Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 June 1899 — POLITICS OF THE DAY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

POLITICS OF THE DAY

M‘f»NLEY’S BLUNDER. Aa a politician President McKinley haa always been ready to shift bis position whenever such a change promised the slightest advantage. This characteristic has served the President fairly well in his self-seeking career, bat has cost him the title of statesman aad won for place of politician. But McKinley’s latest political move—his attack mi civil service—has certainly proved a (dander, and Republican editors hare not been slow to point out this fact. There is not a Republican newspaper of national importance that has heartily approved McKinley's act, and many of them have roundly condamned ft. In this connection It Is significant that the Chicago Tribune sees in McKinley’s action a profound political blander. Among other things, the Tribune editorially says: It is a mistake to believe that the giving of 10,000 officesTnto the hands of the bosses will help to strengthen the Republican party. The people are growing to care less and less abont the political creeds of the men they place in subordinate nnd merely administrative offices. The tir*» for spoils politick Tn national affairs is forever past. No such more has strengthened the party that committed it since as far back as 1872. The exemption order will strengthen the politicians, but it will not strengthen the party. Why give this vicions and vitiating power into the hands of political bosses when there is no need of it? How can the friends of the administration justify, defend or apologise for this intolerable order? The President has undone the good work of years and has put a blanket mortgage upon his political future and that of his party. His action is a grievous disappointment to the friends of good governmrat. Under the circumstances it is not necessary for Democratic newspapers to worry much over the situation. The attack on civil service Is a blunder of monumental proportions. It opens the ‘way for assanlts on imperialism, as it shows the hand of the administration and Its Intention to send “carpet-bag-gers” to rob the people of the acquired possessions. Imperialism, which might not have been an issue had McKinley kept his platform pledges, promises to loom up tremendously, and shrewd Repnblican politicians are trembling over the prospect.

Trmto and the People. The growth of industrial trusts has been so rapid during the last two years that no Intelligent person can now plead ignorance either of their existence or of the principle which controls them. The trust Is usnally organized to monopolize the manufacture and sale of some article of merchandise. The first question to be settled is whether such an organization is an evil er a Messing. Monoply finds an occasional defender who argues that production upon a large scale can be carried on more economically, but this argument Is not complete. The trust cannot be justified unless it can be shown, first, that it effects an economy in production or distribution; second, that the consumer win receive s fair share of the benefits in a reduced price of the product, and, third, that the economic advantages of the trust are sufficient to outweigh the social and political evils wrought by monopoly. To establish the first proposition, it is necessary to show that improvement in the processes of production will be greater under monopoly than under the competitive system, whereas It is generally understood that competition is the greatest stimulus to Invention. The effect of rivalry is seen in the effort of each producer to furnish to the public the most perfect article at the lowest price. To accomplish this end each firm seeks to secure the brightest and most skillful operators and the most improved machinery. It is not in accord with human experience to expect this straggle to continne when a monopoly has been secured.—W. J. Bryan.

FUlsf Fia ince.

The Senate Finance Committee is busy in New York fixing up the financial policy of the next Congress for the Presidential campaign. While professing an eager desire for “reform” in the currency, the committee is not so convinced of the benevolence of its mission as to suggest changes in the financial system that would cost votes for McKinley and the Republican party. It Is evident, however, that the proposition to allow banks to issue paper to the full value of their bond deposit-and to reduce the tax from 50 to 75 per cent, meets with favor. Wildcat currency secured by the office furniture of banks Is not regarded with favor by the committee, probably beeanse the people oppose it It is admitted that there Is n scarcity of small bills, and that efforts to remedy this matter are handicapped by the banks for the purpose of forcing the “wildcat” theory on the Republican “reformers.” It may be concluded, however, that the Benate committee will go Just aa far as It dare toward the establishing of the single gold standard and the granting of special favors to the banks.—Exchange. The Free (t> Cubans. * "Newspaper readers are advised that smoking in public conveyances has been forbidden In Havana; that a workman employed outdoors, or where he fimy be sens by the public, must wear something more than a gattse undershirt as a covering/or the upper part •f his body, Oat cockfighting has been

made a misdemeanor; (hat a thousand and one little errors to which the Cubans have been born'and bred must be stopped forthwith on penalty of fine and imprisonment. If our administration at Havana would devote a little less attention to fool ‘‘regulations’’ and a little more to* the big problems demanding solution, It would be more respected both there and at home.—Mianefepolls Times. Hanna Haa HU Way, Mark Hanna had his way in the Ohio Republican State Convention, which simply Illustrates the fact that Federal patronage in the hands of a political boss Is far more powerful than the protests of the people. Of coarse, the platform adopted by the Republicans and subscribed to by Hanna’s hired man, who was nominated fo'r Governor, Is a document full of fair promises, none of which was made to be observed, but all of which were constructed to fool the dear people and to catch votes. It Is a sign of the times, however, that the Republican boss of Ohio should allow his miulons to pass a resolution condemning trusts. To be sure, the resolution is nothing but “buncombe,” but even viewed as such its presence in the platform is a confession of judgment,on the-part of the Republican wire-pullers. When Republicans such as Mark Hanna and his followers pass resolutions against trusts and foam at the month over these “unlawful combines,” their sincerity can be tested by asking them If they are willing to repeal the protective duties and allow competition to enter the lists against these trusts. There Is no sincerity in the Republican resolutions. The St. Lonis platform has been disregarded in many of Its most solemn promises, and the Ohio platform will fare no better. Practical politicians in the Republican party have no use for truth or for consist ency —Chicago Democrat.

Future Justice. If there be any meaning in the signs of the times the producing millions are firmly resolved that equal justice shall be something very much more than a barren ideality, and the corporations will do well to set their house In order without the least delay. The trend of events is toward a course of treatment which will startle the world by Its rigor and ruthlessQess. Over the heads of the railway corporations the sword of Damocles la suspended, and It rests with them to say whether inexorable justice shall sever the sustaining hair.—New Orleans Tlmes-Democrat. A Trnst Study. * The Influence and power of trusts Is significantly illustrated in the window glass combination. By the fourth day of July all the mills of that industry will be shut down indefinitely, and behold the result. Seventeen thousand skilled workmen will be unemployed. They only know how to make window glass and will have much difficulty In seeking other employment. But the trust must look after its own, and that is best exemplified by making another large dividend among the members of the trnst—lndianapolis Sentinel.

More Money Needed. At the beginning of the present administration Congress was called In extraordinary session for tbe ostensible purpose of relieving the treasury of a deficit. The President assumed that prosperity could not return while the Government expenditures were in excess of receipts. Congress was to revise tbe tariff so as to provide sufficient money to keep the wheels of government moving without resort to further borrowing. Under that act the running behind has continued.—Cincinnati Enquirer. Unjustifiable Boycotting. It is hardly the right thing for the postofflee department to discontinue the postofflee at Lake City, S, C., because the last postmaster, a negro, was murdered by a mob. Atrocious as was the murder of Postmaster Baker, It does not justify the administration in refusing postal facilities to all the people of the town. The government-should be above boycotting.—Buffalo Courier. Truata Get It All. The people of the United States are piling up wealth at a more rapid rate now than ever before in the history of the country, and there is no present condition to indicate a halt In this accumulation of riches. , It will come to an end sooner or later, to be followed by a period of depression and reaction, as such eras always do, but there Is no sign now of such a setback.—Kansas City Star. Personal Liberties Curbed. The “undershirt" law and the antismoking law went Into effect In Havana last Monday, it Is stated that on the first day there were something like 500 arrests. Such ill-considered, picayunlsb, tyrannical laws can hardly have any other effect than to convince the Cubans that we mean to lnstltate petty tyranny Instead of freedom la Cuba.—Savannah News. VTuntod—A Policy. Some of the shouters for empire are irritated because David B. Henderson of lowa, an antl-lmperlallst. Is leading in the race for Speaker of the House. “Does Henderson stand by the policy of the administration T” they about. He