The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1932-01-21
THURSDAY, JANUARY Fl, 1882
Will Congress Measure Up

every country in the world is puzzled and despairng
Pressing economic and social issues abound every
side Unemployment various plans for stabilizng in
dustry with governmental aid farm relief, taxation
these and other issues engaging the public mind
and must look to Congress for action.
The last ISSUE taxation, is possibly the greatest of
ALL 1t is intimately related to the others. Employ
ment only result from industrial activity and
panson-and nothing do to brighten indus
try and prevent the investment of capital, than
sive taxation.
Those who propose plans for helping the distress
ed at the expense of the taxpayer have sentiment
their SIDE But many of the relief plans they pro-
pose would do the unemployed more harm than good
in the long There is limit to the spending
power of government point beyond which the tax
payer no longer produce revenue. When this point
is reached, industrial stagnaton inevitably results
and severe unemployment, instead of being temper
airy evil becomes permanent
Congress should do everything possible to reduce
the cost of 1t should scrutnize with the
utmost any project whatever that requires public
funds 1t should observe the condition of such
tries England with its dole and Geremany with it's
vast paternalism, and not be caught in the net.
Accident Prevention
the end of 1881 we look backward on an auto
~ mobile accident record of $4,000 fatalities and
resolve to do better in 1882. No problem is
within the control of the individual than that of
traffic fatalities and injuries. It is within the power
Responsible
careful driver. Nine out of ten drivers merit that
classification 1t the one out of ten who causes
the accidents-and he is the who refuses heed
accident prevention messages.
1t is tragic thing that carelessly driven automo
biles can cause more deaths than great Ire
mendous advances have been made in automobile
struction, from the standpoint speed power and of
mechanical safety. But advances in the standard of
driving have Jagged behind. We have built better
but have not developed better drivers to operate
them.
Highway safety is made up of many little factors
none of which cost anything. If resolves to abide
by the laws, to lose minute rather than gain
the risk of lives and others, remember the
written rules of courtesy and carefulness there will
not be $4,000 automobile deaths annualy-and perhaps
there will not be $500. Such progress may be
too much to hope for in single year-but every
operator of automobile should remember that it is
possible and act accordingly.
Economic League Vote
~ ESULTS of referendum vote on several public
X questions by members of the national council of
the National Economic League, non-partsan
body, composed of leaders in various walks of life
have just been announced. There were 1907 votes
cast the percentage in favor of the various proposals
being follows:
For cancelling German PREPARATIONS and nterna-
tiona war debts, only Ia per cent voted Eyes," For
reducing them, 80 per cent For further postponing
payment Al per cent.
For reducing existing tariff schedules, rs per cent
For raising them, three per For keeping them as
they are, % per cent.
For the adoption of positive policy by
Federal Reserve and central banks for preventing ex
cessve imitation and deation 81 per cent For their
utilizing the power of gold and credit to lessen the
fuctuation of production and unemployment "a per
cent
While the vote on the above proposals was not
numerically large it is believed that it represents an
important cross-section of public opinion. If so, it
shows an overwhelming majority against cancellation
of reparations and debts three to one vote in
favor of lowered tariff schedules and an almost un-
animous vote for irmer banking policy with respect
to speculation.
Killings in 1881
4 LII of the IL large cities showing the highest
~ homicide rates for 1881 are in the South Mem
phs holding the unenvable record of standing
at the head of the list it has for several years.
Omtting decimals, the number of killings per 100000
OF population for the year in these high ranking cities
follows:
Memphis, So; Atlanta, SO; Lexington, KY, SO;
birmingham, 40; Shreveport La. Al; Augusta Ca,
Al; Nashville, 81; Miami, So; Macon, Ga 81; Mobile,
go
In contrast with these figures, New York had only
seven murders per 100000 of population and Chicago
in spite of its reputation, only fraction over ID Of
the large cities Boston had the most commendable
record, with slightly less than 2.
1t is hard to account for the fact that Memphis
consistently has homicide rate Is times as great as
that of Boston and more than eight times as great
as that of New York But Bostons rate is higher
than that of England Canada and the murder record
OF the United States whole is the worst among
the countries of the world.