Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-12-08


may presently be found advisable to
add to its duties still others equally
heavy and exacting. 1t must first be
perfected as an administrative instru-
ment.
The country cannot and should not
consent to remain any longer exposed
to profound industrial disturbances for
lack Of additional means of arbitra-
ton and Cancellation which the CON
gress can easily and promptly supply.
And all will agree that there must be
no doubt as to the power Of the execu-
tive to make immediate and uninter-
rupted use Of the railroads for the con-
centration of the military forces of the
nation wherever they are needed and
whenever they are needed
This is program of regulation, pre-
yention and administrative efficiency
which argues its own case in the mere
statement Of it. With regard to one
OF its items, the increase in the eff
cheney Of the interstate commerce com
mission, the house of representatives
has already acted; Its action needs
only the concurrence of the senate.
For Control and Operation.
would hesitate to recommend, and
I dare say the congress would hesitate
to act upon the suggestion should /
make it, that any man in any occupa-
ton should be obliged by law to CON
tinue in an employment which he de-
sired to leave. To pass a law which
forbade or prevented the individual
workman to leave his work before re-
celying the approval of society in do
ing so would be to adopt a new prin-
ciple into our jurisprudence which
take II for granted we are not prepared
to introduce. But the proposal that
the operation Of the railways of the
country shall not be stopped or inter-
rupted by the concerted action Of or
ganized bodies Of men until Il public
investigation shall have been instituted
which shall make the whole question
at issue plain for the judgment of the
opinion Of the nation Is not to propose
any such principle. 1t is based upon
the very different principle that the CON
certed action of powerful bodies of men
shall not be permitted to stop the in
dustrial processes Of the nation, at any
rate before the nation shall have had
an opportunity to acquaint itself with
the merits Of the case as between en-
ployee and employer, time to form it's
opinion upon an impartial statement
of the merits, and opportunity to con
slider all practicable means of concilia-
ton or arbitration.
can see nothing in that proposition
but the justifable safeguarding by So
clety of the necessary processes of
its very life, There is nothing arbi-
trary or unjust In it unless it be arbi-
trarily and unjustly done. 1t can and
should be done with full and scrupu-
lous regard for the interests and liber-
ties Of all concerned as well as for the
permanent interests Of society itself.
Other Legislation Urged. q
Three matters Of capital importance
await the action Of the senate which
have already been acted upon by the
house Of representatives the bill
which seeks to extend greater freedom
Of combination to those engaged in pro-
noting the foreign commerce of the
country than is now thought by some
to be legal under the terms of the laws
| against monopoly; the bill amending
| the present organic law of Porto Rico 4;
| and the bill proposing a more thor
ough and systematic regulation of the
| expenditure of money in elections, com
monty called the Corrupt Practices Act.
| need not labor my advice that these
measures be enacted into law. Their
urgency lies in the manifest circum-
stances which render their adoption at
this time not only opportune but neces-
sary. Even delay would seriously
| leopard the interests of the country
| and of the government.
Immediate passage Of the bill to reg
| ulare the expenditure Of money in cleo
tons may seem TO be less necessary
| than the immediate enactment of the
other measures to which l refer; be-
cause at least two years will elapse
| before another election in which fed
eral offices are to be filled but it would
greatly relieve the public mind If this
| important matter were dealt with
while the circumstances and the dan
gers to the public morals of the pres
ent method of obtaining and spending
| campaign funds stand clear under re-
| cent observation and the methods of
expenditure can be frankly studied in
| the light of present experience; and a
delay would have the further very Sc
riouS disadvantage of pOstponing ac-
ton until another election was ut hand
and some special object connected with
it might be thought to be in the mind
of those who urged it. Action can be
taken now with facts for guidance and
without suspicion of partisan purpose,
shall not argue at length the desir-
ability of giving a freer hand in the
matter of combined and concerted eff
fort to those who shall undertake the
essential enterprise of building up our
! pynort trade Tint ENTERPRISE will