New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-13
Likens Roosevelt to Bis
marck and Predicts
Autocracy in U. S.
PLAN DENOUNCED
BY WICKERSHAM
Ex.Attorney General Says 1t
Would Tie States Hands
Schurman Adds Criticism.

from q star Correspondent OF The TrlbuncI
Albany, Aug William Barnes's
proposed amendment prohibiting the
Legislature from passing minimum
wage, old age pension and other social
welfare laws was regarded as dead
issue. so far as the Constitutional Con-
vention is concerned, when the debate
on il closed at l0:30 o'clock tonight.
So hopeless do Mr.. Barnes and his
followers in this particular bill con-
slider their cause that they had the vote
on it postponed until Monday night. In
the mean time n great deal of mission
ary work must be done to make the de-
| feat Of Mr.. Barnes's pet proposal any
thing else than crushing.
In a long speech urging the conven-
ton to adopt his amendment Mr..
Barnes warned the convention that II
stop was not put to what he termed
"socialistic" or class legislation there
would be established in this country an
autocratic state similar to that Of Ger
many, denying utterly the American
theory of equality"
Compares T. r. to Bismarck.
Incidentally the Republican leader
compared Theodore Roosevelt to Bis
marck. and asserted that the Progress
sve party had inaugurated and was ad-
vocatng the identical policy which had
caused the Socialist party in Germany
I to becorle the largest single group IN
/ the Reichstag.
In advocating legislation to care for
/ the workingman Mr.. Barnes said Bis
marck told the Reichstag such laws
would check socialism. lie then quoted
/ RooseveIt's words in advocating the
| 1912 platform of the Progressive party
as a "check to socialism and an anti
/ dote to anarchy
Declaring the socialist idea to be
| Oh Numerical and only vision, Mr..
/ Barnes continued:
i 1.-THE certain destination involved IN
i this kind of legislation will not be the
/ attainment of the sOclalistlc ideal, but
the tyrannous autOcratic state, not
democratic in a single form, but estab-
Z lished in the name of democracy. The
benevolent state inevitably breeds, not
men and women, but dependents. The
oppression of crowd thought. crowd-ln-
terest, crowd demand for mediocrlty
might even lead the human race back to
/ the protoplasm whence 1t emerged
Mr.. Barnes concluded with the pre-
| diction that if the voters had the OPP
portunity they would declare against
/ the granting Of privilege to any class Of
| individuals not granted equally TO all
members of the state.
/ The main defender of Mr.. Barnes's
proposal was Judge A. 7. Clearwater,
/ of Kingston. He caused the delegates
| 10 smile when he likened Mr. Barnes 70
/ St. John the Baptist, a mere voice IN
! the wilderness, falling on unheedlnG
] ears.
Wickersham Attacks Proposal.
Ex-Attorney General George W.
/ Wickersham, the floor leader, was the
/ first leader to attack the proposal.
1.-THE propositions advanced by the
delegate from Albany" he said, "em-
body principles which he has expressed
frequently, but nevertheless they en-
body principles so Impractical in the
expression which he has here given TO
them that their adoption would mean
/ the destruction Of this government as
a practical vehicle for the conduct OF
the affairs Of the commonwealth.
when the gentleman from Albany
seeks to provide that the Legislature
shall not grant any privilege to any
class of individuals not granted TO all
members of the state he. seeks so 70
tie the hands of the Legislature that it
may not deal with any class, no mat
ter how exceptional their condition, no
matter what the circumstances Of their
state, which is not extended to every
other individual in the state.
Now, that would be to destroy the
whole basis on which the American
commonwealth has advanced since its
foundation, OF classifying laws for the
purpose Of meeting cases which fall
within the classification.
Darpac's nrCnOgal Would IpprlVp
the state of the capacity to do justice
for a wrong inflicted, 10 engage in any
benevolent or charitable affair Of any
kind, or to expend one dollar in pre-
venting pauperism, in relieving the
necessities of the aged or of assisting
the necessities Of those incapacitated
by weakness from helping themselves.
"Mr. Barnes would erect the State of
New York into as impersonal, as heart
less a social organization as the worst
enmies of Germany accuse her Of
being.
Schurman's Criticism Scathing.
Even in more scathing terms did
Jacob Gould Schurman. president Of
/ Cornell University, denounce Mr..
Barnes's proposal.
"There is dynamite in this proposal"
he declared. at would dissolve exist
ing political parties, create class an
tagonism and undermine that authority
upon which all government rests. The
people are contented with the manner
in which the Legislature in the past
has granted privileges and immunities
/ TO communities or classes
Before any other big guns could be
turned on Mr.. Barnes, Judge Clear
water, whose diction is the marvel Of
the convention, came to the eX-state
chairman's assistance. Surprise, he
said, was his telling at hearing Mr..
Wickersham and the other opponents
of Mr.. Barnes's proposal He empha-
sized that it was not retroactive, but
/ had 10 do solely with the future
THE golden period of American
/ youth has gone by" he said. I'VE have
reached maturity, and among the
greatest problems is careful guarding
Of the rights Of the individual against
the oppression of the majority.
This is an instrument for the pres
ervation Of representative government,
and that is why | vote in favor OF it,
Nv conceptiOn Of the duty OF a Con-