Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-02

transactions, and without systematic
knowledge Of the markets themselves;
that the laborers OF the country. the
great army of men who man the in
dustTies it was protesting to father
and promote, carried their labor as
mere commodity to market, were sub
jeCt to restraint by novel and drastic
process in the courts, were without as
surance of compensation for indus
trial accidents. without federal assist
anCe in accommodating labor dis
putes, and without national aid or
advice in finding the places and the
industries IN which their labor was
most needed. The country had no ma
tional system Of road construction and
development. Little intelligent atten-
tiOn was paid to the army. and not
enough TO the navy. The other repub-
lies of America distrusted us, be-
cause they found that we thought
first of the profits of Ameri-
can investors and only as an
afterthought of impartial justice and
helpful friendship. Its policy was
provincial in all things; it's purposes
were out of harmony with the temper
and purpose of this people and the
timely development of the nations in
terests.
Industry Set Free.
$50 things stood when the demo-
cratic party came into power. How do
they stand now? Alike in the domestic
field and in the wide field of the COM
MERGE OF the world, American business
and life and industry have been set
free to move as they never moved be-
fore.
The tariff has been revised, not on
the principle of repelling foreign
trade, but upon the principle of en-
couraging it, upon something like a
footing Of equality with our own in
respect of the terms of competition,
and a tariff board has been created
whose function it will be 10 keep the
relations of American with foreign
business and industry under constant
observation, for the guidance alike of
our business men and of our congress.
American energies are now directed
towards the markets of the world.
THE laws against trusts have been
clarified by definition, with view to
making it plain that they were not d.
rected against big business but only
against unfair business and the pre-
tense of competition where there was
none: and a trade commission has
been created with powers of guidance
/ and accommodation which have re-
/ lieved business men of unfOunded
/ fears and set them upon the road OF
/ hopeful and confident enterprise.
! by the federal reserve act the sup
ply of currency at the disposal of act
; i've business has been rendered elastic.
1 taking it's volume, not from a fixed
/ body of investment securities, but from
| the liquid assets OF daily trade; and
| these assets are assessed and accepted,
not by distant groups OF bankers IN
/ control Of unavailable reserves, but
| by bankers at the many centers of 10
, cal exchange who are in touch with
| local conditions everywhere
! Effective measures have been taken
| for the recreation of an American
merchant marine and the revival OF
the American carrying trade indis-
pensable 10 our emancipation from the
| control which foreigners have so long
| exercised over the opportunities, the
routes, and the methods of our COM
merce with other countries.
/ THE interstate commerce commits
/ sion is about to be reorganiZed to en-
| able it to perform its great and import
/ ant functions more promptly and more
/ efficiently. We have created. extended
and improved the service of the par
eel post.
| $50 much we have done for bust
! ness. What other party has under
/ stood the task so well or executed II
I so intelligently and theoretically
/ What other party has attempted it al
| all? The republican leaders, appar-
emily, know of no means of assisting
/ business but protection" How to
stimulate it and put it upon a new
/ footing of energy and enterprise they
! have not suggested.
have virtually created commercial
credit. by means of the federal reserve
act and the rural credits act They now
| have the standing of other business
men in the money market We have
successfully regulated speculation in
futures and established standards in
| the marketing Of grains. BY an in
| telligent warehouse act we have assist
! ed to make the standard crops availa-
! BILE as never before both for systematic
marketing and as a security for loans
! from the banks. We have greatly add
/ ed to the work of neighborhood dem
onstration on the farm itself of i'm
proved methods OF cultivation, and
| through the intelligent extension OF
the functions of the department of ag-
! riculture, have made it possible for the
/ farmer to learn Systematically where
! his best markets are and how to get ar
| them.
1.-The workingmen of America have
| been given a veritable emancipation
] by the legal recognition of mans Ia
I Dor as part of his life, and not a mere
marketable commodity; by exempting
/ labor organizations from processes of
/ the courts which treated their men,
/ bers like fractional parts OF mobs and
not like accessible and responsible in
dividuals; by releasing our seamen
/ from involuntary servitude; by max
| ing adequate provision for compensa-
ton for industrial accidents; by pro-
viding suitable machinery for media
/ ton and Cancellation in industrial dis
putes; and by putting the federal de-
| partment of labor at the disposal of
/ the workingman when in search of
/ work
| 1--WE have effected the emancipation
| of the children of the country by re-
Z = g.