Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-08-26
Industrial Commission
tcontinued from Phge 81

fLlSaHSS anu 6dldIlcu OAaAS-e.sS
lcomes are more or less adequate for
heir legitimate needs and DESIRES ana
who are rewarded more or less exactly
"A proportion to service. They nave
problems to mete in adjusting e1.
lenses to income, but the pnch o.
aant and hunger is not felt, nor ID
here the deadening, devitalizlng Ell
act of superf1uous, unearA ID Wealln.
From top to bottom OF society,
however, in all grades Of incomes arr
innumerable number OF parasites
Every conceivable type. They per.
II no usful service, but drain on
ii the income OF the prooiesfis u
Jam whose total cannot be estimated.
Beside the economic slgnliidnce o.
these great inequalities Of wealth and
lcome, there is social aspect Wnlcn
qualify merits the attention 81 Con-
ess. It has been shown that the
:, eat fortunes of those who have pro-
tited by the enormous expansion Oh
American industry have ALREADY OF
will in few years pass by right OF
Inheritance to the control OF heirs OF
% trustees who act as their wee re-
CENTS They are frequently styled by
our newspapers 'monarchs or INDUS
try and indeed occupy within our re
public a position almost exactly an
alogous to that of feudal lords.
These heirs, owners only by virtue
of the accident of birth, control the
livelihoods and have the power 70
dictate the happiness Of more human
sJeings than populated England IN the
middle ages. Their prfnclpanties, 1t
IS true, are scattered, and through the
medium OF stock-ownershlp, shared In
part with others; but they are none
The less real. In fact, such scattered,
invisible industrial principaltties are
a sreater menace to the welfare OF
the nation, than would be equal power
consolidated into numerous petty king
doms in different parts OF the country.
they might then be visualized and
guarded against,-now their influence
mvisibIy permeates and controls every
phase Of life and industry.
1.-The king can do no wrong moi
only because he is above the law, 'Dul
because every function is either per
formed or responsibility assumed Dy
MS ministers and agents. Similarly
our Kockefellers, Morgans, FTlcks
yanderbilts and Astorss can do no IN
uustr1al wrong, because all enect1ve
action and ulrect responsibility Is
shuted from the INTO the executive
omcials who manage American indus
try.
Quotes Rockefeller.
'sThe similitude, indee0, runs ever
to mental attitude and phase. Com
pare these two statements:
John D. Rockefeller, Jr.-My APP
probation Of the conditions surrUund
ing wage earners and my sympathy
with every endeavor to better LneSs
conditions are as strong as those o.
any man.
Louis XVI.-There is none bu
you and me that has the peoples in
terest at heart I'll ny que vous q
moi qui aimions le peuple' j..
1.-THE families of these industrial
princes are already well established
and are knit together not only by com
mercial alliances, but by a net WORK Oh
inter-marriages which assure harmon
ious action whenever their common
interest is threatened.
Effective action by Congress is re-
quired, therefore, not ony to reauJusl
on a basis commensurate in some
measure to the service performed, the
existing inequalities in the distribu
ton OF wealth and income, but also to
check the growth of an hereditary ar
istocracy, which is not only foreign to
every conception of American Govern
ment, but menacing to, the welfare Of
the people and the existence Of the
nation as democracy.
THE objects to be attained in max
ing this readjustment are: to reduce
the swollen, unearned fortunes oil
those who have a superfluity; to raise
the underpaid masses to level Of de
cent and comfortable living; and al
the same time to accomplish this or
a basis which will, in some measure
approximate the just standard of in
coe proportional to service"
inheritance Tax Remedy.
AS a remedy for the unequal distri
! button OF wealth and income, the re
port urges ''the enactment Of an In
heritance tax so graded that while
making generous provision for the
support of dependents and the educa-
ton of minor children, it shall leave
no large accumulation of wealth to
pass into hands which had no share
in its production. The report sug.
gests that limit Of one million dol
lars be fixed on the amount that shall
pass to the heirs. It recommends that
the revenue from this tax be reserv-
ed by the Federal Government for
three principal purposes:
1. The extension of education.
2. The development Of other i'm
portant social services which should
proberly be performed by the nation
which are discussed in detail else
where.
3. Development in cooperation
with states and municipalities of
great constructive works, such as
road building. irrigation and refore-
station, which would materially In
cease the efficiency and welfare Of the
entire nation.
There is no legislation" says the
report, which coulds be passed by
Congress. the immediate and ultim.
ate effects of which would be more
salutary or would more greatly assist
in tempering the existing spirit o.
unrest"
Denial Of Opportunity.
Discussing unemployment and de-
= IT,