Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-12-12

rne protective system and any enc.t "a
uproot 1t could not but cause widespread in
dustrial disaster. In other words the prin-
ciple OF the present tariff law could not with
wisdom be changed. But In country OF
such phenomenal growth as ours II Is prob
ably well that every dozen years or so the
tariff laws should be careflly scrutinized go
as to see that no excessive or improper
benefits conferred thereby, that proper
| revenue Is provided and that our foreign
trade is encouraged There must always be
| as minimum "A tariff which will not only
allow for the collection Of am ample revenue
but which will at least make good the diff
ference In cost Of production here and
| abroad; that is, the difference in the labor
cost here and abroad. for the wei! being
OF the wage worker must ever be u cardinal
point CT American policy The question
| should be approached purely from a bus-
ness standpoint; both the time and the
manner Of the change being such as to
arouse the minimum OF agitation and dis
turbance in the business world and to give
the least play for selfish and fac
tiona motives. The sole consderati tt on
OF changes represents the public good.
This means that the subject cannot with
wisdom be dealt with in the year preceding
Presidential election. because as a matter
OF fact experience has concusively shown
that at such a time 1t is impossible to get
men to treat 1t from the standpoint Of the
public good. In my judgment the wise time
to deal with the matter is Immediately after
such election.
INCOME AND INHERITANCE TAX.
When our tax laws are revised the question
of an income tax and an inheritance tax
should receive the careful attention Of our
legislators. In my judgment both of these
taxes should be part Of our system OF Fed
eral taxation. I speak dnidently about the
income tax because one scheme for an In
come tax was declared unconstitutional by
the Supreme Court: while in addition 1t is
a difficult tax to administer in It's practical
working. and great care would have to be
exercised to see that 1t not evaded by
the very men whom 1t was most desirable to
have taxed. for II evadedNit 1t would. of
course, be worse than no tax at all; as the
least desirable of all taxes Is the tax which
bears heavily upon the honest com
pared with the dishonest man. Neverthe-
less. a graduated income tax OF the proper
type would be desirable feature of Federal
taxation, and it Is to be hoped that one may
be devised which the Supreme Court will
declare constitutional. The inheritance tax,
however, Is both a far better method OF tax
alton and far more important for the pur-
pose of having the fortunes of the country
bear In proportion to their increase in size
a corresponding increase and burden of tax
alton The Government has the absolute
right to decide to the terms upon which
a man shall receive bequest or devise from
another. and this point in the devolution OF
property is especially appropriate for the
imposition of a tax. Laws imposing such
taxes have repeatedly been placed upon the
National statute books and repeatedly
declared constitutional by the courts; and
these laws contained the progressive princi
pie, that is, after certain amount Is
reached the bequest gift, in life death,
is increasingly burdened and the rate of
taxation is increased in proportion to the
remoteness Of blood of the man receiving
the bequest.
ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW
few years ago there was loud com
plant that the law could not be invoked
against wealthy offenders. There is no such
complaint now. The course Of the De-
years has been such as to make 1t evident
that no man stands above the law. that
corporation is so wealthy that It cannot
Justice has been as prompt to proceed
against the wealthiest malefactor whose
crime was one OF greed and cunning to
to brutal violence. Everything that can be
done under the existing law, and with the
existing state of public opinion. which so
profoundly influences both the courts and
Juries. has been done. But the laws them
selves need strengthening in more than one
important point; they should be made more
definite that no honest man can be
led unwittingly to break them, and so that
the real wrongdoer can be readily punished.
INJUNCTIONS.
Instances Of abuse in the granting Of in
functions in labor disputes continue to oc-
cur. and the resentmen: in the minds of
those who feel that their rights being
invaded and their liberty of action and of
speech unwarrantably restrained continues
likewise to grow. Much of the attack or
the use of the process of injunction is wholly
without warrant: but am constrained to
express the belief that for some of it there
Is warrant. This question is becoming
more and more one of prime Importance,
and unless the courts will themselves deal
with 1t in effective manner. 1t is certain |
to demand some form OF legs- !
ative action. 1t would be most unfortun- |
ate for social welfare II should |
permit many honest and law-abiding citi- |
fAnl haJ fnr
courts with hostility. l |
commend to the attention of the |
Congress this matter. so that some way
nay be devised which will limit the abuse |
# injunctions and protect those rights which |
rom time to time 1t unwarrantably invade,.
Ioreover discomfort is often expressed with |
he use OF the process of injunction by tn"
,ourts, not only in labor disputes, but where
tate laws concerned. l refrain from
discussion of this question as I am informed
hat it will soon receive the consideration
II the Supreme Court.
QUESTIONS AFFECTING LABOR.
The National Government should be a
highest quality of service from each Of its
mployes and it should care for all Of
hem properly in return. Congress should
dopt legislation providing limited but def
lite compensation for accidents to all work
nen within the scope of the Federal powen
including employees of navy-yards and
rsenals. In other words. model em-
liability y,osd G and
l
hould apply to all positions. public and
rivate, over which the National Govern
tent has Jurisdiction. The number Of acct
ents to .wage-workers. including those that
re preventable and those that not, has
ecome appalling in tho mechanical. manu-
acturing, and transportation operations of | ,
ne day. 1t works grim hardship to the |
'dinary wage-worker and his family to have
pom him; and. on the other hand. there
re whole classes OF attorneys who exist
My by melting men who may or may not |
ave been wronged to undertake suits for | {
az ligence,
AS a mattet of fact a suit for negligence i
generally an inadequate remedy for the {
.rson injured. while 1t often causes alto (
ether disproportionate annoyance to the I
at the payment for accidents by the EN- i
oyer would be automatic instead of being II
matter for lawsuits. Workmen should | .
ceive certain and definite compensation !,
'gligence. The employer is the agent of =
e public and his responsibility | '
I'd for his own profit he the public. | /
hen he starts in motion agencies which | y
cate risks for others. he should take all
e ordinary and extraordinary risks in :.
lived; and the risk he thus at the moment :
sumes will ultimately be assumed as .
ought to be. by the general public Only :,
this way can the shock of the accident "
diffused, instead of falling upon the m"n "
woman least able to bear It, is now the v
Sc. The community at large should share ,
e burdens well the benefits of in y
stry. BY the proposed law. employers T.
,uld gain a desirable certainty of obll- ~
tion and get rid of litigation to deter - !,
ne 1t. while the workman and his fam =.
would be relieved from a crushing load. "
it'll such a policy would come increased VI
re. and accidents would - reduced in a.
mber. -