and usury
laws and being the rate of interest
The effort TO settle difficulties without
arbitration has done much to imbitter
against those who work for an en-