The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-10-20

man who had cattle or hogs on his
farm to ship would be required to
keep them there, ready to ship, and
feed them while he could not reach
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, 1t was impossible to transport
their goods to the consumer. In this
situation the factories would close
down and the men in their employ be
thrown into idleness rather than to
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 II
removed from the earth. The sans
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 1t in no sense
RNAhohhto VI lut VI lGRlSIn-
ton forced by anyone.
However, It is important In consid-
ering this matter to look at the rec
ords as to how the law was passed.
In the house of representatives there
were rs Republicans, including ex-
Speaker Cannon, who voted for the
bill and only Sc votes were against 1t.
These men go before the people of the
country every two years for election,
and they knew the proposal was Just;
they therefore voted, without regard
to party lines, In favor of the Presi-
dents proposition But, when the bill
came into the senate, where the mem.
bers are elected every six years, a
somewhat different situation was pre-
sented. 1t was sought to raise a DO
litical issue in order to aid in the
shaking down Of large campaign
fund and rehabilitate, if possible, the
old Republican machine which at all
times represents the invisible govern
ment behind the scenes. We find in
the Senate but two Democratic sena-
tors (neither Of these are from Mis-
sourD, voting against the proposal
The Presidents party, save two SEN
ators, supported it; but, on looking
over the vote of the Republican sena.
tors 1t is different. We see Senator
La Toilette only, the splendid old Pro
gressive from Wisconsin, who has
never faltered but always stands for |
the Progressive policies, voting with |
the Democrats for President Wilson's |
proposal and aiding in its passage. |
Over against this there is the bevy of |
old reactionaFy senators headed by |
Penrose and Gallinger and co-operat- |
ing with them are such men as Borah, |
Grona, Cummins, Kenyon and Clapp, |
who ordinarily are Progressives, fol- |
lowing the leadership of Penrose and |
Gallinger In their alignment on the |
side Of property, rather than on the
side of humanity, for they voted
against the law.
The Progressive platform Of 1912 |
declared in favor of child labor law,
and the kind heart of Mr.. Wilson was
touched by this matter so that he too,
accepted the Progressive view as to
1t. Do you know that there are two
million little children employed in this
country, in the mills and the factories,
and the mines, at very slight wage,
but they render a service to their en-
ployers which yields an enormous
profit because the labor is so much
cheaper than that of adult labor? Be
cause of this, certain interests desire
to exploit the labor Of little children,
and this, too, Notwithstanding the re-
suit entailed upon the child itself.
Every thoughtful person understands
that the child and youthful person ex-
poses himself or herself to danger
frequently in thoughtless manner,
merely because thoughtlessness and
indescretion are incident to child-life
In other words, mature person may
be able to protect himself against
thoughtless acts and conduct, where
rs, mere child will encounter dangers
through thoughtlessness because such
is inherent in the child and cannot be
obviated. 1t is the high duty of gov
to interpose in the protection
Of innocence and helplessness. Little
children toiling in the factories, and
the mills, and the mines, frequently
lose their little hands; their little
legs; their little eyes. Their little
lives are crushed out; because, for
sooth, in the very web and wool of
heir being there exists that indiscre-