Rock Island Argus., 1906-12-04

were In part responsible for the orig
inal outbreak. The one hope for sue
cess for our people lies in a resolute
and fearless but sane and cool headed
advance along the path marked out
last year by this very congress. There
must be a stern refusal to be misled
into following either that base creature
who appeals and panders to the low
est instincts and passions in order to
arouse one set of Americans against
their fellows or that other creature.
equally base. but no baser, who in a
spirit of greed or to accumulate or
add to an already huge fortune seeks
to exploit his fellow Americans with
callous disregard TO their welfare Of
soul and body. The man who de-
bauches others In order TO obtain a
high office stands on an evil equality
of corruption with the man who de-
bauches others for financial profit, and
when hatred is sown the crop which
springs up can only be evil.
Demasosue and Corruptionist.
The plain people who think-the me-
chanics, farmers, merchants, workers
with head or hand, the men to whom
American traditions are dear, who love
their country and try to act decently
by their neighbOrs-owe it to them
selves TO remember that the most
damaging blow that can be given popu-
lar government is to elect an unworthy
and sinister agitator on a platform of
violence and hypocrisy. Whenever
such an issue is raised in this country
nothing can be gained by flinching
from ii, for jim such case democracy is
itself on tridl, popular self government
under republican forms is itself on
trial The triumph of the mob is just
as evil thing as the triumph of the
plutOcracy, and to have escaped one
danger avails nothing whatever if we
succumb TO the other. In the end the
honest man, whether rich or poor. who
earns his own living and tries to deal
justly by his fellows, has as much to
fear from the insincere and unworthy
demagOgue. promising much and per-
forming nothing or else performing
nothing but evil, who would set on
the mob to plunder the rich. as from
the crafty cOrruptionist who for his
own ends would permit the common
people to be exploited by the very
wealthy. If we ever let this govern
ment fall into the hands of men of
either Of these two classes we shall
show ourselves false TO Americas past.
Moreover, the demagogue and the cor
ruptionist often work hand in hand
There are at this moment wealthy re-
actionaries of such obtuse morality
that they regard the public servant
who prosecutes them when they vio-
late the law or who seeks to make them
bear their proper share of the public
burdens as being even more objection
able than the violent agitator who /
hounds on the mob to plumber the rich.
There Is nothing to choose between
such a reactionary and such an agita-
tor. Fundamentally they are alike in
their selfish disregard of the rights of |
others, and it is natural that they
should join in opposition to any move
ment of which the aim is fearlessly TO
do exact and even justice to all.
Railroad Employees Hours and Eight |
Hour Law.
call your attention to the need of |
passing the bill limiting the member |
OF hours OF employment of railroad en-
ployees. The measure is a very mod |
crate one, and can conceive of no Sc
rious objection to it. Indeed, so far
as 1t Is in our power, 1t should be our
aim steadily to reduce the number of
hours of labor, with as a goal the gen.
eral introduction of an eight hour day.
There are Industries in which it is
not possible that the hours of labor |
should be reduced, just as there are
communities not far enough advanced |
for such a movement to be for their |
good or, il in the tropics, SO situated |
that there is no analogy between their !
needs and ours in this matter. On the |
isthmus of Panama, for instance, the |
conditions are in every way so differ |
ent from what they are here that an |
eight hour day would be absurd, just |
as it Is absurd, so far as the isthnus |
is concerned, where white labor can |
not be employed, to bother as to wheth- |
er the necessary work is done by alien !
black men or by alien yellow men. But |
the wageworkers of the United States |
are OF so high grade that alike from |
the merely Industrial standpoint and |
from the civic standpoint it should be |
our object to do what we can in the /
direction OF securing the general OBJ
servance of an eight hour day. Until |
recently the eight hour law on our
federal statute books has been very
scantily observed. Now, however,
largely through the instrumentaiity of
the bureau Of labor, it is being rigidly
enforced, and 1 shall speedily be able
to say whether or not there is need of
further legislation in reference there
to, for our purpose is to see it obeyed
in spirit no less than in letter. Half
holidays during summer should be es-
tablished for government employees.
1t is as desirable for wageworkers who
toll with their hands as for salaried
officials whose labor is mental that
fI,ara shot1Id ha q raasana hIa nrr,cI,rat |