The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-02-21

controlling conditions 50 that the
oil living. and hours of labor not SO
excessive as to wreck his strength by
the strain OF amending toll and leave
him unfit to do his duty as good
citizen in the community. Where reg
uJation by competition (Which is, of
course, preferable) proves insufficient,
wc should not shrink from bringing
s governmental regulations to the point
CT control of monopoly prices If it
Eould ever become necessary to do SO.
Just as in exceptional cases railway
rates are now regulated.
Regulations Of Labor.
We also maintain that the Nation
and the several States have the right
to regulate the terms and conditions
OF labor. which is the chief element
of wealth. directly in the interest Of
the common good. 1t is our prime duty
to shape the industrial and social for
ces 50 that they may tell for the ma
terial and moral upbuilding Of the far
ner and the wage-worker. just as they
should do in the case of the business
man. You. trainers of this Constitu-
tion. be careful so to frame 1t that un-
der 1t the people shall leave them
selves free to do whatever is neces-
sary In order to help the farmers of
the State to get for themselves and
their wives and children not only the
lenefits Of better farming but also
these of better business methods and
better conditions of life on the farm.
Moreover. shape your Constitutional
action 50 that the people will be able
through their legislative bodies. or.
falling that, by direct popular vote, to
provide workmen's compensation acts,
to regulate the hours Of labor for
children and for women. to provide
for their safety while at work, and to
prevent overwork or work under un-
hygienic or unsafe conditions. See to
II that no restrictions are placed upon
legislative powers that will prevent
the enactment of laws under which
your people can promote the general
welfare, the common good. Thus only
will the general welfare" clause of
our Constitution become a vital force
for progress. instead Of remaining a
mere phrase. This also applies to the
rolice powers of the Government.
Make it perfectly clear that on every
point of this kind it is your intention
that the people shall decide for them
selves how far the laws to achieve
their purposes shall go. and that their
decision shall be binding upon every
citizen in the State. official or nom
official, unless. of course, the Supreme
Court of the Nation in any given case
decides otherwise.
Regarding The Recall.
do not believe in adopting the re-
call save as a last resort, when it has
become clearly evident that no other
course will achieve the desired result.
2ut either the recall will have to be
adopted or else it will have to be made
much easier than it now is to get rid.
not merely of bad judge. but Of
Judge who, however virtuous, has
grown SO out of touch with social
needs and facts that he is unAt longer
to render good service on the bench.
1t Is nonsense to say that impeach-
ment meets the dificulty. In actual
practice We have found that impeaceh-
ncnt does not work. that unit judges
stay on the bench in spite of it, and in
deed because of the fact that impeach-
ment is the only remedy that can be
used against them. Where such is the
actual fact 1t is idle to discuss the
theory Of the case Impeachment as a
remedy for the ills Of which the people
justly complain is a complete failure
A quicker, a more summary. remedy
is needed: some remedy at least as
summary and as drastic as that en-
bodied in the Massachusetts, Consti-
tuition And whenever it be found in &C.
tual practice that such remedy does
not give the needed results, l would
Inhesitatingly adopt the recall.
Kind He Believes In. (,
Put there Is one kind of recall in
the immediate adoption of which
urge. There are sound reasons for be-
ing cautious about the recall Of a good
Judge who has rendered an unwise and
improper decision. Every public SER
want. no matter how valuable, and not
emitting Washington or Lincoln or
Marshall. at times makes mistakes
Therefore we should be cautious about
recalling the judge. and We should be
cautious about interfering in any way
with the Judge in decisions which he
makes in the ordinary course as be-
tween individuals. But when a judge
decides Constitutional question,
when he decides what the people as a
whole can or cannot do. the people