The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-08-19

for the interests of the laboring man al
opposed to corporations and capital. Any
person can safely make such declara
ton in general terms, but how in refer
ence to details? Both candidates are
supposed to favor legislation to exempt
to the wage-worker ten dollars from at
tachment by trustee process, because the
state platform declares for it, but neither
candidate has declared for it specifcal.
| ly. Will both, or either. advocate and
vote for it as against the protest of mer-
chants and business men! Has either
ever considered the demand now being
made by both manufacturer and employe
for an authorized inspection and approval
of machinery upon which the laborer is
employed to work? If SO, how shall such
legislation be accomplished and how the
expense of the inspection be met? How
will they vote upon proposed legislation,
now being generally demanded by labor
day for employees in all gainful occupa-
tions and penalizing an employer by fine
or Imprisonment, or both, should he re
quire or permit an employee to work
exceeding the limit of time provided for
by law? Have they considered whether
or not such law would be constitution
al? Gov Draper of Massachusetts, has
twice vetoed a similar measure, passed by
the Massachusetts, legislature at the de-
mand of the labor unions. upon the
ground that it would be an unlawful in.
reference with the eeontractural rights Of
parties and therefore unconstitutional.
What do Mr.. Bacon and Mr.. Stafford
say about this? Both favor the enact
ment of what is known as an employers
liability or compensatory law" How far
would they extend the law as it now
is? Would they do away entirely with
the law of contributory negligence, and
hold the employer responsible in damages
for injuries received through the gross
carelessness of the employee? Or would
they base the amount of damages for in
juries received upon the degree OF care
lessness shown?
Z. The republican state platform de-
clares in favor of all the several pro-
posed amendments to the state constitu..
ton, and, therefore, it may be assumed
that either candidate elected will vote
favorably upon them in order that these
proposed amendments may be put in a
way that the people may, eventually,
pass upon them. The people certainly |
should have an Opportunity.
8. Then there will come before the
legislature the ratification or rejection OF
the proposed amendment of the constitu-
lion of the United States, which if adopt.
I'd by the required number of states, will
confer upon the congress power to levy
and collect taxes on incomes from what
ever source derived without apportion-
ment among the several states and with
)ut regard to any census or enumera-
bion." My judgment is that this pro-
posed amendment should be rejected, but
how stand Messrs Bacon and Stafford
IN this proposition? In order that one
nay act intelligently upon this question
lie needs to be well informed as to the
power of congress to levy taxes under the
provisions of the federal constitution as
t now is, and the debates in the first
constitutional convention together with
he decisions of the supreme court of the
United States defining the power Of con-
ress upon this subject. Previous to the
doption of the federal constitution in
797 the states levied and collected duties
pon imports and also upon goods
,rought from one state into another.
hey gave up to the federal government
he right of levying duties upon imports, {
nd also conferred upon the congress the ]
over to collect an internal revenue, con-
listing chiefly of licenses to carry on GER
ain businesses, together with the power, !
a case of great emergency, to levy. a
irect tax upon property, which, like I
representation in congress, was to be I
pportioned to the several states accord ]
lg to population, upon the ground that a
and taxation should go I
Dgether, and that taxation without rep a
esentation was tyranny. This last sys- I
EN- of taxation was the sole resource l