The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-12-05

ure which is to be heartily commend
ed. The progressive principle is so
applied that each higher rate is i'm
posed only on the excess above the
amount subject to the next lower rate;
SO that each increase Of rate will APP
ply only to a certain amount above a
certain maximum. The tax should
| If possible be made to bear more heav-
lily upon those residing without the
country than within it. A heavy pro-
gressiye tax upon a very large fortune
is in no way such tax upon thrift
or industry as a like tax would be on
small fortune No advantage comes
either to the country as a whole or
to the individuals inheriting the
money by permitting the transmission
in their entirety of the enormous for
tunes which would be affected by such
a tax; and as an incident to its func-
ton Of revenue raising, such tax
would help to preserve a measurable
equality of opportunity for the people
of the generations growing to man
hood. We have not the slightest SYM
pathy with that socialistic idea which
would try to put laziness, thriftless-
ness and inefliciency on par with
industry, thrift and efficiency; which
would strive to break up not merely
private property, but what is far more
important, the home. the chief prop
upon which our whole civilization
stands. Such theory, if ever adopt.
ed, would mean the ruin of the entire
country--a ruin which would bear
heaviest upon the weakest, upon those
least able to shift for themselves. But
proposals for legislation such as this
herein advocated are directly opposed
to this class of socialistic theories.
Our aim is to recognize what Lincoln
pointed out: The fact that there are
some respects in which men are obvi.
ously not equal; but also to insist that
there should be an equality of self
respect and of mutual respect an
equality of rights before the law, and
at least an approximate equality in
the conditions under which each man
obtains the chance to show the stuff
that is in him when compared to his
fellows.
Enforcement of the Law.
"A few years ago there was loud
complaint that the law could not be
invoked against wealthy offenders.
There is no such complaint now. The
course of the Department of Justice
during the last few years has been
such as to make it evident that no
man stands above the law, that no
corporation is so wealthy that it can
not be held to account, The Depart
ment of Justice has been as prompt
to proceed against the wealthiest male
factor whose crime was one of greed
and cunning as to proceed against the
agitator who incites to brutal violence.
Everything that can be done under the
existing law, and with the existing
state of public opinion, which so pro-
foundly influences both the courts and
juries, has been DONE, But the laws
themselves need Strengthening in
more than one important point; they
should be made more definite, so that
no honest man can be led unwittingly
to break them, and so that the real
wrongdoer can be readily punished.
Moreover, there must be the public
opinion back of the laws or the laws
themselves will be OF mo avail. At
present, while the average juryman un-
doubtedly wishes to see trusts broken
up, and is quite ready to fine the cor
poration itself, he is very reluctant to
find the facts proven beyond a reason.
able doubt when it comes to sending to
Jail member of the business commun-
ity for INDUCING in practices which
are profoundly unhealthy, but which,
unfortunately, the business community
has grown to recognize as well.nigh
normal. Both the present condition
of the law and the present temper OF
| juries render it task of extreme diff.
Guilty to get at the real wrongdoer in
any such case, especially by imprison.
ment. Yet it is from every standpoint
far preferable to punish the prime Of
fender by imprisonment rather than
to fine the corporation, with the at
tendant damage to stockholders. $3.50
"The two great evils in the execu-
ton of our criminal laws today are
sentimentality and technically. For
the latter the remedy must come from
the hands of the legislatures, the
courts, and the lawyers. The other
must depend for its cure upon the
gradual growth of sound public opin
ion which shall insist that regard for
1.-THE demands of reason shall control all
| other influences and emotions in the
jury box. Both of these evils must
be removed or public discomfort with
the criminal law will continue.
Inland Waterways.
'The conservation Of our natural re-
sources and their proper use constr
tute the fundamental problem which
underlies almost every other problem
of our National life. We must main
tain for our civilization the adequate
material basis without which that civ
ilization can not exist, We must show
foresight, we must look ahead. For
the last few years. through several
agencies, the Government has been
endeavoring to get our people to look
| ahead and to substitute a planned and