Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-06-20

pIoyes.
Asserting that the trusts are laying
waste all the natural resources OF the
country, President Roosevelt, in TWO
speeches at the James
town Exposition, declared for federal
ownership Of all the coal, oil and ranch
lands which remain in possession or
the government.
Convinced, he said, that enormous
private fortunes are unJustly oyerrld-
ing the great mass Of the public, he
called upon Congress to impose radical
Income and Inheritance tax laws. In
addition he advocated federal child Ia
Dor laws and national statute max
Ing employers responsible TO their EN-
ployes for all accidents, no matter
whose the fault.
Finally, in what most of his hearers
construed to be the intimation OF his
belief that war with Japan is not re-
mote, the President urged that no pains
be spared to raise the efficiency of the
navy.
The President began with some typi-
cally Rooseveltian advice to the editors,
warning them that they must take care
to not attack the rich merely because
they are rich, nor the poor because they
are striving for their own interests.
Then he said:
The mineral fuels of the Eastern
United States have already passed into
the hands of large private owners, and
those Of the West are rapidly follow
Ing. This should not be, for such min
eral resources belong In peculiar de-
gree to the whole people. Under prl-
vate control there is much waste from
shortsighted methods of working, and
the complete utilization Is often sacri-
feed for a greater immediate profit
1.-The mineral fuels under our pres
ent conditions are as essential to our
prosperity as the forests will always
be. The difference is that the supply
is definitely limited, for coal does not
grow and trees do. 1t is obvious tnat
the mineral fuels should be governed,
not wasted, and that enough of them
should remain in the hands Of the gov
eminent to protect the people against
unjust or eXtortionate prices so far as
that can still be done.
Mr.. Roosevelt discussed the inability
of the railroads to care for the trans
portation of freight throughout the
country He advocated the complete
development Of all the inland water
ways for transportation purposes IN
competition with the railroads.
Would Tax Incomes.
Mr.. Roosevelt then spoke Of tax on
incomes. He said, in part:
In my judgment, however, the In
heritance tax Is both a far better meth
cd of taxation and far more important
for the purpose 1 have in yiew-the
purpose of having the swollen fortunes
Of the country bear in proportion to
their size a constantly increasing bur
den of taxation.
These fortunes exist solely because
Of the protection given the owners by
the public. They are constant source
of care and anxiety to the public and
it Is eminently just that they should be
forced to pay heavily for the protection
given them.
Il believe that the tax should con
tain the progressive principle. What
ever any individual receives, whether
by gift, bequest, or devise, In life OF
in death, should, after a certain amount
Is reached, be increasingly burdened.
1.-The rate of taxation should be in
creased in proportion to the remotenes:
of blood of the man receiving from the
man giving or devising.'
In his morning speech, after making
a plea for more and better schools, fol
a more rational and less literary sys
tenn of educating the masses with agri
cultural and industrial colleges to tax,
up the task Of enlightening the work
ers in the field of higher labor, the
speaker approached the subject Of chilt
and woman labor in the factories.
THE factory is very poor place in
deed for a child; indeed, personally
think the factory a poor place for {
woman-ce certainly for a married WON
an. or for an unmarried woman fo
more than very few years.
! THE nations most valuable asset Il
the children; for the children are tn,
nation of the future.
"All people alive to the nations neet
should join together to work for tn,
moral, spiritual and physical welfar,
Of the children In all parts of ou
land
1--WE need laws for the control o
vast corporations such as We're no
needed when the Individual fortune
were far smaller than at present, ant
when these fortunes were not combined
for business use.
Pay for Injured Workers..
Congress should adopt Legislation
providing limited but definite compen
sation for accidents to all workmel
within the scope of the federal power
including employees in navy yards an,
arsenals. Similar legislation shoult
follow throughout the states. The oil,
and inadequate remedy Of suit for neg
ligence would then gradually disap
pear.
.'As a corollary let me point out tn
extreme unwisdom Of the railway com
panies in fighting the constitutionalit
of the national employers liability law
No law is more emphatically needed
and 1t must be kept on the statut
books in drastic and thoroughgoin
form.
| Well Shaken.
i ssAnd ro11 naypr Cat SpaSinl, y, sal