New-York tribune., 1908-10-26

gated this subject because of the large number
of the men Of his organization employed on the
isthmus. has come TO the same conciuSloh' " ana
largely because OF TINS raCt ne y dIueLlLy sup
porting Mr.. Taft
BRYAN VAGUE. TAFT EXPLICIT
Az onnosed to the entire vagueness Of Mr..
Rrvan's proposals, Mr. Taft stands pledged 10
continue the definite and constructive pro
gran1rne Of social reorganization outlined and al
req DIV entered upon by the present admtnistra-
ton which has never hesitated in speclhc cases
Of sufficient importance TO interfere tor the pur-
pose Of securing an adjustment OF LABOR troubles
al the same time conserving the rights OF the
wage Garner A conspicuous instance was the
settlement of the anthracite coal strike In
AprfT 1907 when a strike was imminent the
Western railroads which would have tied up
forty-four lines with half million employees and
put half the country in a state of siege. nego-
tiatOrS we're sent by the administration VINO de-
manded and secured in the name of the people
settlement Of the difficulty by abitration: and
last spring the administration. by its vigorous
action. prevented general reduction of wages
on the railroads of the country which would have
caused great suffering and tar-reachlng dls-
turbance; but if Mr. Bryan were elected have
little doubt that ensuing industrial chaos. neces-
stating great reduction Of wages and widespread
non employment would be beyond the reach of
such action as that which averted the threatened
disaster last spring.
ronopoltstic control the administration withdrew
millions of acres from entry. insisting to the ex-
tent of its power that the coal and oil under
these lands shall remain a federal possession
For the first time in our history the adminstra-
ton has secured the enforcement Of the eight
hour law IN the government departments and is
trying TO secure its extension by legislation In
the District of Columbia IL has enacted a federal
child labor law which stands as a model law for
state governments and their department of Iegis-
laton.
ADMINISTRATIONS AID TO LABOR
Beyond these remedial enactments and arbi-
trations achieved by this administration stands
a constructive and organic programme of fed
eral activity in the way of social and industrial
reform Toward he L
have been in Office I have consulted with all
classes and conditions Of men We have been
able on the whole to arrive at a remarkably
ci9se agreement among ourselves so long as
all parties, representatives, of labor and capital
alike. kept in view their obligations TO the
monweath as joint workers toward this social
reform. We are all agreed that free play shall
be permitted only so long as il means fair play.
We are endeavorng steadily TO secure a more
equitable adjustment OF taxation toward the
ideal of a distribution of the several costs Of
government in a ratio TO the benefits derived
There is nothing in this Of class or caste; from
our programme dOCtrinaireS individualiSt and
socialist alike are barred. Sociology comes not
10 breed new class warfare; II knows man
only as man. This administration has bent a
large part of It's efforts toward social advance
meht Inc question has been asked, Why has
not the national government. through its bureau
OF labor. done for the wage Garner what. through
the Department of Agriculture II has done for
the farmer, by placing his disposal through
federal research the latest results Of scientific
discovery?
Ny answer is. the time had not vet come when
this was possible; we have advanced in each
case just as fast and as far as possible with
the knowledge and means at our command Be
tween pure science or speculative theory and its
piacucaI Application in the hands OF a govern
ment lies of necessity n gap of years years OF
patient investigation and experiment after truth
len years ago organic evolution In agriculture
was sun n speculative science To-day the
Iarner mas only TO specify that his wheat must
ripen by such and such date stand M under
certain wind velocity, bear in its seed GER
tam percentage Of starch, etc. and our depart-
ment can help build him plant to order The
SPiheiesS cactus and the froStproof orange soil |
chemistry seed selection and diversified farming
nave preceded in time of their discovery All tbose
theories or social reconstruction upon which any
bureau OF labor could build The entire task ~ |
Transforming population with every advance OF
state. has awaited that precise knovIed5a 1,bicb
mas come only within the last five years
PROBLEM OF THE UNEMPLOYED
Given that knowledge. and given wisdom self
restraint and high purpose in applying IL and |
With Tree scope for federal progfarnn,e We /
VIII do much toward helping each member ~ /
the industrial army 10 get the chance to make |
everything possible out of himself. We can /
solve this problem of the unemployed best by
having no more unemployabIe Already our |
Bureau of Labor, for the past twenty wears OF |
necessity largely statistical bureau is practi-
cally department OF sociology. aiming not only |
To secure exact information about Industrial |
conditions. but TO discover remedies for indus
trial evils. At this moment we are conducting /
INVESTIGATIONS 10 the labor Of women and /
children the disease and mortality. rates of the |
various occupations, the problem OF dealing with |
the unemployed. etc The whole prfnciple of
material and social advancement has come 10 a |
quicker frution in our Department OF Agricult-
ure for the reason that biology is more easily |
handled with reference to seeds and plants and |
cattle than S regards men. II is our confident !
claim. however. that applied science IL carried |