The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-12-04

OH satisfactory basis II one Of tho most
Important and one Of tho most delicate
tnsks before our whole civilization. Much
Of The work for the accomplishment Of
thls end must be done by the individuals
IconcerDed themselves, whether slngly oF
In combination, and the one fundamen.
tai fact that must never be lost rack
of Il that the character OF the average
man whether he be n man who works
with his hands, Ii the most important
factor In soiying the problem Alright
hut II Il almost equally important TO
remember that without good laws II ~
also impossible TO reach the proper solu.
tion. II IL idle TO hold that without
good laws evils such "a child labor, ~
thu over working OF women, a. the fall.
| ure TO protect employees from loss Of
HE or limb. cnn be effectively reached,
any more than the evils Of rebates and
stock watering can be reached without
good laws. To fall 10 stop these
practices By legislation means to force
honest men Into them. because other
wise the dishonest who surely will take
advantage OF them will have everything
their own way, II the States will tor-
rect these evils well and good; but the
Nation must stand ready 10 aid them
No question growing out Of our rapid
and complex industrial development ID
more Important than that Of the eni.
ployment ~ women and children. The
presence Of wome, Ia industry reacts
with extreme directness upon the char.
actef Of the home and upon family life
and the conditions surrounding the EN-.
ployment Of children bear vital rela'
tiou TO our future citizenship. Our legis
laiion In those areas under the control
OF the Congress II very much behind the
legislation of our more progressive
States. Aethorough and comprehensive
measure should be adopted ut this ses.
sion Of the Congress relating 10 the EN-
ploymcnt OF women and children Ia the
District Of Columbia and the Territories
The investigation into the condition OF
women and childNn wage.earners re.
Gently authorized and directed by the
Congress Is now being carried on In the
various States. and recommend that
the appropriation made last year for be,
ginning this work be renewed. In order
that We may have the thorough and
comprehensive investigation which the
subject demands. The National Govern
ment has a. an ultimate iesort for con,
troll OF child labor the use Of the inter.
state commerce clause to prevent the
products OF child labor from entering
into interstate commerce. But before
nsing this II ought certainly 10 enact
model laws on the subject for the Ter
lftories under its own immediate control
There IA one fundamental proposition
which can be laid down as regards all
these matters. namely: While honesty
by itself will not solve the problem, yct
the insistenee upon honesty--not merely
technical honesty, but honesty in pur.
pose and Spirits an essential element
In arriving at right conclusion. Vice
In It's crIder and more archaic forms
shocks everybody; but there IL very
urgent need that public opinion should
be just ~ severe In condemnation Of the
vice which hides itself behind class oil
professional loyalty. or which denie.
that II ID Vice II II can escape conviction
IN the courts. The public and the repre-.
sentatives OF the public, the high oifi.
cials, whether on the bench or In cxecu.
five or legislative positions, need to re.
member that often the most dangerous
criminals, 30 far as the life OF the Ma.
tion Is concerned. afe not those who
commit the crimes known TO and con.
dcmned by the popular conscience for
centuries, but those who commit crimes
only rendered possible BY the complex
conditions OF our modern Industrial life
II makes not u particle OF difference
lwhethcr these crimes are committed by
u capitalist or by laboreE BY a lead.
Ing banker or manufacturer or railroad
man, or by leading representative OF
labor union. Swindling in stocks, cor.
rupting legislatures, making fortunes by
the imitation OF securities, BY wrecking
railroads by destroying competitors
through rebates--these forms of wrong.
doing in the capitalist, are far more in.
famous than any ordinary form OF EN-.
bezzelement or forgery; yet it is a mat.
ter OF extreme difficulty to secure the
punishment Of the man most guilty OF
them. most responsible for them. The
business man who condones such conduct
stands on level with the labor man
who deliberately supports corrupt de,
magogue and agitator, whether head oil
d union or head Of some municipality
because he Is said to have "stood by the
union.' The members OF the business
community the educators, or clergy.
men. who condone and encourage the
first kind OF wrongdoing are no more
dangerous to the community. but are
morally even worse, than the labor men
who are guilty OF the second type OF
wrongdoing, because less Ii to be par.
doned those who have no such excuse
as Is furnished either by ignorance oil
by dire need.
Inland Waterways.
The conservation of our natural re,
! sources and their proper use constitute
the fundamental problem which under,
lies almost every other problem Of our
National life We must maintain for
our civilization the adequate material
basis without which that civilization
cannot exist. We must show foresight
we must look ahead. As a nation we
not only enjoy a wonderful measure OF
present prosperity but II this prosperity
Is used Alright 1t Is an earnest of future
success such as no other nation win
have. The reward OF foresight for this
Nation is great and easily foretoli. But