Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-12-10

fort, or Pc maps n would Be more
ACCURATE TO say IN steady efforts
N many different directions. to bring
about condition OF AFFAIRS under which
the men who work with hand or with
brain, the laborers. the superintendent.
the men who produce the market and the
men who nnd market for the ARTICLES
prodaced, shall own q far greater share
than At present Of the wealth they pro-
duce, and be enabled to invest Il In the
tools and instruments by which all work
10 carried on. As far ~ roasible4I hope
to see frank recognition OF the advan-
tagea conferred by machinery organlxa-
tion and division Of labor. accompanied
By an effort to bring about q larger share
In the ownership by wage-worker Of rail-
way mill and factory.
Postal Savings banks will make II
easy for the poorest to keep their saw
ings 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 itfar safer
than at present for the man OF small
means to invest his money In stocks.
There must be prohibition OF child la
bor, I. minution Of women labor short
ening Of hours OF all mechanical labor;
stock watering should be prohibited,
and stock gambling so far as is possi-
BILE dis outraged. There should be .
progressive Inheritance tax on large
fortunes. Industrial education should
be encouraged AS far as possible we
should tighten the burden Of taxation
on the small man. We should put
premium upon thrift hard work. and
business energy; but these qualities
cease to be the main factors In accu-
mulating q fortune long before that
fortune reaches point where II would
be seriously affected by any inheri-
tance tax such as ] propose. II Is emil
nently right that the nation should AZ
the terms upon which the great for
tunes are Inherited They rarely do
good and they often do harm to those
Who inherit them in their entirety.
There should no longer be any palter-
ing with the question Of taking care OF
the wageworkers who, under our pres
apt. iY s1istrial svstem become killed.
crippled. or worn out as part OF the
regular incidents Of o given busi-
ness. 4 AS far as concerns those
who have been worn out call your
attention to the fact that definite
steps toward providing old-age PEN
sions have been taken in many Of our
private Industries. These may be in
T. deAnitely extended through voluntary
associati and Sdontributory schemep,
Or through the agency OF savings
banks, a. 1under the MASSACHUSETTS,
plan. W. asg
lEIJ Urgent Need Of Reform.
. our Srsaent systsm, or rather no .SyS,
cam. works dreadful wrong. and sigtof
/, haIioRk ITO, Oniys ohs 'elaDB Of poople--lho
/. IL ygVsrs.r When q workman tai injured
vgIfht hu nseds IL not an expensive and
.d611hffut Iawsntti but the certainty oe
rsilef through immsdiats administers
HISFI Action. No academic theory
\ nSSut .ifFsadOm tficOntract" or "consti-
t,Itlonalt liberty to contrhct" should W
pSrmlttsd 10 ihtsrfsrs VITA this and
rvnIMalnf vhO&eiuedhts. sgsw
I, Pendine >, a,thOrcughgcing investlga-
..tioh snd action there II certain legis-
laAion which should be enacted at once.
The law, passed y the last session q
-. congress granting compensation to
eSrfain elasnes, of amployes OF the gov
ern1aoAt. should be extended to include
Sii empIoyes OF the government and
shouId be made more liberal In its
terms. There 10 no good ground for
tho distinction made in the law be-
tween those engaged In hazardous oc-
cupations and those mot 30 en-
raaed. The terms Of the act pro-
vidinE compensation should be mads
Moro liberal than In the present
aot. A years compensation ID mot ade-
euate fer Z wage-earnSr's family in the
eyent of his death By accident In ths
covFss Of his employment. And in thu
event Of death occurring, say, tan o.
oleVon moMths after the accident. the
family would only receive - compSn-
akKlQn the equivalent ef one % ~
nonths' earnings. In this respect the
generosity of the United States towards
its employees compares most unfAvorA-
bly, with that Of every oouhtry In Eu-
ropO--even the poorest 10
renew my Recommendation made y
q previous message that half-heltdsyb
be granted during summer TO all wage
workers In government employ
I also renew ny Recommendation thai
the priAeipls Of the oieht-houF DAY
should ~ rapidly ana - fAr g. practi.
cable be. extended ~ tie entire EorH