The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1915-09-09
SUMMARY OF FIRST
SECTION OF
MANLY REPORT
Unjust Distribution of Wealth

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children, 1t shall leave no large &C.
cumulation of wealth to pass into
hands which had no share in it's pro-
duction. The revenue from this tax
to be reserved by the General govern
ment for three principal purposes:
l. The extension of education.
2. The development of other i'm
portant social services which should
properly 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 reforestation
which would materially increase the
efficiency and welfare of the entire
nation.
There is no legislation which could
be passed by congress, the immediate
and ultimate effects of which would
be more salutary or would more
greatly assist in tempering the ex.
listing spirit OF unrest.
Unemployment and Denial OF Oppor.
tunlty to Earn Living
Certain measures for dealing with
these conditions which are discussed
elsewhere in the report need to be
pushed forward with all possible vigor
but 1t may be confidently predicted
not be appreciably relieved until great
advances have been made in the re
moval of the two prime causes-un
just distribution of wealth and monop
olization of land and natural resources
The most direct methods of dealing
with the inequality of wealth have al
ready been briefly discussed and will
be considered elsewhere in the re
port. With respect to the land ques
ton, however, the following basic sug
gestions are submitted:
l. Vigorous and unrelenting prose
cution to regain all land, water power
and mineral rights secured from the
government by fraud.
2. A general revision of our lan(
laws, so as to apply to all future lane
grants the doctrine of superior use,
as in the case of water rights in Cali
fornia, and provision for forfeiture IL
case of actual non-use. In it's simples
form the doctrine of superior use
implies merely that at the time Of
making the lease the purpose fol
which the land will be used must be
taken into consideration, and the use
which is of greatest social value shall
be given preference.
3. The forcing of all unused land
into use by making the tax on non
productive the same as on productive
land Of the same kind, and exemptine
all improvements.
The unemployed have aptly been
called "the shifting sands beneath the
state" Surely there is no condition
which more Immediately demands the
attention of congress than that of UNI
employment, which is annually driv
ing hundreds of thousands of other
wise productive citizens into poverty
and bitter despair, sapping the very
basis of our national efficiency, and
n n in of
Denial Of Justice
With full recognition of the gravity
of the suggestions it seems necessary
to urge the Commission to make the
following recommendations:
l. That congress should forthwith
initiate an amendment to the Consti
tuition providing in specific terms for
the protection of the personal rights
of every person in the United States
from encroachment by the federal and
state governments and by private in.
dividuals, associations and corpora
tons. The principal rights which
should be thus specifically protected
by the power of the federal govern.
ment are the privilege of the writ of
habeas corpus, the right to jury trial
free speech, peaceful assemblage, to
keep and bear arms, to be free from
unreasonable searches and seizures,
to speedy public trial, to freedom from
excessive bail, and from cruel and uni.
usual punishments.
2. That congress Immediately en-.
act by statute or, if deemed necessary
initiate constitutional amendment
specifically prohibiting the courts from
declaring legislative acts unconstitu.
tional
g. That congress enact that in all
federal cases where the trial is by
jury, all qualified voters in the dis
trict shall be included in the list from
which jurors are selected and that
they shall be drawn by the use of a
wheel or other device designed to
promote absolute impartiality.
T. That congress should drastically
regulate or prohibit private detective