The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-03-13
PROGRESSIVE
MOVEMENT AND
CHILD LABOR
NOTED SPEAKER AT FLORIDA
cHAuTAuoUA DELIVERED ELo-
QuENT ADDRESS ON THESE
TWO SUgJEcTS-A LARGER
FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR
ALL ARE HERALDEp.
SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL.

SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL.
DeFuniak Springs, March IA
large gathering met at the auditorium
OF the Florida Cnautaudua to hear
the gifted speaker Gertrude waldemar
speak on the subjects Of Child Labor
and "PrOgressiveism-" Gertrude Wal
demar has been prominent as a stu
dent Of these subjects, and as an au-
thor in literary and sociological cir
Giles. She held the audience by her
| magnetism and personality and drove
home the truths In a forcefui and tell
ing manner. She said In part:
War used to be a business, today
business Is war; it is also politics and
religion, so that great business and
social complications now confront us.
With expansion of commercialisrn our
republic is losing its center OF gravity.
! The nation is staggering. 1t cannot
continue to carry a pitcher Of clean
water upon one shoulder and a pitcher
Of dirty water upon the other. One or
the other must fall 10 the ground, and
If we spill the limpid waters. where
else shall the world look for a model
of free government?
Government for the mere produc-
ton OF wealth will always be controlled
by the masters Of wealth. The peo-
pie are coming to a full realization OF
| this fact and are awakening to the
danger of being governed by self
| seeking minority. and invisible govern
ment' that sits in the inner courts of
parasitic splendor and power. welding
its scepter of absolutisn. until our
liberty has become endangered
condition
wherein the predominating habit of
society IS 70 accumulate wealth at the
! expense OF one another, with two mil
lions OF our children as Industrial
slaves, the sole object OF which Is chea .
labor
eat this stage Of the grave situa-
ton a new movement has organized
to discover how our liberties can best
be preserved, liberty to and for all
within the plane OF equal privilege
for liberty Is the driving wheel in the
mechanism OF popular government.
THAT criterion OF freedom which I'm
slaves in our country nearly as many
children as there were inhabitants Of
the colonies at the beginning Of the
revolution and places the control Of
American industry and its profits into
the hands and pockets OF the few, is
far and away from the republic for
which our forefathers fought and for
which Lincoln died.
I'VE are standing on the threshold
OF another era. the age Of reconstruc-
ton. The times call for honest men
Of enlightened intellect, OF broad and
clear vision, who will poise the scales
Of even-handed Justice between those
who have too much ana those who
M
prolific age.
Here we should free ourselves from
blind adherence to political traditions
and dead issues, or issues that should
be dead and buried, with the live light
ming of progressive intellect thunder
ing over their graves.
THE object to be aimed at In the
present stage OF our development is
an improvement OF the system under
which we now live SO that every in
dividua1 may have an equal opportu-
nifty and may participate I'm the benefits
OF the community. Equity, the hand
maiden OF Justice. between class and
class should be put into ali the chan
nels Of government. This is the de-
nland OF the people: and the demands
Of mankind are Gods commands In the
evolution Of civilization
Now to correct these conditions that
menace US. some changes are neces-
sary 70 the organic law Of the coun-
try. A strong federal policy Is neces-
sary to carry oUt successful pro-
gressive policy.
1.-THE doctrines Of the progressive
movement are not new. They reach
back 10 the Golden Rule and the Sermon
on the Mount. They reach back to
foyzHrSna MIS- At
''Progressiveism heralds a larger
freedom. Justice and freedom to one
and all. It seeks the good OF the wage
Garner. the farmer. the producer in
every line ef life. II seeks wiser leg
islation. truer government, sounder
education. II seeks 70 ease the con-
ditions Of life lower the cost Of Nv
ing and spuelize opportunities OF life
for the masses.
'It seeks a better system OF taxa
ton, employment OF the poor on much
needed government work, restrictive
immigration, and reform In our judicial
system wherein we shall have Justice
melted out TO all alike. freely and
promptly.
"It proposes that tina people shall
affirm the direct part from primaries
TO judiciaries to all the functions or
government whenever and wherever
malfeasance In once becomes mani
fest
1T opposes all political corruption
or party rule. L declares that the
highest Ideals OF religious fraternal
and Industrial associations and the
best politics can and should clasp
hands in the achievement OF the OBJ
jects OF government.
EFT seeks TO solve the economic and
sociological problems which is the
greatest task OF our century to the end
that there may arise upon their fair
land of ours O real commonwealth.
TT believes in equal suffrage OF the
sexes because II believes that liberty