Omaha daily bee., 1910-09-01

THE BEE: ON
general public interest TO local and special
interests
Advocates Income TIA.
The absence OF eftecuve state and es-
peclally national restraint upon unfair
money getting has tended 20 create a small
class OF enormously wealthy and econom-
icaliy powerful men, whose chief object
Is 20 hold and increase their power. The
prime need Is TO change the conditions
which enable these men to accumulate
power, which Il Is not for the general
welfare that they should hold or exercise.
We grudge no man a fortune which rep
resents his own power and sagacity, when
exercised with entire regard to the welfare
OF his fellows. But the fortune must be
honorably obtained and well used. II is
not even enough that II should have been
gained without doing damage to the COM
munity. We should permit It to be gained
only 30 long as the gaining represents
benefit to the community. This, know,
implies policy OF far more active gov-
ernmental interference with social and
economic conditions In this country than
we have yet had. but l think we have got
TO face the fact that such an increase in
governmental control is now necessary.
NO man should receive a dollar unless
that dollar has been fairly earned. Every
dollar received should represent a dollar s
worth OF service rendered. The really big
fortune, the swollen fortune. by the mere
fact of its size, acquires qualities which
differentiate II in kind as we'll as in degree
from what is possessed by men OF rela-
lively small means. Therefore. 1 believe
in a graduated income tax on big fortunes,
and in another tax which is far more easily
collected and far more effective-a grad
uated inheritance tax on big fortunes,
properly safeguarded against evasion. and
increasing rapidly In amount with the size
OF the estate.
Financial Reform Needed.
The people of the United States suffer
from periodical financial penlcs to a degree
substantially unknown among the other
nations which approach us in financial
strength. There is no reason we should
suffer what they escape. 1t lie Of profound
Importance that our financial system should
be promptly investigated and so thoroughly
and effectively revised as to make 1t certain
that hereafter our currency will no longer
fail at critical times to meet our needs.
1t is hardly necessary for me to repeat
L
navy large enough to secure for us abroad
that respect which Is the surest guarantee
of peace. Justice and fair dealing among
nations rest on principles identical with
those which control justice and fair dealing
among the individuals OF which nations are
composed; with the vital exception that
each nation must do it's own part in inter-
national police work National friendships,
like those between men, must be founded
on respect as we'll as on liking, on forbear-
ance as well as upon trust In all this 1t is
peculiarly the duty OF the United States to
set good example
or conservation 1 shall speak more at
length elsewhere. Conservation means de-
velopment as much as 1t does protection.
/ recognize the right and the duty of this
generation to develop and use the natural
resources of our land, but do not recognize
the right to waste them, or to rob, by
wasteful use, the generations that come
after us. The natural resources must be
used for the benefit of all our people and
not monopolized for the benefit Of the few.
That is one of the fundamental reasons
why the special interests must be driven
out of politics. OF all the questions which
can come before this nation, short OF the
actual preservation of its existence in
great war, there is none which compares In
Importance with the great central task Oh
leaving this land even better LAND ior
our descendants than It is for u.s. and train
ing them Into better race to inhabit the
land and pass 1t on. Conservation Is great
moral issue, for 1t involves the safety ana
continuance of the nation. Let me ADD
that the health and vitality OF our people
are at least as we'll worth conserving as
nd mil s..
and that in this great work the national
government must bear a most Important
part.
have spoken elsewhere also of the great
task which lies before the farmers OF the
country 70 get for themselves and for their
wives and children not only the beneilts
of better farming, but also those OF better
business methods and better conditions OF
life on the farm. The burden of this great
task will fall, as 1t should mainly upon
| the great organizations Of the farmers
themselves. am glad 1t will for believe
they are well able to handle 1t. In par
ticular there are strong reasons why the
Departments of Agriculture OF the various
states, the United States Department oil
| Agriculture, and the agricultural colleges
| and experiment stations should exteno
their work to cover all phases of life on the
farm, instead of limiting themselves, as
! they have far too often limited themselves
| in the past, solely to the question OF the
production Of crops.
Reaction Follows Excess.
Nothing is more true than that excess
of every kind is followed by reactioni a
fact which should be pondered by reformei
and reactionary alike We are face TO race
with new conceptions OF the relations OF
1 property to human welfare chiefly because
! certain advocates of the rights OF property
as against the rights Of men have beer
pushing their claims too far. The man who
! wrongly holds that every human right Il
secondary to his profit must now give way
| to the advocate of human welfare, who
rightly maintains that every man holds his
property subject TO the general right o.
the community to regulate its use to what
ever degree the public welfare may require
lit But I think we may go still further
/ The right to regulate the use OF wealth II
1 the public interest is universally admitted
| Let us admit also the right to regulate the
terms and conditions Of labor, which is thu
chief element OF wealth. directly in th'
interest of the common good. The funda
4 mental thing to do for every man is Il
} give him the chance to reach place II
1 which he will make the greatest possible
contribution to the public welfare. M