Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-04
our impotence and leave ourselves at the

our impotence and leave ourselves at the
mercy of those ingenious legal advisers of
the holders of vast corporate wealth, who,
in the performance Of what they regard as
their duty, and to serve the ends of their
clients, invoke the law at one time Tor
the confounding of their rivals, and at an
other time strive for the notification of the
law, in order that they themselves may be
left free to work their unbridled will on
these same rivals. or on those who labor
for them, or on the general public. In the
exercise of their profession and In the
service of their clients these astute lawyers
strive to prevent the passage Of efficient
laws and strive to secure judicial determine
lions of those that pass which shall emas-
culate them. They do not invoke the Con-
stitution in order to compel the due oo-'
servance Of law alike by rich and poor,
by great and small; on the contrary, they
that the Constitution is violated whenever
any effort is made to invoke the aid of the
national government whether for the Ell
ficient regulation of railroads. for the ef-
ficient supervision of great corporations.
or for efficiently securing obedience to such
law as the national eight-hour law and
similar so-caled labor statutes"
The doctrine they preach would make
the Constitution merely the shield of in
competence and the excuse for govern
ment paralysis; they treat 1t as justifica-
ton for refusing to attempt the remedy
of evil, instead Of the source of vital
power necessary for the existence of a
mighty and ever-growing nation.
A Strong Nationalist.
Strong nationalist though I am, and firm
though my belief is that there must be a
wide extension of the power Of the national
government to deal with questions Of this
kind, / freely admit that as regards many
matters of first-rate Importance we must
rely purely upon the states for the better
ment of present conditions. The several
states must do their duty or our citizenship
can never be put on proper plane. There
fore l most heartily congratulate the people
of the state of Pennsylvania on what Its
| legislature, upon what its government, has
accomplished during this present year. 1t
| is a remarkable record of achievement
Through your legislature you have abol-
! ished passes; you have placed the Offices
| Of the secretary Of the commonwealth and
able and honest basis Of salary only by
| abolishing the fee system; you have passed
| a law compelling the officers and employees
| Of great cities to attend to the duties for
which they are paid by all the taxpayers,
| and to refrain from using the power con-
| ferred by their offices to influence political
campaigns; you have prohibited the solici-
| taton or receiving of political assessments
| by city employees; you have by law pro-
| tected the state treasury from depreciation
and conserved the public moneys for use
| only In the public interest; YOU have by q
| law for the protection of the elective fran
/ chse made tampering with the ballot boxes
and the casting of illegal votes SO difficult
| as in all probability to be improbable;
you have provided a primary election law
| which guarantees to the voters free express
| sion In the selection of candidates for office
you have by law regulated and improved
| the civil service systems of your greatest
! cities; and, finally, you have passed law
| containing a provision which l most ear
nestly hope will in substance be embodied
likewise in law by the Congress at the
coming session-a provision prohibiting
4 The officers OF CORPORATION from nakinc
a contribution Of the money of that cor.
poration to any candidate or any politica
committee for the payment Of any election
| expenses whatever.
Body Of Admirable Legislators.
1t is surely not too much to say that thi!
body of substantive legislation marks al
epoch in the history Of the practical better
ment Of political conditions. not merely fo
your state but for all our states. 1 do no
recall any other state legislature which, IL
a similar length of time, has to its credi
such a body of admirable legislation. LIE
me- however. most earnestly urge that you
legislature continue this record of publ
service by enacting one or two additiona
laws One subject which every good citi
zen should have at heart above almost al
others is the matter of child labor. Every
where the great growth of modern indus
trialism has been accomplished by abuse
in connection with the employment OF labo
which have necessitated complete chang
In the attitude of the state toward labor.
This is above all true In connection wit
the employment Of child labor. In Penn