The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-12-08
THE QUESTION OF THE HOUR.


himself.
THE QUESTION OF THE HOUR.
A person who is actuated by a
sincere and heartfelt desire to do
good in this world, has an abund-
ance of opportunity, in this day
and generation, to work along lines
that will be productive of great and
good results. One thing is certain,
genuine Christian philanthrophist,
will not exhaust his spiritual re-
sources, in wrangling over the ques-
ton, whether the saloons shall close
at II o'clock or at twelve. He has
imbibed so much of the spirit of the
humble Gallilean that he loves all
men-deals justly, loves mercy, and
walks humbly before God and man,
1t is only once in a while that the
Great Creator favors a community
by the presence of such an indi-
vidual. We do not recall having
had in Duluth but just one such
man, DR.. Salter of happy memory.
We have any quantity of would-be
satellites, that move in the orbit of
fanaticism, but, have not scarcely
conception of the true spirit of
the cause to which they profess al
leglance. Gentlemen, let you and
the Labor World reason together for
moment. Look at the present,
political, economic and social con-
ditions. What an immense field for
work each department opens to the
view. Present conditions make It
almost impossible for rich man
to keep from growing richer, and
make it also next to impossible for
the poor man to rise out of his
poverty. The one cannot stop on
tne road to wealth and the other
cannot start. You know the de-
sirable condition is between the two
extremes. Too much wealth makes
people luxurious, voluptuous and
lmDec1le. 1t leads to decay, national.
individual, intellectual, moral and
physical. when wealth is at it's
zenith, decay is at the door," On
the other hand the records Of orr
courts show that ninety per cent
OF the crimes committed are
chargeable directly to poverty. All
This being true, ought we not to
engage every effort of which we
are capable in the direction of re-
moving the causes that produce such
m1sch1evous results. It is no use
to quarrel with effects. We must
olrect our attention to the removal
Oh the causes. And first of all we
must be just, personally ourselves.
and insist that those who renresan+
US IN the halls of legislature shall
enact such laws as justice demands.
Now, let us briefly enumerate
few of these:
ISL. An income and Inheritance
tax which will curb the accumu]a-
tlon OF such vast fortunes, as are
touay a menace to the welfare Of
our people. There is no use talk
lng' Industrial laws, which hermit
nocAeleller, Carnegie, Morgan, Field
ana others to become Godlesslv
rlch, while the thousands who foil
ed for them for years, in mine and
warehouse and factory and sales
room' are too poor to lay by a dol
lar Tor old age, can never be called
just.
End. Work for a revision Of
tnose unjust tariff laws, under
which the great trusts that now
enoanger our nation have been
reared. Let the burden of national
expenses be put more upon the
wealthy and less upon the Door.
thus curling millionaire extrava-
gance' and the perpetuating of the
degenerate and profligate counts Of
Europe at the expense of American
labor.
3rd. Work for the initiative and
referendum that this government
may be in fact, as we'll as in name
government of the people, by the
people and for the people.
4th. There are manv othor
questions that demand advocacy
and agitation which space forb3ds
us to mention At the risk Of he-
ing too prolix, let us call vour at-
tentlon to 1, Postal Savings Rank.
y Inc protection or the poor mans
children from the greed of the
capitalist; 3, Eight hours for 9
days labor; 4, Municipal owner
snip of public utilities. These and
many other questions that arc r.
day calling for decisive action oro
infinitely of greater consequences
ana more pregnant with rosn,+a =.
the American people, and - ~