Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-12-10

the income tax because one scheme for an
income tax was declared unconstitutional by
the supreme court; while in addition 1t Is
a difficult tax to administer in its practi-
cal working and great care would have to
be exercised to see that it was not evaded
by the very men whom 1t was most desira-
Bile to have taxed, for If so evaded 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 as
compared with the dishonest man. New
ertheless graduated income tax of the
proper type would be desirable feature of
federal taxation, and 1t Is to be hoped that
one may be devised which the supreme
court will declare constitutional. The in
heritance tax, however, is both a far bet
ter method of taxation. and far more i'm
portant for the purpose of having the for
tunes of the country bear in proportion to
their increase in size a corresponding in
crease and burden of taxation. The gov
eminent has the absolute right to decide
as to the terms upon which man shall re-
ceive a bequest or devise from another,
and this point in the deyolution of proper
ty is especially appropriate for the imposi-
ton Of a tax.
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-
partment of justice during the last few
years has been such as to make 1t evident
that no man stands above the law, that
no corporation Is so wealthy that 1t can
not be hold to account. The two great evils
in the execution of our criminal laws to-
day are sentimentality and technicality,
Both of these evils must be removed or
public discomfort with the criminal law
will continue.
Injunctions.
Instances of abuse in the granting of in
functions in labor disputes continue to oc-
cur, and the resentment In the minds OF
those who feel that their rights are being
invaded and their liberty of action and of
speech unwarrantaby restrained continues
likewise to grow. Much OF the attack on
the use of the process of injunction is Who'll
ly 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 it in effective manner, it is certain
ultimately to demand some form of legis-
lative action. / refrain from discussion of
this question as l am informed that 1t will
soon receive the consideration of the SUI
preme court.
Employers Liability.
The national government should be a
model employer. 1t should demand the
highest quality of service from each of its
employees and ii should care for all of them
properly in return. Congress should adopt
legislation providing limited but definite
compensation for accidents to all workmen
within the scope of the federal power, in
Guiding employees of navy yards and ar
senals. In other words, model employ
ers liability act, far-reaching and thor
oughgOing, should be enacted which should
apply TO all positions public and private,
over which the national government has
jurisdiction.
Industrial Disputes.
Strikes and lockouts, with their attend
ant loss and suffering, continue to increase.
For the i've years ending December 81,
1908, the number of strikes was greater
than those in any previous ten years and
was double the number in the preceding
five years. These figures indicate the in
creasing reed of providing some machinery
to deal with this class of disturbances in
the interest alike of the employer, the en-
ploye and the general public. renew my
previous recommendation that the Con-
gress favoraby consider the matter of Gre
ating the machinery for compulsory inves-
tigation of such industrial controversies as
are of sufficient magnitude ana OF sufficient
concern to the people of the country as a
whole to warrant the federal government
in taking action.
CAPITAL and Labor.
1t is certain that for some time to come
there will be a constant Increase absolutely.
and perhaps relatively, of those among our
some size and who work for wages. This
means that there will be an ever-increasing
need to consider the problems inSeparable
from a great Industrial civilization. Where
an immense and complex business, especial
In in those branches relating to manufac-
ture and transportation, is transacted by a
large number of capitalists who employ a
very much larger number of wage earnerS.
the former tend more and more to COM
bine into corporations and the latter into
unions. The relations of the capitalist and
wage-worker to one another, and of each To
the general public. are not always easy 10
adjust and TO put them and keep them on
a satisfactory basis is one of the most i'm
portant and one of the most delicate tasks
before our whole civilization. IL is idle TO
hold that without good laws evils such as
as the failure to protect employees from loss
of life or limb. can be effectively reached.
any more than the evils of rebates and
stock watering can be reached without eood
laws To fail To stop these practices by
legislation means to force honest men into
them. because otherwise the dishonest who
surely will take advantage OF them Will
have everything their own way. III the
States will correct 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 is more Inn
portant than that of the employment OF
women aud children. The presence Of woua-
ea in industry reacts With extreme direct
ness upon the character Of the hNme and
upon family life. and the conditions sur
vital relation 70 our future citizenship.
Farmers and Wage Workers.
The two citizens whose welfare is in the
aggregate most vital 10 the welfare OF the
nation. and therefore to the welfare OF all
other citizens. are the wage~worker who
does manual labor and the riiier Of the soil.
the farmer. The calling of TIE skilled
tilier of the soil. the calling OF the skilled
mechanic. should alike be recognized as PRO
LESSONS. just emphaticaiIy the cali
inzS Of lawyer. doctor. merchant. or clerk.
The schools should recognize this fact and
IL should equally he recognized in popular
opinion. II should be one of our prime
objects 10 put both the farmer and the me-
chanic on a higher plane Of efficiency and
reward. 50 as 10 increase their effectiveness
10 tie econ0faie world and therefore the
dignity. the ton. and the power
Of their pos ions in the social world
Ne growth Of cities. no growth of wealth.
can make - for any loss In either the
number o. s1e character OF the farming
popnEation- We Of the United States should
realize this bove almost all other peoples
Ne begau 4 = existence as q nation OF
farmers. ar In every great CRISIS OF the
past a pecC ar dependence has had 70 be
placed upo2 the farming population and
this depend &c has hitherto been justified
But Il can -1t BE justified In the future Ii