Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1903 — POLITICS OF THE DAY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

POLITICS OF THE DAY

Trusts Will Not Be Harmed. The New York Prenß. one of the rock ribbed G. O. P. organ?, Is a little worried because of the delay of the Republicans in passing anti-trust bills. Failure to deal with the trust question squarely and promptly. It says, will “tip the political conditions of the nation bottom side up.” It then assumes that, tlie passage of an anti-trust bill is assured beyond a doubt, Is equivalent to a fact accomplished, and proceeds to congratulate its party on the good results to follow the antl-tiust legislation and gives special credit to President Roosevelt, saying "There are very few influences now to dispute Ills power to get the legislation enacted which lie thinks necessary." The Washington Post, another good G. (>. I’. organ, takes an entirely different view of the matter. It tells the Press that "There is as yet not a particle of evidence that the leaders in Congress desire to do anything Inimical to the interests of monopolistic combines. And who is there that Imagines tlie power of tlie trusts so decadent that they could not prevent tlie passage through the Senate, between this date and the 4th of March, of any bill from which they had any reason to apprehend trouble? The chances are a hundred to one against any anti trust legislation by the Fifty-seventh Congress. The chances are a thousand to one that. If any so-called anti-trust bill goes through, it will be as innocent as a bread pill or a prepared chalk Imitation of morphine. The Press shows the credulity of one who was born yesterday.” There is no reason for these two good Republican organs to quarrel. Tlie Washington Star of Jan. 17. tlie personal organ of tlie President, settled matters when it said that as the trusts were willing to have legislation puss tlie Senate, if it were not drastic, and that as tlie President was not asking for drastic legislation, but simply wanted "some kind of action,” an agreement would most likely be reached with the trusts which would "permit the enactment of mild legislation regulating the trusts." Anti-trust legislation under tlie auspices of the trusts Is on the cards for the next performance at our national enpitol. Helping Cuba. It is almost impossible for a protectionist organ to play Its little piece without getting out of tune with facts. Here Is tlu* Washington Post, for Instance, saying. “What has become of all that Democratic sympathy for suf fernlg Cuba? Surely it was not all for political effect?” The Post knows, full well, that there is no suffering In Cuba now, more than there Is in the United States. Tlie sugar trust press agent occasionally manufactures a little suffering for the benefit of Congress, when the reciprocity chariot wheels drag heavily, but this evidence is hardly substantial enough to excite the Democrats who know It Is for poiltieal effect. The Democrats, If they had the chance, would, instead of fussing over the terms of a questionable reciprocity which the party In power is now doing, so mince tlie high protective rates of the tariff, that Cuba ami all countries would have equal access to our markets. Why blame the Democrats because the reciprocity treaty is not ratltied? It Is a humbug, pure and simple, work ed up by the sugar trust, and of no advantage to the United States, and will be but little If any Hid to Cuba. Tlie Democrats forced the freeing of Cuba from tlie despotic yoke of Spain and they have voted money with n free hand to aid her. If the Republicans have made any secret pledges to Cuba they have the political power to redeem them. If aid is needed from the Democrats to carry out the pledges let the Republicans disclose wlhw*the pledges are and who made them and. If the United States Is bound in honor to redeem them, tlie Democrats will be found ready to protect tlie honor of their country. Rut when It comes to pulling chestnuts out of the tire to help their political opponents, without nt the same time helping Uncle Sam, the Democrats are not there. Kepublicans Indict til* Tariff. The Republican majority In Congress has submitted convincing proof that It recognl7.es the present evil of high protection and that free trade Is the remedy for' that evil. The action of the Senate In placing anthracite coal on the free list furnishes this proof. The eunfesMtyu is made that the Republicans abandon their former position and agree tjmt the removal of the tariff duty on nntlirncite coal. while contain Ing no menace of lower wages for workingmen, offers relief to consumer* by making competition possible. This Is the extreme form of the argument, < xtended all along the line, upon which the advocates of tariff reform urge a revision of the Dlngley tariff. St. Louts Republic. Negroes in Public Office. If he really nn<! honestly desires to Is 1 understood ns holding nn equal hand to north and south tn bls negro policy let him nominate a negro for postmaster In Boston or New York or Cleveland or Chicago. Let hint give to hla own conqMtrlots an official who will face them every day In govern-

ment transactions atid not try to palm off as a sample of his Justice the appointment of a negro employe of Harvard’s athletic field to a secondary position, where, if he serves the government at all, it will be in the prosecution of petty criminals. The President should not dodge, but play an open, fair hand!—Atlanta Constitution. Free Coal with a String to If, "Didn't we give the people free coal last winter when they were freezing? Didn't we make coal cheap by taking Hie duty off when the price got too high? Isn't the Republican party always ready to relieve the suffering people?” These are some of tlie boasts we will hear during tlie next campaign. No, the Republicans have not given ns free coal. Reluctantly, when mass meetings were being held; when the press was almost unanimous for free coal; when Investigating committees were putting impudent questions to the trusts and were probing for bottom facts, and when tlie winter was half gone, tlie trust leaders in the Senate and House considered It wise to still tlie clamor somewhat by pretending to give the people free coal. A bill was fixed up and jammed through both houees of Congress In one day, giving practically no time for debate, and absolutely no time to amend by putting other trust articles on the free list. The duty of 67 cents per ton will continue in force on bituminous coal, which is practically the only coal that will come in. A rebate, however, will be paid by tlie Treasury Department to the importer, which will reimburse him for tlie full amount of the duty paid. As. however, the Secretary of tlie Treasury made another anarchistic ruling which lias nullified the law placing a duty on bituminous coal, when he telegraphed collectors of customs to “Admit all coal imported on and after 13th lust, free of duty, under the act of 15th Inst.,” coal will virtually be free for one year, and prices will most likely fall much more than the amount of tlie duty. It may, however, lie February before enough coal < an be imported to supply the demand and break the trust’s prices. One year from now, without any discussion in Congress, and without any agitation of the tariff question, the Republicans hope, the rebate will cease to be paid, and the trust will continue its graft, temporarily suspended in deference to the overwhelming sentiment of a freezing people. The trusts are still supreme; only their political agents in Congress have liecome a little frightened. that's all. They expect the people to forget all about sls coal before the next campaign. Will they? Farmers and the Trusts. The cattle men held their annual convention at Kansas City a few days ago, and the question of the beef trust came before them, and the result of the proposed merger of all the packing houses was stated to tlie convention as fidlows; "The raisers of live stock in this country would. If such a merger corporation were formed, be compelled to sell all their products to one purchaser, and that purchaser would fix the prices to be paid, the number of live stock to be purchased, and the places at which they would purchase and pay for the same.” The farmers, in the aggregate, raise ten times the number of beef cattle that are sent to market from the free ranges of the West. The farmers are therefore interested in controlling the beef trust, for they will be more at the mercy of the trust when they market their stock. A large shipper of cattle, like the great cattle barons of the plains, may probably be able to arrange the prices they will receive before the steers are shipped; but the farmer who sends a carload to the Chicago or Kansas Ctiy stock yards Is, and will continue to be, entirely dependent upon the price that the beef trust dictates. No class of citizens are more Interested In trust busting than the farmers, mid yet a majority of them continue to vote for Hie political party that is allied with tile trusts. T i“ 1 nwt Suit Kites.

Addricka H.ie Hut One Peer. The peVHlHteiicy iff <me Ailillt kn of Delaware hi MFvklng n Heat hi tho United StntoH Neiinte Im nkin to thut Kii|>ei-iiuturnl peraonage of evil fame, who Is it lone <-dn>iiMffi<led by the moMt chai'ltnble for that one vlrtne of perslstency.—Alluiny Argus.