Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-12-11

10 shift for themselves. But proposals
FOR legislation such as this herein ad-
vocated are directly opposed to this
class of socialistic theories.
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
meut OF justice has been as prompt
to proceed against the wealthiest mai
efaetor whose crime was one of greed
and cunning as to proceed against the
agitator who incites to brutal vio-
lence.
lnjunetions.
Instances of abuse in the granting
o: injunctions in labor disputes con-
tinue to occur, and the resentment In
the minds of those who feel that their
rights are being invaded and their
liberty of action and of speech unwar-
rantIy restrained continues likewise to
grow. Much of the attack on the use
Of the process of injunction is wholly
without warrant; but the president ex.
presses the belief that for some Of it
there is warrant. This question is be-
coming more and more one OF prime
importance, and unless the courts will
themselves deal with it in effective
manner, it is certain ultimately to de
mand some form of legislative action.
Employers Liability.
+ The national government should be
a model employer. 1t should demand
the highest quality of service from
each of its employees and it should
care for all of them properly in re
turn. Congress should adopt legisla
ton providing limited but definite
compensation for accidents to ali
workmen within the scope of the fed
eral power, including employees Of
navy yards and arsenals. In Other
words, model employers liability
act, far-reaching and thoroughgoing
should be enacted which should apply
to all positions, public and private
over which the national government
has jurisdiction.
Congress should consider the extern
sion Of the eight-hour law. The con
stitutionality of the present law ha:
recently been called into question, anG
the supreme court has decided tina
the existing legislation is unquestion
ably within the powers of the con
gress. The principle of the eighthou
day should as rapidly and as far a.
practicable be extended to the entire
work carried on by the government.
i Industrial Disputes.
! For the i've years ending Decembe
81, 1906, the number of strikes wa
greater than those in any previous tel
years and was double the number il
the preceding five years. These fig
ures indicate the increasing need o
providing some machinery to dea
with this class Of disturbances in thu
interest alike Ut the employer, the
employee. and the general public. Con
gress should consider the matter o
creating the machinery for compulsor!
investigation of Industrial controver
sizes.
| A comprehensive measure should b.
adopted at this session of the congress
relating to the employment of womeI
and children in the District of Colum
bia and the territories. The nationa
government has an ultimate resor
for control of child labor the use o
interstate commerce clause to proven
the products of child labor. from enter
ing into interstate commerce. But be
fore using this it ought certainly K
enact model laws on the subject fol
the territories under its own immedi
ate control.
/ Farmers and Wage-Workers.
| Nothing is more needed than tbs
best type of industrial school, th'
schoo for mechanical industries in the
city, the school for practically teaching
agriculture In the country. The call
ing OF the skilled tiller of the soil, tht
calling of the skilled mechanic, SHOULD
Alike be recognized as professions
just as emphatically as the calling o.
lawyer, doctor, merchant, or clerk
The schools should recognize this fac
and it should equally be recognized il
popular opinion. The young man who
has the farsightedness and courage Il
recognize it and to get over the idea
that it makes a difference whether
what he earns is called salary OF
wages, and who refuses to enter the
crowded field of the so-called PROBES
sions, and takes to constructive indus
try instead, is reasonably sure of al
ample reward in earnings, in health
in opportunity to marry early, and tC
establish a home with fair amount
of freedom from worry. 1t should be
one of our prime objects to put both
the farmer and the mechanic on g
higher plane of efficiency and reward
so as to increase their effectiveness in
the economic world, and therefore the
dignity, the remuneration, and the
mower of their nosjtions in the social