Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1902 — POLITICS -OF THE DAY [ARTICLE]

POLITICS -OF THE DAY

The “Smuggled” Coal Duty. When Secretary Moody says that "the duty of 07 cents a ton on anthra-1 cite coal was smuggled Into the tariff j act in a sneaking and cowardly manner” he states what Is evidently true, . The clause of the miscellaneous schedule which puts a duty of 07 cents a ton on all coals containing less than &2 per cent of fixed carbon covers all anthracite available for Importation into tills country. If there is any foreign anthracite containing more than 1)2 per cent of fixed carbon it Is in China or some other place where it Is hardly more available for American use than If it were In the moon. The persons who caused that paragraph to be inserted In the miscellaneous schedule were aware of that, as we may know from their precision in naming ‘'l)2” instead of some other percentage. When, after Ingeniously subjecting all available anthracite to a duty of 07 cents a ton without mentioning It specifically, the authors of the Dingley bill put anthracite In a conspicuous place on the free list, "except as specially provided for In this act,” they evidently Intended to deceive not only the public but even a protectionist congress. As to the “smuggling” Mr. Moody Is right, but when he goes further and predicts that Congress when it convenes In December will make haste to amend the law so ns to make anthracite free lie expresses his wish rather than what is likely to come to pass. The men who did that neat trick of smuggling apt still on earth, and they are a pow’er not merely In railroad offices and at the coal mines but on the floors of the two houses of Congress. Those who tell us that the Dingley tariff is too sacred to be touched nt any point-tiie Hendersons and Dalzells of the House and the Aid riches and Quays of the Senate—are still a force to be reckoned with. Theirs Is n tremendous force of Inertia, and that is the only force needed to prevent action before the expiration of the present Congress.—Chicago Chronicle. Good Consul to Keep at Home. At last, after six mouths of conscientious effort, the State Department has succeeded in removing from Havana the consul general who Insulted the people to whom he was sent by saying one “might as well expect to make a whistle of a pig’s tall as to make anything out of these Latin races.” Wo should Imagine that the proper place for a diplomatic representative capable of such a remark would be the back woods, but the State Department evidently does not think so. It has sent him to Hongkong. It Is from one of “these Latin raocos” that w r e derive the foundation of our laws, our Ideas of government, our civilization, our Ideas of art, a great part of our lauguage, and even the very letters that we use in our writing and printing. Another has done more and suffered more for the cause of human liberty than any other race In the world. Of course the consul general at Havana does not know these simple facts, but It seems conspicuously Inappropriate that he should have further opportunity to air his bumptious Ignorance In any official capacity.—Chicago American. Rattled Republicans. President Roosevelt In all his speeches never once referred to the Republican campaign text book, nor for tliat matter does any other campaign orator that has so far been heard from. Was all the time and labor of the compiler of that interesting production In vain? Are all the reputed facts and figures to be buried lu the Junk shop? The President openly rebuked the congressional committee that Issued the campaign book by discussing the very matters that werp omitted from that interesting production, such as Cuban reciprocity and the reciprocity treaties. He also took Issue with the committee on the tariff and trust questions. With the President on the stump refuting the arguments put forth by the Republican committee In its official text book and rebuking the mission of matter that makes Important issues, that party certainly Is In a torn-up state and It is no wonder that so many Republicans don’t know where they are at. "Etraln” of Tariff Revision. President Itooeevelt has been talking about the "strain which a revision of the tariff every few years" Involves, ns If our tariff laws had been considered sacred from Change for long periods at a time In the past. The President’s party has never hesitated to tinker on the tariff whenever It thought It would he to Its advantage to do so and the Idea of setting fixed Intervals between tariffs will hardly strike the country ns a business-like proposition.—Atlanta Journal. Protection for HtaudArd Oil. Mr. Vreeland In his speech at Tomlluson Hall referred (6 the Standard Oil Company an the “pnrent of all the great trusts to-day,” and yet, he said. It denis "In an article which is not protected by a tariff." Mr. Vreeland ought to know better. Our present tariff law Imposes a duty on petroleum coming from nny country imposing a duty on our petroleum equal to that imposed by the foreign country.

Further than this, the Standard Oil Company gets a rebate on the tin It uses in Its foreign trade equal to practically all the duty paid on it. And the by-products of the industry are protected by heavy duties.—lndlanapbUs News. Why the West Revolts. Our export traffic with the old world has expanded in volume and value, even while foreign manufacturers have been drawn upon to supplement deficiencies of domestic production in Important branches of Industry. It Is tbls continued disclosure of abllityTo hold our own in the world’s competitive markets that lends added sharpness to the sting of tariff exactions and urges the great agricultural West to revolt against protection that protects only a few monopolists, while consumers are forced to contribute to swell enormous private fortunes and to pour unneeded revenue Into the public treasury.—Philadelphia Record. Beef Trust's Arrottance. The beef trust practically acknowledges the commission of all the Iniquities charged against it by Attorney General Knox, but it denies that the law inhibits or restrains such rascalities. It is a plea of guilt as to fact, but a denial of legal responsibility. The trust hopes to escape through the open meshes of loose Interstate commerce and anti trust legislation. If this result shall be accomplished It will be a sore defeat for the administration and a new demonstration of the inability of the Republican party to cope with the monster combinations which It has nourished Into maleficent existence.—Philadelphia Record. Danger In Our Prosperity. The chances for making a good living are greater in the United States than in Great Britain, and as long as that is so labor will he drawn here, thereby Increasing both our number and our strength. While we thus have an advantage, it should not be overlooked that we may lose much of It if we hamper ourselves with restrictive laws which make It difficult for our merchants to compete with those of other countries for tlie markets of the world.—Boston Herald. 9 Cannon Should Retaliate. Speaking of the Joe Cannon boom for the Speakership, this is calculated to remind one that Mr. Littlefield, of Maine, Is touring the West. Cannon should go Kast on a campaign—that is, if he is not afraid of being lost In some of the cities with which that part of the country is studded. Uncle Joe is bucolic and wisely avoids all large towns where the depot is not In sight from every street.—Dallas News. Alger's Vindication. The friends of General Alger are insisting on his election as United States Senator to “vindicate” him. Among those against whom he must be vindicated are President McKinley, who compelled him to resign from the cabinet, and Colonel Roosevelt, who signed the round robin that brought matters against him to an issue.—Waterbury (Conn.) American. Fighting Their Own Interests. Senator Allison thinks it puerile to suggest placing articles controlled by monopoly on the free list, because more trusts would be benefited by it than otherwise. Well, why are the trusts fighting the proposition with all their might? If It would benefit them they would adopt the opposite course, wouldn't they?—Sioux City Tribune. Political Potpourri. The lowa and Idaho Republicans are not the only ones who want a lower tariff on trust products.—New York World. It Is not true that the President’s injury to his leg came from an attempt to straddle the tariff question—Louisville Courier-Journal. "Oom” Shelby thinks the tariff problem will he satisfactorily settled. Has anybody ever thought It would be finally settled in any other way ?—Chicago Itecord-Ilerald. If monopoly Is not sheltered in the tariff, why tills mighty protest from monopoly and Its organs against removing the tariff on monopolized commodities?—Sioux City Tribune. The President’s notion of lotting the tnriff alone while pretending to light the monopolizing trusts is as Idle as it would be to treat a patient for ague and neglect his fever. —Now York World. Chairman Hanna of the strike settlors’ association Is developing enough white feathers to till a hedtlck. On one side are the votes. On the other side is the money. That’s Just what’s the matter with Ilanna.—Dallas News. "President Roosevelt’s speeches on trusts and public sentiment generally caused the abandonment of the proposed meat merger,” says a contemporary. There ought to be a closer division. How much of the work did the President’s speeches do?—Cincinnati Enquirer. An otganlzatlon of Pullman porters has been formed to stop the tipping practice. If the members use the proper amount of violence they will probably be able to prevent people from yielding too much to the habit that has become so obnoxious to the porters.— Philadelphia Press.