West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-09-13

nave themselves been engaged In wars
since that court was organized. There
Is a perceptible growth In sentiment
In favor OF the settlement OF inter
national disputes by peaceful means
| confess that my aversion TO kill
Ing increases with the years. Surely
the Creator did not so plan the uni.
verse as to make the progress OF the
race dependent upon Wholesale blood
letting. prefer to believe that war.
instead OF being an agency for good.
Is rather an evidence OF mans sur
render to his passions and that one
OF the tests OF civilization is mans
Willingness TO submit his eontrover-
sies to the arbitrament OF reason
rather than force.
Improper Use OF Navy.
| venture 10 suggest that we may
not only promote peace but also ad-
vance our commercial interests by
announcing as n national policy that
our navy will not be used for the col.
lection of private debts.
Before leaving international politics
let mo add that our nation has lost
prestige rather than gained II by our
experiment In colonialism. We have
given the monarchists a chance to
ridicule our Declaration OF Independ.
ence and the scoffer has twitted us
with inconsistency. tour through
the Philippine islands has deepened
the conviction that we should lose no
time In announcing our purpose TO
deal with the Fillpinos as we dealt
with the Cubans.
In so far as our efforts have been
directed toward the education OF the
Filipinos we have rendered them n
distinct service. but I'm educating them
we must recognize that we are max
ing colonialism impossible.
In several OF the nations OF Europe
the legislative department OF govern.
ment Is more quickly responsive to
public sentiment than Is our congress-
In England, for instance, where the
ministry 10 formed from the dominant
party, when an election is held upon
any important issue the government
proceeds TO put into law the will OF
the people expressed at the polls
While our system IL superior In many
respects. IL has one defect, viz. that
congress does not meet I'm regular
session until l3 months after the cleo
tton. During this period there is un.
certainty, long-drawn out. which TO
the business community is often more
damaging than a change OF policy
promptly carried into effect
Congress Should Meet Earlier.
Would not the situation be i'm
proved by constitutional amendment
conYening the FIRST session OF congress
within few months after the elec.
tion and compelling the second SEES
ainn n "A inuFfa
the following election7
! return more convinced than be-
fore of the Importance OF n change in
the method OF electing United states
senator's. There is noticeable every
where distinct movement toward
democracy In its broadest sense. In
all the countries which have visited
there is a demand that the govern
ment be brought nearer to the people.
In the United States this trend to.
ward democracy has taken the form
OF a growing demand for the election
OF United States senators by direct
vote OF the people. | am within the
limits OF the truth when | say that
the senate has been for some years
the bulwark of predatory wealth. and
that IL even now contains 80 many
favor-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 a
two-thirds vote and more than two.
thirds OF the states have demanded
It. and yet the senate arrogantIy and
impudently blocks the way.
FaVors Income Tax.
The income tax. which some I'm our
country have denounced as a social.
istic attack upon wealth, has, / am
pleased to report, the Endorsement of
the most conservative countries I'm the
old world. II is a permanent part OF
the fiscal system OF most OF the coun-
tries OF Europe, and in many places
II Is a graded tax. the rate being high.
est upon the largest incomes England
has long depended upon the income
tax for considerable part OF her
revenues and an English commission
is now invests ting the proposition
To change from uniform TO a 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 80 convinced OF the
justice OF the income tax that / 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 I'm proper.
tion to their ability to bear ta1m.
have referred 10 the investigation
Of international controversies under a
system which does not bind the par.
Nes 70 accept the findings OF the court
OF inquiry. This plan can be used in
disputes between labor and capital
In advocating arbitration between
large corporate employers and their
employees I believe we are defending
the highest interest OF the three par.
ties to these disputes. viz, the ON.
ployers. the employees and the public
Word for Wsge-Esrner.
The employe cannot be turned over
| TO the employer to be dealt with aa
the employer may please. The quss
| ton sometimes asked. Can 7 not
conduct my business to suit myself?'
| is a plausible one. but when a man in
conducting his business attempts "a
| arbitrarily fix the conditions under
which hundreds Of employees are to
live and 90 determine the future OF
thousands of human beings answer
without hesitation that he has no
right TO conduct his own business In
such way as 10 deprive his en-
ployes Of their right TO life. liberty
and the pursuit of happiness
But N " Is unNise 10 make the EN-
/ pioyer the sole custodian OF the rights
and interests Of the employees II II
equally unwise 10 give 20 the en-
ployes uncontrolled authority over
the rights and interests Of the EN-