Imperial Valley press., 1912-10-21

have all changed old views That is
what the Progressive movement means. The two
generations thought differently. Progressivism j.
the thought of a new generation. Hardly one
5 Progressives but is in a a convert-we
all did conscientiously, in those days, something
other which would shudder to contem-
plate now. . ssssSE
I'VE brought up, in my childhood, on the
IDEA o Do you remember Our Young
Folks?' 1t the great children's periodical of
that time and l think vet that it the greatest
thing Of its kind published Well, the serials
we read there things like Jack Hazard o.
Winning His Way-about poor canal-boat boys
and farm lads who worked their up and made
a million dollars. The worship success--it was
made into ideal and virtue There one
great human element lacking, though didn'
see that-what Jack Hazard did in the process to
the other fellow who hadn't made a million. No
sir: no one thought of him. He wasn't on the map
Then l college back with
my ready made set of Fifth avenue and universit.
ideas. Being good a of philanthropy
giving of your income relieve distress.
Economics was matter of statistics. Particularly
l held to the lassez faire doctrine of politica
economy-that government should keep hands off
everything. l couldn't in those days beyond
Adam Smith.
when 1 first thought about public life, 1 saw
the two political organizations hard and fast in
the hands Of gang. You know the old system
When l told my regular associates that | was
going to join my district club, they objecte
mildly-not because 1 going to mix with
corrupt gang, but because l going out Of
my own crowd AS a matter of fact when l Joined
my district club, when I into the national
guard, l had definite ideal real public
service than when l went West ranching. 1
doing it because 1 liked it, and because wanted
to save myself from being mollycoddle.
Il still looking everything the
sack Hazard and laissez faire point of view. 1
remember with how much courage and how little
common sense, fought in the state Legislature
against the reform Of the convict contract labo,
system. I honestly thought right 1t was
better that the convicts should be kept busy. and
the contractors l felt would them right
When the labor leaders to and present nt
their side 1 couldn't it all.
But I got my first lesson there I fir
hand the general corruption in the legislature
under the old system. That before the bos
reached his highest power; each member of the
corrupt element getting his bit for him
self. Money being passed all sides of ne
I couldn't exactly prove it in court, but private!3
1 knew it. 1 saw bill affecting corporation
held up because the corporation wasn't coming
through strong enough. I their lobbyist arrive
from New York with the sack-after which the
bin went through Oh, yes, found out something
about the under side Of government in that ses-
sion! And I began to think that if we could
only rid of what called the corrupt elem
in politics. if could get the business peopls
interested and have a business administration of
affairs, everything would be right.
They put me on the commission to investigat 2
was the next step, I suppose We had connected
with that work tied up to of the
old cr0wds-a heeler. regular ward politician, but
sometimes right in his heart as such man is
likely to be. He said to me, Those conditions are
awful but 1 can't touch them; I'm all tied up
Now, you're free. You ahead and show them
up Well. he right. Conditions awful
The people lived and worked four deep in little
tenement roOmS-starved, diseased and worn out
with long hours and low pay went to the bottom
of the thing, 7 thought then. I found that
some of the most eminently respectable people in
New York owned those tenements. And all that
7 learned in the investigation and in the fgh!