HE EDITORIAL REVIEW is a high-class journal of original thought and the medium for the selection and presentation of dominant editorials of the daily press, thus denoting the views of different sections of the country. It appeals to those who desire information on questions of high particular and general import. It is a class publication for those who wish to keep pace with every important movement in current general history. L THE EDITORIAL REVIEW VOL. VI. JUNE, 1912 THE POLITICAL CONVENTIONS No. 6 THE forthcoming conventions will differ from any hitherto held, the system of Presidential primaries having introduced a new factor that changes radically the old order of things. In the campaign preceding the conventions this year there has been witnessed the sorry spectacle of the President and a former Chief Executive engaged in an acrimonious personal controversy, that is to be deprecated by all who are jealous of the dignity of the Presidential office. Large appeal has furthermore been made rather to the feeling than to the thought of the people. Orderly government under constitutional safeguards will, however, continue its triumphant course, the passing appeals of the demagogue notwithstanding. Baseless pretensions and half-truth statements can not long endure the test of sober scrutiny and calm judgment. The lessons of history guide us, and fundamental principles tried and tested by time are still respected. Innumerable are the instances in history of leaders placing before the people proposals that at first sight appeared seductive, but the perniciousness of which was revealed on closer examination and reflection. A good deal of idle talk has given rise to the impression that, somehow, the people rule on their own initiative, independent of leadership. What the people really do is to rule by choosing a leader who represents one set of policies as against a rival leader with another set of policies, to solve the problems that confront the nation. Leaders place their ideas, their programme, before the people who approve or disapprove, as the case may be. This expression of approval or disapproval determines the party that for the time being is in control of power. Since civilization reached the stage of representative government, this has been the way in which the people's voice has made itself heard, that is, through their elected representatives and leaders. Copyright, 1912, by The Editorial Review There is much popular interest in the result of the convention, for the aspirants are all potent personalities, both on the Republican and the Democratic side. After the nomination a good deal of quiet thinking will be done by many who are now carried away by the impulse of the moment in regard to certain issues that strike at the very foundations of American representative institutions and ideals. The sober judgment of the people is, we feel confident, opposed to a one-man power or to a Diazification of the Presidential office. The people can be confidently counted upon to do their duty when there is any attempt by an individual, no matter how gifted he may be, to assume the rôle of autocrat and seek to subvert the fundamental structure of our government. Among many wise warnings uttered by Abraham Lincoln the following is at the present moment one to be carefully heeded. Seventy-five years ago in an address before the Young Men's Lyceum at Springfield, Ill., upon "The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions," he said: "Many great and good men, sufficiently qualified for any task they should undertake, may be found, whose ambition would aspire to nothing beyond a seat in Congress, a Gubernatorial or a Presidential chair. . . . Towering genius disdains a beaten path. . . . It thirsts and burns for distinction. . . . Is it reasonable, then, to expect that some man possessed of the loftiest genius, coupled with ambition to push it to its utmost stretch, will at some time spring up among us? . . . Distinction will be his paramount object, and although he would willingly, perhaps more so, acquire it by doing good as harm, yet that opportunity, being past and nothing left to be done in the way of building up, he would set boldly to the task of pulling down." With a strong nominee on the Democratic side, that party would have a golden opportunity to retain its power in national affairs. On the Republican side the contest is between the "New Nationalism" and the personality of its protagonist, Theodore Roosevelt, and the conservatism represented by William H. Taft. Principles should triumph over personality and patriotism over partisan spirit. The man who can best meet the test of soundest principle and highest patriotism should be chosen by the people for safeguarding our country. THE EDITOR. Constitutional Amendments as Against Recall of Decisions, by James B. McDonough, strongly opposes the recall as destroying the judiciary and as being an assault upon the Constitution. Mr. McDonough urges an amendment of the Constitution, if for instance, it does not permit proper laws for the protection of labor in dangerous employment and give adequate compensation in case of accident. He deprecates, however, the destruction of "our splendid judicial system, which is the balance wheel of American institutions." The real remedy for judicial incompetency, dishonesty and corruption in office is by impeachment and not by recall of decisions, and it is pointed out that the war upon the courts of law is a political outcry resulting from five classes of decisions during the last seventeen years. If, he contends, the judiciary is to be blamed, much more blame must be given to Congress and the people in regard to the "wrongs" arising from these classes of decisions. After discussing the evils that would follow by taking away judicial power from the judiciary and placing it in the hands of the majority of the electorate, Mr. McDonough maintains that the true remedy in the premises lies within the Constitution and not without it. The Relations of Capital and Labor, by Jacob Schmidlapp, deals with a question that is to the fore at this time in all the principal civilized communities. Mr. Schmidlapp contributed to the number of THE EDITORIAL REVIEW a thoughtcompelling article on "Profit Sharing," explaining in detail and lucid manner advantages of such a system. The subject on which he now writes is the relations between capital and labor. He refers to the bonus plan as an incentive to wage earners to increased interest in their work and to greater efficiency, resulting in larger profits to the employer. Discussing the minimum wage theory at present being tried in England and to the conditions in several industries in that country, Mr. Schmidlapp expresses the conviction that under our form of government the State should be relieved as far as possible from interference with labor and that its demands should be met by larger sympathy on the part of employers and greater efforts to ameliorate the condition and environment of the laborer. He calls attention to the harm that Socialists are doing in preaching gloom instead of sunshine and emphasizes the supreme importance of saving by the wage earners. Economy connotes the safety of individuals as of nations. The facts and statistics given by Mr. Schmidlapp are exceedingly pertinent to the labor problem as it is at present before us. The Mining of Anthracite Coal, by Edward F. Brown, presents significant historical and contemporary facts regarding this industry in the eastern portion of Pennsylvania. Mr. Brown has made a study at first hand of the conditions obtaining there today and his illuminating article will interest all who are alive to the important problem of protecting employees in hazardous occupations. The tables of statistics of fatal accidents in the coal mines of North America, and particularly in the anthracite coal region, are startling in the extreme as showing the immense toll of human life that is claimed by the coal mining industry. It is a deplorable fact that the fatality rate on this side is above the average in the principal coal producing countries of the world. The causes are discussed in detail, and the story told of the wanton waste of human life, especially among children, "can only call from the consciences of the American public the severest censure." The article concludes with a review of some of the great industrial disturbances caused by disputes between the operators of mines and the mine workers during recent years. The Graduated-Tax Protectionists, by W. V. Marshall, demonstrates the analogy between the protective tariff and a graduated property tax, the latter supplementing the former and carrying it to a logical conclusion. Mr. Marshall has written a book entitled "A Curb to Predatory Wealth," in which this branch of political economy is treated at length. In the present article the principles on which graduated-tax protection is founded are laid down clearly and supported by a statistical table of telling interest. The plan of taxation proposed would, he contends, destroy the Trusts by utilizing the basic principle of self-interest. The good that would result from its adoption by the opening up of competition among all branches of trade is explained. There would be an equalization of supply and demand and protection against not only foreign encroachment but also encroachment from |