The chronicle=news., 1912-10-29

and devise the proper measures for
Improvement. Such body discerns
better than 4 judge the pertinent evil
dencc. and has better processes than
leEa. construction to determine
whcher an unsanitary bakeshop. n tu-
Notwithstanding tenement. an III
ventilated workshop. unprotected
machinery. oyerwork.. and an ini!n-
lite number OF gricvcus conditions OF
modern industry and living. take
away the fundamental constitutional
guarantees OF life. equality OF oppor-
runity. and the pursuit.; OF happiness.
Similarly. In questions OF the
trusts and the tariff. non-pnrtisl,n
commission OF tue best membership
possible has better means OF getting
Information aud OF discovering the
specific Significance of II than n
court bound BY tn. hampcrlng rules
Of litiGious procedure: and is more
able and inclined TO gather evidence
from all sources representing cm;ioy-
cr. workman and consumer alike. and
,c draw more substantial an! far in-
(, rences. than rol!ticTl body In
cyitabiy guided to 4 considerable. cx-
tent by local self-intcrcst and pa -iis-
IN cXpcdicncy. The his,'r" oi ouf
tariff legislation is ccnclus!r. on this
point. Are We 10 add the infinitely
greater substance and tho omnious
possibilities OF purely poli'ica, Icgu
iatlon of business competition. I" the
domain OF the spolls system:
The tariff and the trusts are not
fundamental questions. There Is M
abstract and absolute 'irtnn, or
fault In high. or low. nr any. tar
/ III ms such: nor Is there any absolute
quality of dcsirability or l.oIcIsncss
In big business as such: aor an ab-
solutc rule as to III" fostering ~ de-
stroying OF trusts. These are purely
practical questions of what mcas,i: cs.
what degree OF limitation rf control.
are most likely IL FACT to h~int
about the results that ar" mes. fair
to workman. employer and ccnsGmcr
alike.
II is an established fact under n
purely political system of tarill-mak-
ing. big business. being mos, power
fully organized, always secures the
lions share OF benefits. whereas the
consumer. being in the nature Of
things unorganized. receives little
consideration.
Many OF the most important gem
eral conditions determining the op-
portunities and the welfare of the
people have in the last generation
spread beyond the boundaries of the
individual states. Not only much of
our internal commerce and the tariff,
but many matters of more recent
growth have become national. Child
labor. the wages and work of women.
the two most hideous blots upon ur
Industrial system: safety appliances
aged workmen, conservation of ma
tional resources. including water
power. regulation and development OF
our waterways. big business general
ly. the national health and many 9TH
er issues raised in the Progressive
platform can only be propcrly met by
federal legislation. Unless we see
to It that the powers of our federal
government keep pace with the rap
i'd growth of the facts of federal con-
cern. we do not guard the constitu-
,ion. but We cut It to pieces, inch by
inch.
The Progressive platform is in it.
self an excellent example of the sue
cess of a non-partisian expert body in
interpreting conditions an devising
definite and specific measures to
meet them. II is unlike any other
political document. 1t is the result
OF the collaboration of many people
of known integrity. expert knowl-
edge. and tried resources. represent
ing different political creeds. 1t en-
bodies the sum Of the best Knowledge
OF modern problems: 1t speaks the
language of absolute candor undc-
filed by any taint of party cXpcdicn-
cy: and It bears the cumulative mo-
mentum. not OF one mans desire. but
OF the unassailable and infleXible
purpose of a greater and purcr hui
manity.
0roiS ~~~tblu~