The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-12-11

Interstate commerce Is merely a pro
pOsal % carry out TO the letter one o
the prime purposes. If not the prim
purpose. for which the constitution
was founded. II does not represen
Capitalization
believe that the more farsightet
corporations are themselves coming I,
? recognize the unwisdOm Of the violent
hostility they have displayed during
the last few years to regulation and
control by the national government Of
combinations engaged in interstate bust
ness.
Labor.
There are many matters affecting Ia.
Dor and the status Of the wageworker
to which | should like to draw your
attention. As far as possible l hope
to see a frank recognition of the adj
vantages conferred by machinery. or
ganization and division of labor, ac-
companied by an effort to bring about
a larger share in the ownership by
wageworker Of railway, mill and fac
tory. In farming this simply means
that we wish TO see the farmer own his
own land We do not wish to see the
farms so large that they become the
property of absentee landlords who
farm them by tenants nor yet so small
that the farmer becomes like a Euro
pean peasant
The depositors in our savings banks
now number over one-tenth Of our en-
tire population. These are all capital
1 lists who through the savings banks
! loan their money to the workers-that
/ Is, IN many cases to themselveS-tO
carry on their various industries,
! Postal savings banks WIN make it easy
for the poorest to keep their savings
In absolute safety. The regulation Of
the national highways must be such
that they shall serve all people with
equal justice. Corporate finances must
be supervised so as to make 1t far
safer than at present for the man of
small means to invest his money In
stocks. There must be prohibition Of
child labor, dininution of woman Ia
Dor, shortening of hours of all me-
(hubIC al 1dDOlP ClOCh SnOuiu
be prohibited, and stock gambling, so
far as is possible, discouraged. There
should be a progressive inheritance
tax on large fortunes. Industrial edu-
cation should be encouraged.
Protection For Waeeworkers.
There is one matter with which the
congress should deal at this session |
There should no longer be any palter- |
ing with the question Of taking care |
of the waCeworkers who, under our |
present industrial system, become kill |
ed, crippled or worn out as part Of the
regular incidents of a given business.
The object sought for could be achiev-
ed to a measurable degree, as far as
those killed or crippled are concerned,
by proper employers liability laws.
As far as concerns those who have
been worn out, l call your attention to
the fact that definite steps toward pro
viding old age pensions have been
taken in many of our private indus
tries,
Pending a thoroughgoing investiga-
don and action there Is certain legis-
lation which should be enacted at
once. The law passed at the last SEES
ZION of the congress granting com s
1ensattOn to certain classes Of en- I
oloyees Of the government should be |
to include all employees Of {
he government and should be made \
more liberal in its terms In this re- /
pect the generosity of the United
'tates toward its employees compares
most unfavorably with that Of every j,
ountry I'm EurOpe-even the poorest.
The terms of the act are also a 4
ardship III prohibiting payment in :
ases where the accident is in any :
ray due to the negligence Of the en- =
loyee. 1t is inevitable that daily IA :.
liliarity with danger will lead men to :,
Ike chances that can be construed =
ITO negligence h
renew my recommendation made n
! a previous message that half holi-
avs be granted during the summer to 9,
4 wageworkers in government err q,
10y.
lat the principle Of the eight hour u;
~ should as rapidly and as far as Ell
be extended to the entire d.
ork being carried on by the govern m
ent. m
The Courts. ca
! most earnestly urge upon the con- OF
'ess the duty of increasing the totally pr
adequate salaries now given to our tn
dges. On the whole, there is no
,dy Of public servants who do as n
lluable work nor whose moneyed u
ward Is so inadequate compared to "
eir work. Beginning with the su- IN
'eme court, the judges should have Oh
eir salaries doubled. d.
It is earnestly to be desired that -
me method should be devised for do =.
e away with the long delays which -
w obtain In the administration of =.
stice and which operate with pecul. be
r severity against persons Of small 10