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Arrangements are now being mad at St. Lo...

Arrangements are now being mad at St. Lo... image
Parent Issue
Day
22
Month
May
Year
1894
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Arrangements are now being mad at St. Louis for the holding of " convention of the discontented fo the purpose of forming a new party. " It is alleged that Governor Waite, Lewelling and Pennoyer anc probably Governor Tillman will be present. Poor St. Louis, her woe would seem to be greater than she can bear. Everything that iabor buys it buys under protection. Everything it has to sell is labor and this it sells in a free trade market because thousands of foreigners are annually transported to this country and fix by their competition the state of wages paid American labor. Those who insist, therefore, that a tariff is necessary to cover the difference between wages in this country and Europe are either densely ignorant are knaves. Last Friday the republicans in the senate dropped their dilatory tactics and permitted the consideration ol the tariff bill to proceed in a business like way. The result was that the senate disposed of forty-four paragraphs of the bill. At this rate the bill could be disposed of in two or three weeks. They shoulc not be allowed in future to retare the progress of the measure under the lying assertion that they are not filabustering. Gov. Hogg, of Texas, upon learning that some proselyting "industriáis" were coming to that state 'to make recruits, issued a proclamation warning all laboring men of the folly of the undertaking. He adds that "if deadbeats, loungers and snoozing idlers wish to leave the state, let them go. They will get along about as well in one calaboose as in another." While this language smacks of the wild and woolly west, the words are words of wisdom. The Missouri democrats in their platform recently adopted by the state convention declare their devotion to the democratie doctrine of a tariff for revenue only, and also take high ground in favor of the income tax. They declara that they favor it "not for the purpose of discriminating against the wealth of any section, but because every citizen should be taxed in proportion to the benefits he receives from the protection to his property by the government, and no tax can be so just as that which is collected, not onconsumption or unproductive property, but from the profits or incomes which really represent the benefits received by the citizens from just and equal laws." Here is expressed in a nut-shell the purpose and justice of an income tax. It is to be hoped that the senate investigation of the alleged attempt to bribe Senators Hunton and Kyle to vote against the tariff bill will result iu uncovering the whole unconscionable scheme of the bushwhackers, in and out of the senate, to defeat the consummation of tariff reform. It is known in advance, of course, that the senators named were not susceptible, but the investigation may unearth others who were. The trouble with such investigations, however, is that those who are really guilty usually get on the committee and under cover of much affected righteous indignation and the cloud of dust raised, succeed in hiding their villainy. If the senate is reajly in earnest in undertaking the inquiry, it can undoubtedly lócate the individuals who have the pork; but the probabilities are i that the "courtesy of the senate" ; will effectually shield any of its members who may have been in the raarket. The time is rapidly approaching when the democrats of Michigan will be called upon to select one of their number as a Standard bearer for the campaign of next fall. It behooves the party to csnsider the matter 'arefully and dispassionately in order that the possibility of a mistake may be avoided. First of all he should be a man of recognized ability, of unimpeachable character and experience in public affairs. Then he should be a stalwart in the principies of the party as enumerated in the last national platform. He should not be of the "herring" stripe of reformers on the great principal which carried the party to national supremacy in 1892. He should not be the favorite of any clique or faction, as opposed to any other faction, but he should be the enthusiastic choice of a united and aggressive democracy. Then this candidate should be placed on a platform demanding courageous loyalty to principie as opposed to a platorm of mere fancicd expediency. With such a candidate on such a platform Michigan democracy will come nearer to victory than with any other candidate or platform. The conditions resulting from the great strike of the coal miners which has been in progress for several weeks are becoming serious. If the operators and miners continue at variance a few weeks longer, it wil! cause the shutting down of most oi the great industries of the country. Manufacturing establishments, railroads, water transportation, electric light and gas plants, all depend on coal as a basis of power. The whole commerce and production of the country is at the mercy of the coal operators. The supply has already became so low that great trunk lines are refusing freight that they may husband their coal supply for the transportation of passengers and the mails. In Pennsylvania the railroads are seizing coal in transit and appropriating it to their own use. Efforts are also making to import coal from Canada and some large shipments are on the way here from Wales. Wood is being used in places where there is a supply of it. Butit.is idle to suppose that the needs of commerce and production can be supplied from those sources, and unless there is an early resumption of coal production, incalcuable lamage will be done the business nterests of the country. There is no doubt but that the coal miners ïave much of justice in their claims !or an increase of wages, as they are Doorly paid anyway and wages have )een reduced during the past year eyond the limit of possible justifiation on account of the times, ustice requires of the mine owners, herefore, that the claims of the men be met up to the equitable imit, but both sides should, in view f the grave danger to the business f the country, approach the settlement of their differences in the pirit of conciliation aad com3romise. That the senate investigation of the attempted corruption of its members is to be a job of whitewashing becomes apparent at the outset. Last Saturday the committee met and decided that the "Courtesy of the senate" demanded that the investigation be conducted in secret. This indicates, of course, that they do not intend to find out anything definite, but, lest some bungling witness, who has not been sufficiently coached, shall inadvertently give out some damaging information, they propose to exclude the public. This purpose to proceed with the investigation behind closed doors and with exceeding great caution for fear of discovering something, indicates that a whitewash has been agreed upon at the very outset. Perhaps it is unreasonable to expect anything different. If thieves are set to investígate thieves, no one should expect that any will be brought to justice. It is only when they "fall out" that justice is to be expected. Such is the history of ibout ninety-nine per cent. of all preceding congressional in-! vestigations. As a rule damaging reports are only made when the ! fending official belongs to the opposite party. If it was really desired to get at the facts as to what senators have been using pending legislation for making profits, it would not seem a difficult thing to do. The operations of the representatives of the sugar trust have been ' notorlous for montbs. Charges have i been made and reiterated and there i is unquestionably abundance of evidence to show that grave senators j who would have the public believe I them immaculate have been large speculators in sugar stock. That in doing this they violated their oaths and betrayed the people who had given them their confidence, no one questions. This may not be bribery in a technical sense, but it is worse. That there are several senators who have indirectly at least bartëred their positions for profit through their specuiations in sugar stock is notorious, but that the committee will exposé them, no one beheves. In all probability the investigation will result in as neat a job of whitewashing as any that has been done in some years. The New York legislature recently passed and Gov. Flower approved, the Parson's bilí which provides for the establishment of schools or classes for the training of teachers in connection with the public schools of every village and city in the state employing a superintendent of schools. It provides that these training schools shall be maintained not less than thirty-eight weeks each school year. It also provides that no persons shall be employed or licensed, after January i, 1896, to teach in the primary or grammar department of any city having a superintendent of schools, who has not had successful experience in teaching for three years, or who has not graduated from a high school having at least a three years' course, approved by the State Superintendent, or from some institution of equal or higher rank, and who has not subsequently graduated from a school or class for the professional training of teachers, having a course of study of at least thirty-eight weeks. The enactment of such a law marks an educational advance of much importance. It recognizes in an authoriative way the necessity for professional preparation on the part of would-be teachers in addition to the general scholastic requirements. The intelligent enforcement of such a law will elévate the teacher's calling and make of it a distinctive profession for the practice of which there must be special preparation as is the case in other professions. It will prevent making the public schools an asylum for the halt, and the lame and the relations and friends of people who have a "pull" with members of boards of education, but who lack the tial quauhcations or the teacher. It will improve the work of the school and redound the lasting advantage of the children and give to the people greater value for the money expended upon the public schools. It is to be hoped that Michigan will early follow the example of her sister state and raise the great public school interest to a higher plain by requiring all teachers to be professionally equipped for their work. The country has been slow in learning that anything more than general scholarship is essential to the equipment of a good teacher, but there is satisfaction in knowing that the lesson is being learned.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News