The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1916-10-13

man who had cattle or hogs on his
farm to ship would be required 70
keep them there, ready to ship, n
feed them while he could not reacn
the market. The wheat crops OF the
farmer would decompose in the field.
The melon crops of southeast Mis-
souri,, the cabbage crops, the peach
crops, and so, too, all Of the crops
would perish for want of means TO
transport them to market. The FAC
tories would shut down because, for
sooth, it was impossible to transport
their goods to the consumer. In TINS
situation the factories would close
down and the men in their employ be
thrown into idleness rather than 10
permit the accumulation Of goods
which might not be transported into
the marts of trade, and with the clos
ing down of the factories, the banking
Of the fires in the furnaces, the coal
mines would likewise suspend and the
miners unemployed, for the coal would
neither be required to generate the
heat necessary in %propelling the ma
chinery, nor could 1t be transported IL
removed from the earth. The same
situation would obtain in respect to
the products of the iron mines, the
zinc mines, and the lead mines, and
the heavy hand of disaster and ruin
would fall alike on every department
of industry, both in the cities and the
agricultural districts of the country.
This was the situation confronting
the President, and was the viewpoint
fully conceived and apprehended by
Mr.. Wilson as the presiding genius in
guiding and conserving the affairs Of
a hundred million American people. In
this situation he presented the matter
to congress and requested immediate
action, and this, too, in the high spirit
of justice, for he requested only a
declaration of the eight hour principle
as an arbitrary rule which has been
accepted by the judgment of mankind
as right. The President averted the
strike and saved the country from dis.
aster and temporary ruin. | take my
: stand on the side of President Wilson
and shall lift my voice in his defense
! The situation presented was extra
: ordinary in character. The remedy
= applied to avert such a threatened dis
aster was, in my judgment, not only
. appropriate and just, but it in no sense
: partakes of the character Of legisla
; tion forced by anyone.
v However, it is important in consid
n ering this matter to look at the rec
/ ords as to how the law was passed
s. In the house of representatives Their.
Il were 78 Republicans, including eX
Speaker Cannon, who voted for tn
bill and only Sc votes were against il
d These men go before the people Of tn
country every two years for election
and they knew the proposal was just
they therefore voted, without regar
s. to party lines, in favor Of the Pres
dents proposition. But, when the bi
came into the senate, where the men
a bers are elected every six years,
ID somewhat different situation vas pr
e. sented. 1t was sought to raise a pI
Mt litical issue in order to aid in tn
or shaking down Of a large campaig
IL. fund and rehabilitate, If possible, tn
wv old Republican machine which at a
20 times represents the invisible COVER
&C. ment behind the n We find
the Senate but two Democratic sen
tors (neither of these are from Mi
souri,, voting against the propos;
ct The Presidents party, save two sc
ne ators, supported it; but, on lookil
iaI over the vote of the Republican sen
lu tors II is different. We see Senat
La Toilette only, the splendid old PI
III gressive from Wisconsin, who h
never faltered but always stands {
the Progressive policies, voting wi
the Democrats for President Wilson
le proposal and aiding in its passag
1n' Over against this there is the bevy
lVe old r~eaetionary senators headed
Penrose and Gallinger, and co-operi
ing with them are such men as Bora
en- GrOna, Cummins, Kenyon and ClaI
who ordinarily are PrOgressives, I
lay lowing the leadership Of Penrose a
on, Gallinger in their alignment IN [
I've side Of property, rather than on t
side Of humanity, for they yot
led against the law,
nc The Progressive platform Of Is
declared in favor OF a child labor la
,is, and the kind heart Of Mr.. Wilson "
touched by this matter so that he, t
accepted the Progressive view as
II. DO you know that there are {
~ million little children employed in q
country, in the mills and the factori
and the mines, at a very slight wa
rbe but they render a service to their c
ployers which yields IN enormC
~ profit because the labor is so mi
cheaper than that Of adult labor?
cause of this, certain interests des
The to exploit the labor Of little childr
and this, too, notwithstanding the
suit entailed upon the child its
bic Every thoughtful person understal
her that the child and youthful person
for poses himself or herself to dan
flor frequently in a %thoughtless mann
ac. merely because thoughtlessness
tho indescretion are incident to childl
In other words, a mature person 4
,me be able to protect himself agai
cor. t%houghtless acts and conduct, witt
as, a mere child will encounter dams
and through thoughtlessness because S
the Is inherent in the child and cannot
=, On obviated. 1t is the high duty Of
mil. eminent to interpose in the protect
tion of innocence and helplessness. Ii
children toiling in the factories,
orm the mills, and the mines, frequel
set. lose their little hands; their II
mont legs; their little eyes. Their II
1ent lives are crushed out; because,
was sooth, in the very web and WOO
the their being there exists that indis