The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-03-07

ful, with an eye single To the stand
ards OF justice and fair play, and re-
memoered IL with pride. But We were
very needless and in a hurry 10 be
great.
Things to BE Altered.
We have come now 10 the sober
second thought. The scales OF heed.
lessness have fallen from our eyes
We have made up our minds TO square
every process OF our national life
again with the standards we SO proud
ly set up at the beginning and have
always carried at our hearts. Our
work is a work of restoration.
We have itemized with some degree
OF particularity the things that ought
TO be altered and here are some OF
the chief items: A tariff which cuts
US on from our proper part in the
commerce of the world. violates the
just principles OF taxation, and makes
the government a facile instrument in
/ the hands OF private interests: a bank
ing and currency system based upon
the necessity OF the government TO
sell its bonds fifty years ago and per
fectly adapted 10 concentrating cash
and restricting credits; an industrial
| system which, take il on all its sides,
| financial as we'll as administrative.
holds capital in leading strings. re-
stricts the liberties and limits the op'
portunities OF labor. and exploits with
out renewing or conserving the nat
ural resources OF the country; a body
OF agricultural activities never yet
given the efficiency OF great business
undertakings or served as IL should be
through the instrumentality OF science
taken directly 10 the farm, or afforded
the facilities Of credit best suited 10
its practical needs; water courses un-
developed, waste places unreclaimed.
forests untended, fast disappearing
without plan or prospect of renewal.
unregarded waste heaps at every mine
We have studied as perhaps no other
! nation has the most effective means
OF production, but we have not studied
cost or economy as we should either
as organizers OF industry, as states.
men, or as individuals
Government for Humanity.
Nor have we studied and perfected
the means by which government may
be put at the service of humanity, in
safeguarding the health OF the nation,
the health OF its men and it's women
and its children, as well as their rights
in the struggle for existence This is
no sentimental duty. The firm basis
OF government is justice, not pity
These are matters OF Justice. There
can be no equality or opportunity, the
firSt essential of justice in the body
polite, If men and women and chill.
dren be not shielded in their lives.
their very vitality, from the conse-
quences OF great industrial and social
processes which they cannot alter,
control, or singly cope with. Society
must see TO it that IL does not itself
crush or weaken or Damage its own
constituent parts. The first duty OF
law is TO keep sound the society II
serves. Sanitary laws, pure food laws.
and laws determining conditions OF
labor which individuals are powerless
10 determine for themselves are init.
mate parts OF the very business Of jus.
tice and legal efficiency.
These are some OF the things we
ought TO DO, and not leave the others
undone, the old-fashioned, neverto.be.
neglected, fundamental safeguarding
Of property and OF individual right
This is the high enterprise of the new
day; to lift everything that concerns
our life as a nation 10 the light that
shines from the hearthfire of every
mans conscience and vision OF the
right II is inconceivable that we
should do this as partisans; it is i'm.
conceivable We should do it in ignor
ance OF the facts as they are or in
blind haste. We shall restore, not de.
stroy. We shall deal with our econ.
omic system as il Is and as 1t may
be modified, not as IL might be If we
had a clean sheet OF paper to write |
upon; and step by step we shall make /
IL what 1t should be, in the spirit OF I.
those who question their own wisdom /
and seek counsel and knowledge. not /
shallow self-satisfaction or the excite. |
ment OF excursions whittier they can.
not tell. Justice, and only Justice, /
shall always be our motto.
Nation Deeply Stirred.
And yet it will be no cool process
Of mere science. The nation has been
deeply stirred, stirred by a solemn
passion, stirred by the knowledge OF
wrong, of ideals lost, OF government
too often debauched and made an IN
strument OF evil The feelings with
which We face this new age OF right
and opportunity sweep across our
hike some air out OF
Gods own presence. where justice and
mercy are reconciled and the Judge
and the brother are one. We know
our task to be no mere task OF politics
but a task which shall search US
through and through, whether We be
able to understand our time and the
need OF our people. whether we be I'm.
Iced their spokesmen and interpre-
ers, whether We have the pure heart
% comprehend and the rectified will
o choose our high course OF action.