The evening world., 1912-09-02

, Is q proclamation OF sympathy rather.
an indica ton OF the direction in which
the leaders Of the party would fain
! sometime move. The programme lies
| elsewhere. where the tariff is spoken OF.
| anu the trusts. In that portion OF the
document there Is an air Of business
and a very definite indication of what
Is intended to be done, and by what
means.
'It may be interpreted in the light Of
some interesting things. Mr.. Roosevelt
has recently said.
."1er. Roosevelt declares his devoted
adherence TO the principle OF protsc-
uon. He declares that he u not
troubled By the feot that . very large
amount Of money 10 taken out Of the
pocket Of the general taxpayer and put
into the pocket Of particular classes
OF protected manufsCtursrs, but that
his concern 10 that 20 little Of this
money gets into the pockets Of the
employees. have searched his pro-
granms very thoroughly for IN In
dieat1on OF what he expects 70 DO IN
order 20 see to IL that . larger proper
t1on Of this prise money gets Into
the pay envelope, ana have found
only one suggestion.
There Is plank in the programme
which speaks OF establishing a
minimum. or living wage, for women
workers, and I suppose that we may
assume that the principle Ia not in the
long run meant to be confided In his
application to women only. Perhaps
We are justified In assuming that the
third party looks forward to tho general
esta blishment by law OF q minimum
wage.
1T 10 very likely. I take u for granted.
that II a minimum wage were estab-
lished by law. the great majority of
employers would take occasion ito bring
their wage scale as nearly as might be
down to the level OF that minimum, and
II would be very awkward for the work.
ing man 10 resist that process success
fully because It would be dangerous to
strike against the authority of the
Federal Government.
"nGorsovsr, most Of his smploysrs-
81 any rate, practically AL OF the most
powerful OF his smploysrs-would be
wards ana prots9ss Of that Govern
mont, which 10 the master OF us all.
The Government 10 TO set mp . oom-
mission whoSs duty IL Will bs not TO
ohsok or defeat Il, but merely TO regu-
late Il under rules which IL 10 itself
TO frame ana develop. % that the
chief employers VIII have this trs-
msndous authority behind them; what
they DO they viii have the license Of
the FEDERAL Government to do, includ-
ing the right to pay the wages APP
proved By the Government.
ALWAYS THE OPPONENTS or
ORGANIZED LABOR.
And 1t Is worth the while OF the
workingmen of the country to recall
what the attitude toward organized
q hnv haa 80
soltdated industries, whom the Federal
Government is to take under its pa
tronage as well as under its control.
They have always been the stout op-
ponents OF organized labor, and they
have tried to undermine Il in a great
many way. Some OF the ways they
have adopted have worn the guise OF
philanthropy and good will, and have
no doubt been used, for all I know. In
perfect good faith. Some of them have
set up systems OF profit sharing. of COM
pensation for injuries. and Of bonuses
and even pensions. but every one Of
these plans has merely bound their
workingmen more tightly TO them
selves.
"Thsar rights under these various
eS1Aneemsnts are not legal riShts.
They are merely privileges which they
enjoy 20 long - they remain In the
employment ana observe the Sules
Of the great Industries which employ
them. II they refuse to be wssnsd
away from their independence, they
cannot continue 10 enjoy the benefits
extended 70 them.
"Whsn you have thought the whole
thing out, therefore, You viii ana that
the programme Of the new party legal
isss monopoliss ana systematically
subordinstss working men to them and
to plans made by the Government both
with regard to employment and with
regard to wages. ~ what means,
except upon revolt, could We ever
break the crust OF our life again and
become free men, breathing an air Of
our own, choosing and living Lives
that We wrought out for oursslvss7
| Perhaps this new and all-conquer-
ing combination between money and
government would be benevolent to us
perhaps II would carry out the noble
programme of social betterment which
| so many credulously expect OF II, but
who can assure us of that? Who will
give bond that II will be general and
gracious and pitiful and righteous;
What man or set of men can make Us
secure under II by their empty promise
and assurance that II will take care
of us and be good?
ut 70 Ike coming out Of . close and
staAing cir into the open, where VI
can brsa4hs fully Again ana see tn,
free spaces Of the heavens above AZ
70 turn away from suoh . programme
ths Identical programme sugysstsd q
committees OF 0ongrsss BY Adr. Gar,
ana llr. Perkins, 10 the proposals Will
which the grsat Democratic thinker,
OF the country Offset ana oppose sucl
. platform.
democratic leaders turn away from
any plan to lesalize monopoly and Civ
a Federal commission leave to say HOY
much Of II there should be, becaus
they know exactly what that woul,
mean. What they propose is the res
toration OF freedom. What We need 4
the regulation OF competition and tn
prosecution of what has created mon
opoly. When you have regulated Il
YOU have in effect restored IT,"
Her Ihttle Hint.