Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-06

wisely provided for truant court for
the District of Columbia; marked
step in advance on the path of prop
erly caring for the children. Let me
again urge that the congress provide
for the thorough investigation of the
conditions of child labor and the labor
Of women in the United States. More
and more our people are growing to
recognize the fact that the questions
which are not merely of industrial but
of social Importance, outweigh all
Others; and these two questions most
emphatically come in the category Of
those which affect in the most far
reaching way the home life of the ma
ton.
Corporations.
The present congress has taken
long strides in the direction of secur-
ing proper supervision and control by
the national government over corpo-
rations engaged in interstate business
and the enormous majority of cor
porations of any size are engaged in
interstate business. The passage of
the railway rate bill, and only to less
degree the passage of the pure food
bill. and the provision for increasing
and rendering more effective national
control over the beef packing industry,
mark an important advance in the pro-
per direction. In the short session it
will perhaps be difficult to do much
further along this line; and it may be
best to wait until the laws have been
in operation for a number of months
before endeavoring to increase their
scope, because only operation will show
with exactness their merits and their
shortcomings and thus give opportun-
ity to define what further remedial
legislation is needed. Yet in my
judgment it will in the end be advis-
able in connection with the packing
house inspection law to provide for
putting a date on the label and for
charging the cost of inspection to the
packers.
Inheritance and Income Tax.
There are many kinds of taxes which
can only be levied by the general gov
eminent so as to produce the best re-
suits. because, among other reasons,
the attempt 10 impose them in one
particular state too often results mere
| ly in driving the corporation or indi-
vidual affected to some other locality
or other state. The national govern
ment has long derived it's chief reve-
nue. from tariff on imports and from
an internal or excise tax. In addition
to these there is every reason why,
when next our system of taxation is
revised, the national government
should impose graduated inheri-
lance tax, and, If possible, a gradual
ed income tax The man of great
wealth owes peculiar obligation to
the state because he derives special
advantages from the mere existence
of government Not only should he
leads his daily life and in the way he
earns and spends his money, but it
should also be recognized by the way
in which he pays for the protection
the state gives him.
Marriage and Divorce.
am we'll aware of how difficult it
is to pass constitutional amendment.
Nevertheless, in my judgment, the
whole question of marriage and di-
yorce should be relegated to the Ma
tional congress. At present the wide
difference in the laws of the different
states on this subject result in scan
dals and abuses; and surely there is
nothing so vitality essential to the well
fare of the nation, nothing around
which the nation should so bend itself
to throw every safeguard, as the home
life of the average citizen The change
would be good from every standpoint.
In particular 1t would be good be-
cause 1t would confer on congress the
power at once to deal radically and
efficiently with polygamy; and this
should be done whether or not mar
riage and divorce are dealt with. 1t
is neither safe nor proper to leave the
question of polygamy to be dealt with
by the several states. Power to deal
with it should be conferred on the
national government.
Naturalization of Japanese.
1 recommend to the congress that
an act be passed specifically providing
for' the naturalization of Japanese who
come here intending to become Amer
lean citizens. One of the great embar-
easements attending the performance
of our international obligations is the
/ fact that the statutes of the United
States are entirely inadequate. They
fail to give to the national govern
ment sufficiently ample power, through
United States courts and by the use
of the army and navy to protect aliens
in the rights secured to them under
solemn treaties, which are the law of
the land. / therefore earnestly re.
commend that the criminal and civil
statutes of the United States be so
amended and added to as to enable
the President, acting for the United