Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-12-07

VI production ana assess 1t proporuonately
upon the consumers of his commodity. The
law should place the entire risk upon the
employer. The President does not think the
FEDERAL or state laws are sufficiently
thorough going.
Investigation of Disputes Between Cap
ital and Labor
The President urges q law providing for
Inc machinery for what may be called the
compulsory investigation OF controversies
between employers and employees when they
arise. The President thinks il unjust to al
low either employers or employees to be left
completely at the mercy of the stronger
party TO the dispute. Strikes which affect
the public welfare and comfort should not
De allowed to continue He urges cautious
Ieglsiation, but thinks the step proposed
can be safely taken as ii would not bind
the parties in legal fashion but would give Il
chance for public opinion to crystaltze ana
thus exert its full force for the right.
Withdrawal of Coal Lands.
The President says it is not wise for the
government to ALLEVIATE its remaining coal
lands. lie suggests legislation which would
provide for the withdrawal of these lands
from sale or entry, save i'll certain special
circumstances. He thinks the government
could permit them to be worked on a roy
atty and control them SO that excessive
prices could not be charged consumers. The
control of common carriers so that they
would not favor one competitor at the ex-
pense of another must also be provided for
III the bill
Corporations.
The corporation laws-railroad rate law,
the pure food law and the packing house
regulations-shoud not be touched this ses-
sion, according to the President They
should be given an opportunity to show
their merits and shortcomings. He suggests,
however, that a law be passed providing for
the putting of a date on the label of pack
ing house products and the charging OF the
cost Of inspection to the packers
Al r1 fjar law haT-n iuSff fiaH
their enactment. The President points out
that in the face of predictions that the in
terState commerce law would ruin the rail
roads, the last five months showed increased
earnings and unusual dividends and that
the mere taking effect of the law had pro-
duced an unprecedented number of yolun-
tary reductions in freight and fare rates
Ine President fayOrS the passage In the
near future of legislation giving the ma
tlonal government control of corporations
doing Interstate business. national IL
cenSe law would prevent the evils of over
capitalization and put a stop to the Sc
curing of inordlnate profits by favored in
diYiduals at the expense whether of the
general public, the stockholders or the
wage workers. lie does wish so much to
prevent consolidation but to supervise and
control so that no harm is done to the
people. The best way 10 avert the very
undesirable move for government owner
ship Of railroads is to secure by the gov
eminent on behalf of the people as a whole
such adequate control and regulation of
the great Interstate common carriers as
will do away with the evils which give
rise to the agitation against them. The
effort to prohibit all combination, good or
bad, Is noxious where 1t is not effective.
Combinations of capital like combinations
of labor, is a necessary element of our
present industrial system. What Is need
ed Is control of the combinations. 1t is I'M
fortunate that our present laws should
forbid all combinations, instead of sharply
discriminating between the good and bad.
Often railroads would like to combine for
the purpose of preventing big shipper
Qike the Standard Oil company from
maintaining improper advantage at the ex-
penSe of small shippers and the gen
eral public. Such combination should be
favored not prohibited. 1t is a public evil
to have law on the statute books fncapa-
BILE of full enforcement The President
suggests that after careful Investigation
that Congress should amend the law so as
to Gbvate the evils disclosed.
Inheritance and Income Tax.
A graduated inheritance and income tax
is recommended The President says Il man
of great wealth owes peculiar obligation
to the state, because he derives special adj
yantages from the mere existence of gov
eminent and should pay for the protection
he receives. He advocates distributing the
burden of taxation more equally than it Is
at present. Treat the rich and poor on q
basis of equality. The President wishes to
encourage thrift and urges that the income
tax be made very small on moderate
amounts of property left and make it much
heavier when the gift goes to some remote
of kin He would increase the burden on
the inheritance Of those swollen fortunes
which are of no benefit to this country to
perpetuate. He urges gradual progress to-
ward an inheritance tax.
The President wants an income tax and
saws every effort should be made to enact
one without amending the constitution, but
if this fails he fayors a constitutional
amendment.
Technical and Industrial Training.
The establishment of technical and in
duStrial schools to encourage the fullest de-
yelopment of scholars in both commercial
trict of Columbia. The President wants the
District to be Il model for the states to fol
low He strenuously combats the training of
boys and girls in purely literary accomplish
ments and urges teaching of trades in the
public schools.
Agriculture.
The President makes a plea for the farm
er, whose welfare he says is vital to the
whole country. He urges provision for the
education of the farmer. He tells of the
good work of the agricultural department
and commends the formation of oranges in
many parts of the country.
Irrigation and Forest Preservation.
No government policy for the betterment
of our internal conditions has been more
fruitful of good than the development of
the national policy of irrigation and forest
preservation. He urges that the forests of
the White Mountains and Southern Appala-
oman regions De preserved.
Memorial at Arlington.
He calls attention of Congress to the re-
quest for an appropriation for memorial
at Arlington for the proper
observance Of Memorial day favored by the
G. A. r.
Marriage and Divorce.
The President thinks the whole question
of marriage and divorce should be regulated
by the national government. Such condi-
ton would make 1t possible to deal with
polygamy. He points out that in some
regions the death rate greatly exceeds the
birth rate and says that wilful sterility is n
sin for which there is no atonement and
means the nations death. He says no man
or woman can shirk the primary duties of
life and retain his or her selfrespect The
President advocates constitutional amend
ment giving the federal government control
of marriage and divorce.
American Shipping.
A law for the development of American
shipping is needed He admits that the law
would benefit primarily our seaboard states
but he says that what benefits part of our
people in the end benefits all. He says that
in case it is impractical TO encourage ship
ping generally, then at least provision
should be made for better communication
with South America. He saws it is discred-
liable to us that cur business people, for
lack of lines of steamers to South America
should be at Il disadvantage compared with
Europe in dealing with our great sister con-
tinent
Currency Reform.
The President points out that the cur
lation and submits the plan of the secretary
of the treasury as possible solution. Ma
tional banks should be permitted to issue
specified proportion of their capitaI in notes
of a given kind, the issue to be taxed at so
high rate as to drive the notes back when
not wanted in legitimate trade The plan