The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-23

port l gave him my vote in November.
Tariff Out of Politics.
I'VE Progressives declared for
tariff commission in the view that the
tariff should be taken out OF pohtlcs
entirely. Everyone knows that the I
making up of the tariff had fallen into
hands which manipulated it so as to
grant special privileges to some fav-
ored persons and inequalities to 9TH
ers. The Payne-Aldrich tariff law was
the climax of the old grab-bag fashion
of making up the tariff, and it was so
obnoxious that more than one-haIf OF
the party that enacted it condemned
it. Indeed, it was so obnoxious that it
was not even referred to in the Re
publican platform of 1915. The tariff
had disturbed our politics so long and
the theory of the protective principle
was so misapplied that the public
mind revolted. The Progress1ves In
their platform advanced the PROPOSE
ton that the tariff should be removed
from politics entirely, in view that
it was purely a business question;
therefore, we favored a non-partisan,
scientific tariff commission which
should be charged with the duty of in
vestigating the facts as to the differ
ence in the cost of production in this
country and in foreign countries, with
a view of ascertaining true and an
equitable measure, after which the
duties on particular schedules might
be fashioned. The proposal did not
necessarily mean protection, but it
meant justice. In some cases a pro-
tectiVe tariff, of course, would essen
TALLY be the result of the investigation
where articles were produced cheaper
| in foreign countries than here because
of the lesser wages paid on the other
| side than here. In other cases it might
mean no protection whatever if it
should appear that it cost more to
| produce particular articles in other
countries than here, so their importa-
ton might not result in beating down
| our prices.
The proposal was so eminently just
that even the Republican party this
year has adopted it and written it into
| its platform. President Wilson, how
ever, was in the advance as to this,
for he declared in favor of it a year
ago. The Democratic party, too, has
written the same proposal into its
platform, but Mr.. Wilson and his par
| ty have the advantage in point of
! performance, for under his leadership
the Democratic party has already en-
acted our Progressive tariff commits
sion into law. And SO it is, if the two
parties be sincere, the tariff is re-
moved entirely from the arena as a
political question and is to be treated
| in the future according to the Pro-
gressive plan along the lines of intel
ligent business principles. This is an
other reason why l favor Mr.. Wilson,
because, forsooth, he not only saw and
understood the justice of our proposal,
| but persuaded his party to actually
enact it into law.
The Eight-Hour Day.
| The Progressive platform declared
in favor of the eight-hour day prfnci-
pie in continuous industries, and some
three or four different portions of that
documen: reflect this view. Impend-
ing controversy between the railroad
employees and the owners of the rail-
roads came up this summer The men
demanded an eight-hour day and pay
ana Il half for overtime. The owners
| OF the railroads rejected these de-
mands and proposed an arbitration.
THE railroad men refused to arbi-
trate and insisted upon their right to
have an eight-hour day. Turnout the
Progressive platform reflects the hui
name view that it is not only cruel but
unjust, when viewed from the stand
point of thessocial fabric-that is, the
general public at large-to require
the toilers of the country to work
excessive hours In the first place
when men are thus overtaxed in dan
/ gerous employments it renders the oc-
/ cupation not only a dangerous one to
the employees but to those who pat
ronize the railroad as well, and in
this the public at large is concerned
Moreover, such long hours tend tc
undermine the constitution of the
| workers and impair their usefulness
shorten their lives and in many in
| stances entails a burden on the gen.
eral public, which it becomes the duty
of society to relieve. Therefore, the
| intelligent opinion of mankind hat
settled down in favor of the eight
| hour principle. Indeed, every legisla-
ture which has had the matter
brought to its attention has given g
Of r11f I11T
Averted the r.. r. Strike.
The president averted the strike
and saved the country from disaster
and temporary ruin, which in its con
sequences would be similar. in small
degree, to the devastation of war. BE
cause of his fine conception of the
right of the men to have an eight
hour day, and of his high and JUS
purpose to protect and conserve the
rights of the people, and to likewise
protect and conserve the rights of tht
railroad in seeing that the charge
whatever it may be, shall not be cas-
upon them without thoro investiga
ton as to the facts and only In so fal
as justice will sustain it, l took m!
stand on the side of President Wilson
and lift my voice in his defense.
The Child Labor Law.
The Progressive platform of 1911:
declared in favor of a child labo
law, and the kind heart of Mr.. Wilson
kind like that of Mr.. Lincoln, wa
touched by this matter so that he
too, accepted the Progressive view a.
to it. Do you know that there are two
million little children employed in thi
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 mucl
cheaper than that of adult labor? Be
cause of this. certain interests desir
to exploit the labor of little children
and this, too, Notwithstanding the re
suit entailed upon the child itself
Every thoughtful person understand
NERVES TREATED FREE