The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1908-12-10
STATUS OF wAeEwoRkER.
Wise Action by States Needed to Sur
plement That OF Nation,

"NSS
Wise Action by States Needed to Sup
!. plement That Of Nation.
There are many matters affecting labor
and the status Of the wageworker to
which I should like to draw your atten-
ton. but an exhaustive discussion of the
problem In all its aspects is not now nec-
essary. This administration is nearing
Its end; and, moreover. under our form
OF government the solution Of the prob
lem depends upon the action of the
states as much as upon the action of the
nation. Nevertheless. there are certain
considerations which I wish to set be-
fore you. because I hope that our people
Will more and more keep them In mind.
A blind and ignorant resistance to every
EFFORT for the reform of abuses and for
the readjustment Of society to modern
industrial conditions represents not true
conservatism but an Indictment to
the widest radicalism: for wise radical
ism and wise conservatism go hand in
hand. one bent on progress. the other
unless In the right direction. I believe
in a steady effort, or perhaps 1t would
be more accurate to say In steady efforts
In many different directions, to bring
about a condition of affairs under which
the men who work with hand or with
brain, the laborers, the superintendent,
the men who produce the market n the
men who find q market for the articles
produced, h WI a far greater share
thar at present Of the wealth they pro-
duce, and be enabled to invest 1t in the
tools and instruments by which all work
10 carried in. As far as possible L hope
to see a frank recognition OF the advan-
tages conferred by machinery. organixa-
ton and division of labor, accompanied
nv n nTnVf 70 hrt~~ aha,,A -
in the ownership by wage-worker Of rail-
way, mill and factory. In farming, this
simply means that we wish to see the
farmer " his " land; we do not
wish to see the farms so large that they
become the property Of absentee land
lords who farm them by tenants, nor
yet SO small that the farmer becomes
Tx the European peasant. Again, the
depositors In our savings banks. now
number over one-tenth Of our entire pop
ulation. These are all capitalists, who
through the savings banks loan their
money to the workers-that is, in many
cases to themselves-to carry on their
various Industries. The more we Increase
their number, the more we introduce the
principles Of cooperation into our Indus
try. Every increase in the number OF
small stockholders in corporations H. a
good thing, for the same reasons; and
where the employees are the stockholders
the result is particularly good. Very
much of this movement must be outside
OF anything that can be accomplished by
legislation; but legislation can do a
good deal.
For Postal Savings Banks.
Postal Savings banks will make II
easy for the poorest to keep their saw
tngs 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 la
Dor, e.minutlon OF women labor, short.
ening of hours of all mechanical labor;
stock watering should be prohibited
and stock gambling 80 far as is posi-.
BILE discouraged. There should be q
progressive inherit7 nee 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 a
premium upon thrift. hard work, and
business energy; but these qualities
cease to be the main factors in accu-
mulattng a fortune long before that
fortune reaches a point where it would
be seriously affected by any inheri-
lance tax such as I propose. It Is emf
nently right that the nation should fix
the terms upon which the great for
tunes are inherited. They rarely dc
good n they often do harm to those
who inherit them in their entirety.
Protection for Wageworkers.
The above is the merest sketch. hard.
ly ever a sketch in outline, of the re-
forms for which we should work.. But
there is one matter with which III
congress SHOULD deal at this session.
There should no longer be any palter-
ing with the question Of taking care OF
he wageworkers who. under our pres
ent industrial system. become killed,
crippled, or worn out as part Of the
regular Incidents Of a given business.
The majority of wageworkers must
have their rights secured for them by
state action: but the national govern
ment should Jegislate in thoroughgoing
and far-reaching fashion not only for
all employees Of the national govern
ment, but for all persons engaged in
interstate commerce. The object sought
for could be achieved to a measurable
degree. as far as those killed or Grip
pied are concerned. by proper employ
ers' liability laws. As far a. concerns
those who nave been worn out. l. call
your attention to the fact hat definite
steps toward providing iold-age pen
sions have been taken in many OF our
private industries. #These"may be i'm
definitely extended through voluntary
association and c~ontributory schemes.
or through the agency " Of savings
banks, as under the Massachusetts,
plan. To strengthen these practical
should be immediate
duty: 1t Is not at present necessary to
consider the larger and more general
governmental schemes that most Euro
pean governments have found them
selves obliged to adopt.