The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-12-08

The proposal to make the national
government supreme over, and there
fore TO give 1t complete control over
the railroads aud other instruments OF
interstate commerce is merely pro.
posal to carry out TO the letter one OF
the prime purposes, If not the prime
purpose. for which the constitution
was founded. 1t does not represent
Capitalization.
| believe that the more farsighted
corporations are themselves coming to
recognize the unwlsdom Of the violent
hostility they have displayed during
tile last few years to regulation and
control by the national government Of
combinations engaged in Interstate busl-
ness.
Labor.
There are many matters affecting la
Dor and the status of the wageworker
TO which | should like TO draw your
attention. AS far as possible / hope
to see frank recognition of the ad-
vantages conferred by machinery, or
ganizatlon and division of labor, ac-
companlcd by an effort to bring about
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 Euro.
pean peasant
The depositOrs In our savings banks
now number over one-tenth of our On.
tire population. These are all capital
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 will make IL 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 II far
safer than at present for the man OF
small means to invest his money In
stocks. There must be prohibition of
child labor, diminutlOn OF woman la
bor shortening OF hours of all me-
chanical labor. Stock watering should
he prohibited. aud 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 Wsseworkers.
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 wagcworkcrs who, under our
present industrial system, become XIII
ed, crippled or worn out as part Of the
reguler Incidents Of given business
The object sought for could he achicv-
ed to Il measurable degree. Hs far as
those killed or crippled are concerned.
by proper employers liability laws
As far MS concerns those who have
been worn out, call your attention to
the fact that definite steps toward pro-
vlding old age pensions have been
taken IN many OF our private indus
tries.
Pending a thoroughgoing investlga-
tion and action there is certain legis-
lation which should be enacted at
once. The law passed at the last ses-
sion of the congress granting com.
pensation to certain classes Of em-
plOyeeS of the government should he
extended to Include all employees Of
the government ana should be made
more liberal in It's terms. In this re-
spect the generosity Of the United
States toward It's employees compares
most unfGvorably with that Of every
country IN EurOpe-even the poorest.
The terms Of the act are also
hardship In prohibiting payment In
cases where the accident Is I'm any
way due to the negligence Of the EN-
plOyee. 1t Is inevitable that daily IA
mlllarlty with danger will lead men TO
take chances that can be construed
into negligence.
! renew my recommendation made
In a previous message that half holl-
days be granted during the summer to
all wageworkers In government EN-
ploy
! also renew my recommendation
that the principle Of the eight hour
day should as rapidly and as far as
practicable be extended to the entire
work being carried on by the govern.
ment.
The Courts.
| most earnestly urge upon the con
gress the duty Of increasing the totally
inadequate salaries now given TO our
Judges. On the whole, there Is no
body Of public servants who do as
valuable work nor whose moneyed
reward Is so inadequate compared to
their work Beginning with the SUI
preme court, the judges should have
their salaries doubled.
II Is earnestly to be desired that
some method should be devised for do.
ing away with the long delays which
now obtain in the administration OF
Justice and which operate with pecul.
lar severity against persons Of small
means and favor only the very crlmi.
nails whom II is most desirable to pun
ish.
A I.,- 81,