Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 10 March 1922 — Page 1

THE ONLY DEMOCRATIC NEWSPAPER IN DELAWARE COUNTY

THE MUNCIE

DEMOCRA

mr\

VOL. 2. NUMBER 10

MUNCIE, INDIANA, FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1922

SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $2.00 A YEAR IN ADVANCE

Former Governor Ralston and Other Prominent Democrats Will Speak at Banquet

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The democratic banquet, which will be held at the Delaware Hotel on the night of the 16th, promises to be one of the liveliest political gatherings ever held in the eighth congressional district. Ray Andrews, democratic city chairman, who has been selected as chairman of the banquet committee, will act as toastmaster and former Governor Samuel M. Ralston, of Indianapolis, who 'recently' announced himself as a candidate for the democratic nomination for United States senator from Indiana, will be the principal speaker of #he evening. Mrs. A. P. Flynn, of Logansport, a democratic woman worker in the ranks of the militant democracy of Indiana, will,, also deliver an address. Mrs. Flynn is a speaker of the first order. She is a fluent and entertaining speaker and the committee was fortunate in securing her for the occa-

sion.

The third out of town speaker will be Hon. Claude G. Bowers, of Fort Wayne, editor of the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, a real, honest to God democratic newspaper. Only those

rate with the hazards of the indus-

try.”

“Coal sells at New York, Philadelphia and in other large cities at prices ranging up to $16 a ton, which represents the operator’s own profits, profits of the railroads, profits of the coal sales companies, the royalty takers and distributing agents”, the statement sets forth. Earningts Still High “The operators very skillfully avoid any reference to reductions of a substantial nature in the matter of their own profits,” it continues. “It is, therefore, obvious that there must be some connection between the operators and all those who handle coal between the operators and the consumers and, of course, from an interested standpoint, the operators can see deflation only so far as the miners are concerned, and a continuation of the earnings of operators, railroads, sales companies and others.” In supnort of their argument, the United Mine Workers quote the following passage from the anthracite coal commission’s, award, which is the basis for the present working agree-

who have heard Mr. Bowers speak ment between the miners and opera-

can have any idea of the brilliancy of his oratory, the keenness of his wit and the power of his logis. Every democrat in the eigth district ought to be on hand to hear him speak. A fine repast will be served and there will be plenty of good music. The tickets are now on sale at various places in the city and the different membe'rs of the central committee will also have tickets to sell. The price

tors:

Why Prices Mount

“The cornmission declines to commit itself to an award which could justly be considered as an encourage-* ment to the so-called ‘vicious spiral’ in prices. This award while providing improved conditions for any advance in retail prices of coal, but, on the other hand, is consistent with a decline in prices. The award has not

per plate will be $1.50, and as only a passed a great burden alonQ to the

limited number can be seated, those who want tickets should avail themselves of their first chance to obtain

them.

It has been several years since the democrats here have held a banquet and this will be differentfrom any other held previously, now that the women have become full fledged members of the party. It is expected that many ladies will attend the banquet.

Cut Earnings Way to Lower Price of Coal

Miners Say Operators Are Making Too Much

New York, March 9—Cheaper anthracite coal for the public, to be made possible by slashing the profits of the mine owner rather than by reducing the laborer’s wagjes, is advocated by the United Mine Workers of America in a statement issued here last Saturday. “Mine owners freely admit that the cost of coal to the consumer is too high,” declares the statement. “The remedy they suggest as a preliminary to the opening of new negotiations for a working agreement with the workers is a reduction in the cost of digging the coal—the miner’s wage— which is placed by the operators at $3.92 a ton.” The mine workers indicate that lower labor costs will represent a “bare living wage,’’ whereas they insist upon “a saving wage commensu-

consumer of coal.

“Despite this attitude by the commission,” the statement says, “not only was there no decline in coal prices, but the recent statement of the general policies committee of the operators declares that the increase granted by the commission was reflected in the increasing mine prices of domestic sizes of anthracite.’’ The statement was authorized by presidents of the United Mine WorkiU^^eeutiveJjoards in districts Nos. I

1, 7 and 9.

STOPS ELEPHANT ACT London—On the ground that forcing an elephant to “dance” on its hind legs was cruel, the authorities forbade the performing elephant act at Agricultural Hall. SAVE YOUR OSTRICH PLUMES -London—Here’s something quite new: Ostrich plumes are sewn to a V-shaped panel of velvet and used as a wrap.

COMBAT TROPICAL DISEASE Free Town, Sierra Leone—A completely equipped laboratory has been set up here to investigate and find cures for various tropical diseases which heretofore have baffled medical skill.

WATER VS. MUSIC Shoreham, Eng.—Robert Deing was arrested for throwing water on a street carol-sing(er. He was freed on the ground that carol singing was “a very great music”. Some men will tip the waitress 50c after paying thrice that amount for a meal—and think their wives ought to get meals for about a week on the same amount;

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How Brokers Have Fared In Housecleaning Drive (New York Herald) The following is a review of brokerage failures, bucket shop indictments and other evidences of the effects of the concerted drive against crookedness in stock dealings since The New York Herald published on February 9 the first of its series of articles disclosing the widespread fleecing operations of bucket shops in New York: The office of District Attorney Joab H. Batton has been so swamped with complaints against bucket shops that the services of two Grand Juries have been required to hear

the complaints.

Nineteen indictments have been announced on charges growing out of bucketing, and other indictments have been handed up but have not yet been made public pending apprehension of the persons indicted. Seven arrests have been made and others have been ordered. Six brokerage houses have been raided for evidence. The customery $3,000 bail has been increased to $50,000. Twenty-three stock brokerage concerns have failed, whether from dissatisfaction of customers growing out of bucketing operations or from other causes. The liabilities involved are approximately $20,000,000. Various independent agencies have been spurred to action to wipe out illegal stock dealing. The District Attorney, the additional Grand Jury and other agencies have worked out plans for remedial legislation. Both Congress and the New York Legislature have received committee reports on legislation designed to end

stock swindling.

The various stock exchanges have co-operated by expelling members against whom they had evidence of bucketing and by taking away their tickers, these actions almost invariably being followed by bankruptcy.

Sure Enough, Catch the Profiteers

Considerable noise was made not lorg ago by the attorney general in regard to the activity of profiteers, so called. Prosecuting attorneys were called in from all over the, state and the attorney general gave them orders to catch the profiteer in his unholy lair and throw the Ipgal harpoon into his shivering carcase. In some localities the bombast of the attorney general was taken seriously. It is said that the Delaware County grand jury is beating the bushes for profiteers, but nevertheless we have not witnessed any evidence of fear upon the part of those who have presumably been skinning the public. As a matter of fact the Delaware County grand jury-Jias just about as much chance of putting the profiteer out of business as it has in putting over the soldier bonus or putting the finishing touches to the Harding association of nations. The question of profiteering opens a field that is not confined to Muncie, to Delaware County, to the State of Indiana or the entire nation. If the Delaware County grand jury can find an answer to the cry of the people for protection from the financial vultures of the world it will have discovered the key to the return of prosperity which vanished when Harding took the center of the stage, and will have given to the swindled peoples of the entire world a service which the so called statesmen of the universe have been unable thus far to perform. First, the question arises, ‘‘What is a prof‘s eer and how is he to be punished after he is caught?” There is no law in Indiana which will prevent any merchant from charging any price he wishes for any given merchandise. If he so desire, the grocer may buy eggs for five cents a dozen and sell them for fifty, without breaking a single law, except that of common decency in his business relations with the public. It will be absolutely impossible for the grand jury to do more than skim lightly over the service. The job is too big for a mere perfunctory effort looking to paltr yindividual cases of overcharging. • r ■ Indiana is now cursed with a paternalistic form of government which carries with it the bureaucratic plan of governing the people of the state through commissions named by the governor, having their location in Indianapolis, the capital city of the state. The big profiteers are the public utilities, which are not subject to regulation in the communities in which they do business, but, which, if you please, put themselves beyond the pale of ordinary grand juries and ordinary courts by placing their fortunes in the hands of a “public service commissioii,” named by Governor McCray. It is easy for these utilities to make a showing that they are not making any money, due to tremendous over-capitalization, which drains the exchequer of profits in order that interest on securities may be met, arid the public service commission, supposed to be on guard for the people of the state, heeds the plaintive cry of these cold blooded sharks of finance and rates are increased. We have no doubt but that in the evert the Delaware County grand jury should have the nerve to delve into the utility question, the utility crowd would send a few of their high powered explainers before the jury;'and the six men good and true would be buried beneath an avalanche of figures that v?ould keep them confused for the next six months. \ Take a trip some day through the state house and federal building at Indianapolis and count the number of bureaus, commissions, regulatory departments, federal dicks, smelling committees and what not, all dedicated to the one great idea of putting the bit i nthe mouths of those, who are not on the state and government payroll, and riding them, booted and spurred, into a state of . tupid, un-American, submission. ‘ ' iff lUijitii T ^ » Wsented the people, instead of the utilities, rates would be reasonable, the water would be squeezed out of utility securities and the latter would not be frequently empowered t) sell §tocks at par which assay in many instances about ten per cent actual value and the balance wind and water. If the pure food commission and the weights and measures department of the state government attended strictly to business instead of politics, if the federal payroll were not packed with political pap suckers instead of capable men, and if the vast horde of state and federal employees drawing the people’s money would work as hard at their jobs as they are at the task of nominating Harry New, they could make the profiteers

be good.

But what is to be expected of officials who owe their political allegiance to a candidate apd a party which draws its financial support from the big profiteers of every

community and state in the nation ?

It is understood that the retail merchants of Muncie as well as wholesale dealers here have been investigated. Does anybody think the merchants of Muncie are making scads of money right now, during these glorious days of republican prosperity? Very few, if any of them, are making any money, and a larger number than most would think

are on the verge of bankruptcy.

It is true that the price of the hog or steer on foot and the price of the critter on, the butcher’s block, are’not on speaking terms with each other and that wheat in the bin and eggs in th? nest turn green with envy when they see the price paid by the housewife for a loaf of bread or a dozen eggs at the corner grocery, but what can the grand jury do about it as long as we have no adequate laws permitting communities to finance market operations which would bring the farmer and consumer in direct contact? Our great public spirited lawmakers are too busy during these days of normalcy, pure and undefiled, setting up the pins to perpetuate themselves in office and to make abject slaves and servelings out of their constituents to make laws for the real good of

the people

The man in business is squeezed by the rent man, the gffi man, the light man, the water man, the telephone man,^he income tax collector, the state, county, city and township tax collector, and he is not even overlooked by the dog tax collector. He pays somebody every time he turns around and they keep him revolving most of the time. He has simplv got to skin somebody to keep the collectors off his back. Of course the poor devil who works for a living, or rather did work for a living before Harding handed him his blue envelope, is the final Angora, but, b’gosh, come to think about it, he voted for the system, so let us place the blame directly where it belongs-^-

on the voters.

The only way to get rid of the profiteer and his political slaves, is to vote them out cj business and restore the state and nation to sanity through democratic administra-

tion of public affairs.

Democratic State Organization Should Keep Hands Off in the Primary Race

BURK ROAD LAW GETTING RESULTS OVER OHIO

Officials of State Automobile Club Are Elated Over Success of Measure.

Officials of the Ohio State Automobile Association are taking a considerable measure of pride over the fact that the Burke law, passed by the last legislature, limiting the weight of loads that can be transported over the highways of the state by trucks and other vehicles is beginning to produce results. The enactment of the law was brought iabou1$ through 'the Good Roads Board of the state association for the purpose of protecting the highways from being cut up by what were considered to be excessive loads that were being transported over in-ter-county highways of the state.

Headquarters of the association has been advised that through the cooperation of the state highway department with county commissioners of various counties five-ton trucks and over will have to cautionsly select their way as certain roads in a number of counties are being) made “taboo”

for this class of traffic. Twelve Counties Affected

So far the weight of loads that may be transported by trucks and other vehicles has been reduced in 12 counties of the state. This reduction averages 33 1-3 per cent in most of the counties that have taken action thus far, while in one or two instances the reduction amounts to 50 per cent.

of time as the commissioners in their respective counties may find it necessary for the preservation of the high-

ways.

Allen county has reduced the weight of loads for three-inch metal tires from 500 pounds to 300 pounds per inch in width of tires, 800 to 50)0 pounds per inch for metal tires from 2 to 12 inches and 650 to 450 pounds per inch for rubber tires. Paulding county loads are reduced from 500 to 400 pounds per inch width of tires for steel tires and 650 to 400 pounds for rubber tires. Richland county has reduced the weight of loads on five of its intercounty roads to 50 per cent, while Seneca, Muskingfum, Highland, Huron, Lorain, Fayette, Crawford, Ottawa,'Williams and Athens counties have ordered a reduction of 33 1-3 per

cent.

With this action taken by a dozen counties, it is expected by officials of the Ohio State Automobile Association to be followed by other counties in the state with the result that hundreds of thousands of dollars damage

The ‘candidacy of the Hon. Samuel M. Ralston, former governor of Indiana, was fo'rmally launched last week, and he is now asking the Democrats of Indiana to select him at the May primary as democracy’s candidate for United ^States Senator from Indiana to succeed Senator New, who is fighting for his political life to prevent Albert J. Beveridge from obtaining the republican nomination. There are other democrats seeking) the honor, and there is no reason on earth why their aspirations should not be taken seriously by the democrats of Indiana. Mr. Ralston is an able exponent of democracy and is highly respected by all citizens of Indiana, regardless of politics. He made a splendid governor, rounding out a four term in which, there were no scandals similar to {hose which have prevailed unde'r republican rule. It is also recalled that when he retired from office the 'state was out of

debt.

It must not be overlooked, however, that the democratic party does not stand for machine methods in politics. In years past, wide factional differences were created because the state organization attempted to die- j tato nominations. Those friends of Mr. Ralston who believe that they are performing a service for him by njaking it apnear that he is the candidate selected by the party organization to make the race, are short sighted to say the very least. ‘ I If the democrats are to begin, at this critical time, to duplicate the action of the national and state reuuhlican orgianzation, which have both gone on record as favoring the nomination of Harry New, what bettgi;, have we, as democrats, to offer, than the stand pat republicans who are using the state and national administrations to save a useful and dependable member of the old guard. | It ill becomes the democratic party, now, of all times, to create the impression that it has delegated to two or three politicians the right to call a meeting Indianapolis, to select THE candidate for senator—to foreclose the nomination as it were, and create the impression that: Mr. Ralston had to be drafted for fear some other democrat might be selected at the primary who would not be satisfactory. The republican newspapers arfe daily carrying untruthful stories that President Harding is keeping) his hands off the republican senatorial dog fight in Indiana. It will be mighty easy for a dog fight to be started in the Democratic ranks if the democratic race. Let the various candidates and their friends, as individuals, present their merits to the public and let the people vote at the primary without interference. There are four democrats seeking the nomination for senator. Any one of them can be elected next fall if the game is played on the square before the primary. Tne democratic party was ‘responsible for the enactment of the direct primary law. The prima'ry gives every democrat man and woman the right W vote as he or she pleases. Democrats cannot be driven or bullied into taking; orders from cheap bosses. The republican party claims the exclusive right to fix things up in some back room and then tell theft dupes how to vote. Let the republicans retain that exclusive right. Hoosier democrats are not in the habit of being led with Vings in their noses.

AMERICANS SNUBBED St. Moritz, Switzerland—A Chicago millionaire and his wife met with severe snubs here when they tried to hobnob with English aristocrats. They left in high dudgeon. BORN AT THEATRE Rome—A son was born to Signora Louisa Massi while attending, a theatrical performance here. The play proceeded after mother and baby had been removed to a hospital.

Crisis Continues In British Affairs

Lloyd George Consults With Leaders Over Week-End

London, March 9—Austen Chamberlain’s declaration of the solidity of the cabinet behind Lloyd George has had little appreciable effect on the sir. nation which threatens to bring" about the resignation of the prime minister, in the opinion of the majority of the political writers in Saturday’s newspapers. It is generally conceded that the crisis continues at an acute stage and even the journals most anxious to preserve the coalition government candidly admit that the position is about as serious as 'it possibly can be. No important development is looked for until after the week-end. Lloyd George has gone to Chequers Court, his country estate, where he has as his guests over Sunday Mr. Chamberlain, Lord Chancellor Birkenhead, Sir Arthur Balfour, Sir Robert Horne and Andrew Bonar Law, and the situation naturally will be exhaustively discussed. Meanwhile the friends of the coalition are continuing efforts to keep it together. Winston Spencer Churchill, secretary for colonies and a Liberal, spoke at Loughborough and emphasized Mr. Chamberlain’s view of the necessity' of retaining Lloyd George at the head of affairs^ Another movement is that by the “new coalition group’’, consisting of about 120 commoners belonging to both wings of the coalition, who have recently been working for the formation of a new center party. These members, whom the “die hard” Morning Post calls “an associalfon of. parliamentary babes,” propose to adopt a resolution to the effect that the next election must be fought upon a constructive national prbggam which can best be carried out under the joint leadership of Lloyd George and Chamberlain. WORLD’S FASTEST YACHT FOR SCOTTISH SPORTSMAN

IMPROVEMENT IN ARGENTINE Buenos Ayres—Decrease in freight rates was immediately followed by improvement in business conditions throughout Argentina.

It’s not good for your business to be always butting into someone else’s business—and usually not very good for the other fellow’s either.

Glasgow--The world’s fastest yacht will be owned by Major Kenswick, a Scottish sportsman, when the “Cutty Sark” is launched on the Clyde. The vessel is built like a destroyer and will be capable of unprecedented speed. Lord Dunraven. a veteran English yachtsman, is also having a 550-ton twin-screw motor yacht built. RESOURCEFUL CONSTABLE Sunderland, Eng.—Commandeering a fleet motor boat. Constable Henry Judd pursued a steamer bound for Belgium and took off a man accused

of stealing a bicycle.

“SLEEP ANYWHERE” HABIT Hull, Eng.—Robert W. Turner boasted he could sleep anywhere. Then he went to sleep on the railroad track. A train came along. The coroner returned an open verdict.

PAY YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

. , ,. . to highways throughout Ohio will be Phis reduction amounts to o0 per cent, prevented that would otherwise reThis reduction, which has been made ! sult were it not for the Burke law

by the county commissioners, in each by the county commissioners in

each instance has the approval of There are lots of men whose word is State Director of Highways L. C. Her- as good as their bond—and this is no rick and will apply for such a length compliment, either.

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There are quite a few subscribers to the Post-Democrat who owe for their paper. This newspaper has been running- considerably over a year. Our rule is payment in advance. If you are in arrears you know it and a check will be appreciated. It takes money to run a newspaper and readers of the Post-Democrat should be prompt in paying their subscription. Our subscription list has grown wonderfully during the past year and we expect to increase it to five thousand by the middle of next summer. It is probable that the Post-Democrat does not suit 1 some people, but we believe the average citizen of Delaware County, no matter what his or her politics may be, j likes its candor and independence. 4 We are not asking democrats alone to patronize the 4 paper. Republicans should read it as well as democrats. It ^ is a dead moral cinch that the republicans will never hear 1 the truth about their own party from the republican news- »i paper of the county, and we promise to tell the truth about 4 them. ' 4 Tell your friends about the Post-Democrat and urge ^ them to subscribe. A lively political campaign is opening 4 up and the people ought to thank God that there is one i newspaper in the county that will not hesitate to tell the j truth, even if it affects he political fortunes of democrats 4 who are not worthy. ^

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