The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1918-03-12


case Of negro voters. The TIMES still
adheres to the idea that the largest
measure of state and local self-gov
eminent compatible with national Sc
curity should be retained. On this
very matter of negro voters, officious
interference by the national govern
ment must create much turmoil since
it is certain to be done by those pro-
foundly ignorant of the practical con-
ditions with which they have to deal.
The average negro in the south is not
today in a condition to intelligently
use the ballot In his case an edu
cational qualification with appropria-
tions from the nation to help in the
work of education, especially indus
trial education, would gradually en-
franchise the black voters without
friction To insist that the Ethiopian
masses Of the black belt" of both
sexes today be melted to exercise the
ballot, backed by federal bayonets, is
no solution of the problem, whatever
honest zealots may think about it. In
this case the federal government
should in our opinion cooperate with
the states which have a negro prob
lem. in the effort to solve it in the in
terest of both races in a practical way.
The better classes of the south would
undoubtedly welcome such assistance.
The short ballot and other measures
Of local self-government should, we
believe, be left to those communities
interested in carrying them out. They |
are matters to be determined by those
interested. So far as woman's suf-
frage, and prohibition are concerned, /
they are inevitable The white slave
traffic is already legislated against.
Most of the demands regarding labor
viii be adopted anyhow
The economic demands fall under
two heads Under the first comes the |
demand for government ownership of |
railroads, etc. "and all other indus
tries whose operations depend on
franchises" This demand is held the
oretically sound where deemed prac-
tically expedient, by the overwhelm
ing majority of authorized teachers of
political economy. Whether such
should be owned and operated by the
government, or simply placed in priv
ate hands for operation and regulated |
for public good being solely prac
tical question. In this class such au-
thorized teachers as Professor John |
Bates Clark of Columbia, would place |
coal mines, and the pipe lines for the |
transportation of oil, if not actually
the oil wells In this class too would |
fall government terminals, ware
houses and elevators, as inseparably
connected with transportation. Had
the demands stopped there, while in
volving radical and experimental de-
partures from previous custom, they
would not imply any fundamental de-
Walton from recognized principles.
But the demand for the government |
ownership of flour mills, packing
plants and all forms of business de-
pending on large operation on a nom
competitive or centralized basis"
opens up a bottomless pit of conscious
governmental activity which must
prise. Centralized operation does not
necessarily imply non-competitive OPP
Grafton. Potential competition fire.
quently exists as a regulative force in
centralized business. This plank was
evidently put in to capture the So
cialists.
It is all that any Socialist could de-
mand 1t is this which marks the diff
ference between the National party
and the Peoples party. The latter
was paternalistic, but kept within the
bounds Of individualistic political
economy in economic as distinguished
from purely financial doctrine. The
National party is a Socialist party at
the bottom. We are today experiment
ing with public railroad management
We believe that until those industries
which may at least in principle be
found legitimate channels of public
activity have proven successful under
government ownership we should hes
itate to open the floodgates by linn
itless demand for national industrial
operation. Also, for reasons often
given in these columns, we believe
that with the restoration of normal
competitive conditions after the war
many vexatious, though at present
necessary regulations. should be re-
pealed and only those retained that
are found beneficial in effect.
CITY MONEY CANNOT