davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06

search Bureau. which is doing for law what the
hocKereIler institute Is doing for medical re.
search. Our experts study all. laws thnt have
been passed, discover what is wrong with them,
and what is OF value In them Whenever
great benefit has been obtained by one form
Of legislation we bring it to the attention Of all
the other, States. X :,
we only propose uniform laws in limited
number Of cases where we have decided that,
they are of undoubted benefit to the whole coun-
try, but in all other legislation we are prepared
TO furnish expert advice to legislators Il
stands to reason that few legislators can, be IA.
miliar with all the efforts by all the States To
legisiate on certain subject In such cases we
can furnish the necessary information
Our Negotiable Instruments act has beer
adopted BY forty-six States, Territories. etc:
the Warehouse Receipts act by thirty: the RilIs
or Lad1ng act by eleven; the Sales OF Goods
act by eleven; the Certificates OF Stock act In
nine; the Family Desertlon act in four: the Pro
pate OF Foreign Wills act in nine.
IN the United States there are no such me-
cuilarities of climate or location or racial dis
the principles Of law, or such as to Justify tha
application OF divergent or inconsistent rules
ana regulations to the citizens OF different sec.
lions or the country as to lfe liberty and mr.
suit of happiness. In matters of fnterstate CON.
Germ 1t is now we'll understood that the geo.
graphical boundaries OF the various common.
Weaiths are only imaginary lines which cannot
De allowed to Interrupt or obstruct the working
OF principles which in their very nature i,ni.
versal. sa..i : 80 - !,
The soundness of this doctrine has been am.
ply demonstrated in theory, and now we have
ample proof Of Its soundness In practise nat
only In the history Of the uniform laWs wfIIchl
our body has promulgated In their oneration
throughout the StatesS but also and particularly
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06
There Would Not Now Be War Co
ing On Eff Income Had Been Better
Distributed Than It Has Been z
Among the Various Nations.

time and 1t IS also very necessary to say 1t
at the present time -
i AS we get on. from Adam Smith up to our
own time the question becomes very serious
because you have a whole series OF. Chan.
cellors Of the Exchequer. You have Mr.. Lloyd
George and Mr.. Asquith, and Sir William Har
courts and they have begun In. g. fashion to
. take money from the rich people and spend
it. on poo rpeople with an idea OF redistribu
tion Of income.
1t has pointed out that the particular incl.
dence OF that, most interesting to my mind. is
the incidence OF old age pensions. because In
the case of old age pensions 1t is not CUES.
ton Of taking money from rich man and
building school with 1t for the poor man
You give the poor man something In kind. 1t
really Is taking money out of the rich mans
pocket and putting 1t in the form, of, income in
the poor. mans pocket. That Is likely to be
carried good deal further. ~. 4. y
Again, want to point out that when your
.chancellors OF the exchequer enter into pro.
oeedipgs OF that kind. It becomes necessary for
them at least to, begin to justify their proceed.
ings on some sort OF principle. know the
horror with which the demand to do something
on principle inspires politician at any time.
In my lifetime of ffty-eight years have never
been able to discover government that would
do anything on principle. except when 1t did
not know the principles on which 1t was doing
1t The fact remains that the persons whose
pockets are being denuded are calling the,
chancellor names with Welsh rhymes. and SO
on htts s
To the ordinary man that method Is brigand.
age. II you are merely doing It to catch VOTES,
II you say to q constituency the majority of
whom are working men, and who will want
old age pensions. and the minority OF whom
are rich people-if you say in that constituency
that old age pensions are wanted, the majority
will back up the Chancellor OF the Exchequer
majority.
Whatever the effect, that I repeat 4is
jbrigandage. %
In the present day money has become power.
II people have no money they have no power
unless they are persons OF extraordinary
ability. People who realize the power and
Independence that money gives them are an.
n n e, and aggravated by the want of money.
q It is the redistribution Of incom which, lying
at the bottom of the balance OF power. viii
make for permanent peace.
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06

attempts to evade and defeat the laws. A
Pennsylvania factory owner will 20 to his
Legislature and say: This law puts more
burden on me than on my rival across the line
IN New Jersey, and all my business is going
to him. You must help me out of this"
nessee has such law, while the neighboring
States of Alabama and Georgia have none. The
Tennessee employer Is thus placed at very
unfair disadvantage with his competitors.
The laws regarding cold storage and pure
foods offer the most ridiculous examples of in.
consistency. Food sent in cold storage from
Chicago to New York may pass through four
sey and New York, which have cold storage
laws. all Of them different and contradictory in
some respects, so that it is impossible to com.
ply with one without violating the other
A man who sells pure food for dogs and
chickens has to comply with thirty different
laws OF different States, many Of them contra.
dlctory.
The inconsistencies in the laws of incorpora.
tion offer great opportunities for fraudulent
promotions and stock swindles. In New York
we receiye circulars from distant States which
read in effect like this
This State offers the easiest conditions for
those desiring to form corporations. No pub
icity. Low requirements as to paid-up capital"
The real estate laws are greatly in need OF
standardizng. Every State has different form
OF deed for conveying real estate and for fall
ure to observe this purely, technical require.
ment deed may be inyalidated
We are working now to have uniform deed
In all States, but eventually we hope to have
Torrens title system in force everywhere by
which the State guarantees the title with each
transfer and the present clumsy system OF
deeds is dispensed with
Our organization has become Legal Re-
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06

minded man, still less is the padded cell the
right place Z, for thei strongpinded man; such
ture maniacs instead of curing them. And Vet
this Is exactly the method which the Mon.
tessori enthusiasts would adopt about infantlle
instruction. It extends to the common school
mits the absurdity OF treating every infant
school as an idiot school. That Is the first
frank resistance we should all offer to such
an educational experiment, that It makes the
abnormal the Judge and test of the normal
1t makes a spirit accustomed to special hor.
rors OF silence. patience and hope deferred the
only authority on ordinary hope fulfilled. II is
as II the hangman made all our neckties. 1t is
as IL the coroner we're always called in when.
ever we had cold, 1t may be- true that the
method copied from the idiot schools is softer
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06

from day to day. a
Now this has always BEEN recognized to-
some extent. because II you take, for instance,
the question OF INSTRUMENTATION, OF course.
in modern times is beginning to concernyitselt
very startlingIy withs.the> question of redis.
tribution Of incbne--and the latest canons of
taxation are the canons laid down, by Adam
Smith. And his canons OF taxation were not
at all very important II / recollect them
Alright, the first one was the important one
in which Adam Smith laid down that taxation
must really bear some relation to- the ability
Of the person to- pay taxes. And he put 1t In
rather a curious way; he; said the persons
who have the largestsreVenue, who are to be.
protected by the State. should naturally pay
the largest sums to be protected by the State.
At any rate Adam Smiths first canon was
an inequality Of taxation; that there should
be more taxation on the rich than on the poor.
That is violation of the first principle that
the Industrious man should flourish and the
lazy man should enjoy the benefit Of bis idle
ness. II YOU :do, mot go SO far as to tax the
poor man more heavily because it serves him
right to be poor, at any rate you should not
tax the poor rich man because he is rich.
What you would resort to in. ordinary and
true justice would be poll tax. And yet
throughout the whole hist i OF scientific tax.
alton it has always been recognized that poll
tax is out OF the question. It has been out
of all existence. but it was reintroduced the
other day in the form of the Insurance act
The consequence of the reintroduction Of
that poll tax has been enough to justify the
old economists. Adam Smiths other canons
were simple enough. His canons were that
a tax should be definite, and that 1t should be
certain. that you should know what you had
to pay. That Is an advantage, which we do
not enjoy at the present time We do not
know what we shall pay-except that we shall
pay more than we want to. rs'.s}
People generally know what they will be
prepared for II they have an enlightened gov
ernment, which they seldom haye. and If they
refrain from the luxury OF war. But at any
rate Adam Smith said let II be certain, as far
as 1t can be. let It be levied in manner con.
'venientEto the person paying It. And the only
other thing he had to say wass this, he said
he thought 1t was desirable there should BIO
as little difference as possible between the
sum paid by the taxpayer and the sum that
eventually reaches the government. It was
very necessary to say that In Adam Smiths
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06

f
IN the tnsistent demand OF our citizens OF every
walk In life that II duties, privileges and RENE
aies are to be properly safeguarded the laws
embodying them must be uniform in their an.
plcation. - !. = - - 80
Our work has for its goal the achieving az a
purpose which both stimulates and ennobles
workers. Its importance can hardly be over.
estimated TO make uniform the law and; lin
the process to Clarity 1t is task worthy to
enlist the best abilities of lawyers Of the
highest ideals OF duty. For the antithesis5;of
law is force Where law does not control.
iorce Will have Its sway. Whether the relations
Dc those OF nations or of States, whether fhe,
law be international if indeed there really be
any such thing as International law), or inter
state the absence Of uniform submission to- It.
the absence of uniform obligations and rights
under 1t, spells anarchy.
Under such condition OF affairs sacraa
solemn contract becomes merely "a scraps of
paper" to be dealt with by each sovereignty as
Dest suits It's convenience, or it's selfshness
with the necessarily resultant irritatfons and
conflicts between States or nations, as the case
may be, and grave injustices to indiyiduaI
citizens. Rights. must be determined by the
certainty or law, and not by the accidentHof
geographical location. = 7 81 =.
Our progress Is shown not only in the fart
tnat every State, Territory, federal district and
possession OF the United States has ,appoinfed
ana sent to our conference it's official repre.
sentatives to take part in this movement but
mas, by so. doing, and BY the recognition OF 5tha
work OF the conference, by the expressions OF
ts chlef executives, by the practical support
rendered by its Legislature In appropriating
Imissioners and for the general expenses of thu
conference and by the sanction OF its courts,
set the stamp of Its approval upon the process
pursued by us. =.
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06
When You Go to War for Your Father
land BE Careful to See Your Father
land Is Not step-Fatherland for
Anybody
53 BY George Bernard Shaw
By George Bernard Shaw

T11E thing we are all talking about at the
I. present moment i will call the "bank.
- ruptcy Of civilizations becatise we are
coming rather near to that, 1t lisa bankruptcy
that we shall get through.
fit has been frequently asserted that the
war IS being waged to preserve whatis called
trthe balance of power" Iswant to point out
the rather curious thing that the redlstribu
istIon OF income really lies at the bottom OF
the balance OF power. II income had been
better distributed than it has, II It had been.
say, for the last twenty years better dis
tribnted In Germany, in France, In England,
int Russia, in Servia, there would not be this
bankruptcy of. civilization going Oh at the
present time.
When say that the balance OF power is
largely a question of distribution OF income.
.nean that no States can possibly bring about
suitable balance OF external power as be
tween one State and another with any stabil
itJ unless they have pretty good internal
balance OF power. And no State }of much
power at the present time has got that. Every
State is liable at any moment to be taken In
the rear by a portion OF It's own population
owing to the lack OF distribution OF income
There is point that can possibly be reached
In all modern wars a. which the pressure OF a
particular part of the population may be more
severe before 1t reaches another part. and 1t
is possible in every State now at war. with the
exception of Servia perhaps, where the war
is prolonged. that section to certain eI
tent might come between tho two files-be.
tween the external and. the internal. The
reason except Seryia is that Servia is a
democratic State. consisting Of almost alto
gether peasant proprietors. in which on the
whole there ia very pleasant distribution of
income as compared with any that exists In
the other western parts. Now clearly under
those circumstances as we are engaged in
war 1t is just as we'll we should consider
wherein decent distribution OF income may
be said to consist ss3T
When you go to war you generaiiy;=say you
fight for the Fatherland. The German always
says that. We say It.. rather like the term
"Fatherland" because 1t gives me the oppor.
tunity OF saying you have to be particularly
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06

to be given II you propose to retain them
1t is asserted by every modern writer, yet II
may De true that the treatment OF crazy PEG.
pie in simpler and coarser ages was very
cruel. There was, 1t is said, general notion
OF knocking them back into their senses by
means OF whips and chains. And this was
atrocious. for 1t was Furnishing people who
ought not to be punished; people who had
committed hundred crimes and not one sin.
II really was wiltuly wicked to torture one
VINO could never have come wifully to crime
Or to confession. z
But II 1t be brutal to treat maniacs as re-.
,ponsible men, a further question remains. II
is even more brutal to treat all responsible
men as maniacs If 1t Ia unfair to put hand.
GUNS on imbeciles it Is much more unfair to
put NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. on sensible men. If the
prison cell is not the right place for the feeble
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06

Now the existing. distribution of income-,in
connection with that topic I. want to. point out
that that has more important effect. The
existing distribution OF income is like the geo
graphical situation OF the country. 1t is
fact; lis not q thing that.has been brought
about by any human instinct or by ethical
theory. 1t is a state OF things into which you
have all been born, and it is thing without
any sort OF reason. 1t Is quite true If you
meet foolish person and you ask him to ex.
plain the existing distribution OF income, he
may try to explain It But the thing Ii not to
be explained; 1t has happened. AS the ex
planations given are all wrong will try and
put those foolish persons in a position to give
the right explanation.
do. not know anybody. no matter what
party, what religion or what class they belong
to, who defends the distribution of income as
1t exists at the present time You may nos.
sibly find In village somewhere person
who Will tell you that IL people are idle they
must expect to be poor, and If people are In.
dustrious they must become rich. It is wrong,
by the way, but 1t is natural for people who
live In such places to think that In the ordi.
nary course OF events Industrious people will
prosper and the others will do the other thing
But that is not what happens; the indus
trious man does not prosper. The persons
industry are often also the persons whose
lives are made unlivable. And those who
make g science Of idleness, who have invented
q line OF idle activity, If may put 1t in that
way, those are the people who get very
large share OF income and who do not suffer
from poverty in the least
The causes which have brought 1t about are
still operating. and In the same direction. The
rich are always getting richer, and the poor
are always getting poorer; that tendency is
still going on except insofar as 1t has been de-.
hberately checked in certain parts by the de-
dberate action OF the community. But SO far
as those things in which you do not interfere
are concerned, that state of things is getting
worse and worse. The tendency of riches
is constantly to get in the hands Of idle
people. and they content to get richer
while the poor people get poorer and poorer
and gulf gets wider between class and class
II the thing Is going to be altered 1t has to
be altered by us consciously. want to do
all can to clear out OF the peoples minds this
relic OF the Nineteenth Century utopanism.
and modern Twentieth Century laziness. II
you could make some fundamental new ar
rangement II you could nationalize land, or
do away with the franchise. and trust the en-
tire government OF the country to some intel.
ligent pecple-say Lord Roberts-enjo ying the
confidence Of the people; or IL you could get
thing OF that kind. your might start afresh.-
You might think there isA something in that
idea. Well want you to put that out OF
your heads for good and all. Things will not
get right unless you put them right, and will
not stay right unless you hold them right
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06

]. careful to see your Fatherland is not step
fatherland for anybody. or you might get into
difficulties. 4.
All discomfort at the present time is, dis
content with income. 1t is not discontent/with
status. Even II you take the case of the dis.
content of the women with their disfranchise-,
ment it is even that is at the root-a revolt
against economic dependence. l think most
women would say II they were more econom.
tcally independent they should be very we'll
able to look after themselves; they would be
able to look after the rest OF the business for
themselves. And you find In the case OF
America. for instance. where everybody is
supposed to be about the same the discomfort
in America is discomfort with income
Everywhere in difficulties you find the
difficulty Is a pecuniary difficulty, and 1t
is sort OF difficulty that has been good
deal intensified In late years. For instance,
the invention Of the cinematograph has had
good deal OF effect in making people dis.
contented. because the motion picture is shown
everywhere and everybody can go and see
cinematograph pictures. see in some parts
of London you go and see three motion
pictures for cent, and an appreciabe mum.
Der more for two cents.
II you happen to be poor and live In a
squalid way you will see on the cnemato-
graph. at least we invariably see It, people
dressed in very elegant materials and very
exquisite dresses. And the laborer who takes
his young woman to see the show has pre-
viously been contented with his lot He has
always been contented with his personal ap.
pearance and no doubt so has his sweetheart.
But having seen in that cinematograph show
what properly creased pair of trousers Is
Hike that laborer's sweetheart suddenly finds
the young man she is keeping company with
h0o ,ok nr1,,y
trousers
In fact she thinks he is addressed; and he
. thinks the same about her. He sees things
3 he did not see before What he saw In the
streets did not bring things completely home
to- him. There are, lots OF things. much mora
than the invention of the press. that have
brought such things home to him.
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06

ana kinder than many other schemes OF edu.
cation 1t Is equally true that the hansman
would give us shorter and easier death than
any any other we are likely to have. It Is equally
oody or yours with SO much respect as the
coroner; Will. But the fact remains that we
can only get that easy death by being muir.
d deres' that easy benediction by reing muir.
ton by being an idiot. 81 euuoN.'
~ nave no intention OF treating 80 typical and
intehigsnt modern suggestion with mere dis.
ever wrong with the Montessori system thar
is not also wrong with you and me and the
whole modern world. The world is turning H.
ser into madhouse since 1t adopts every.
house. EsE2 ~ - - - - = .iitAu'
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06
By q. z. g.

1THE Montessori method OF education
is, like many better and many worse
proposals. proposal to make edu-
cation easier; but that is not the arrestins
feature about it. The arresting feature about
it is that its discoverer ayowedly applies to
ordinary children methods first found sue.
cessful in the case Of defective chill.
dren. That Gas Keats said OF much more
djsphtable proposition) is call we know and
all we need to know" a method that was
right for abnormal children cannot be right
for normal children. If quinine is good thing
to drink with all your meals. It cannot be q
good thing to take when you have fever. II
chloroform ought to be given when you have
to lose both your legs. it certainly ought not