Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 February 1903 — POLITICS OF THE DAY [ARTICLE]

POLITICS OF THE DAY

Republican it tip Against Trust Facts. The Republicans have never ceased to worry about tjhe facts In regard to prices, wages and the cost of living tinder Dlngley bill trust rule, as presented in the last Democratic campaign book. Notwithstanding that with each Attempt to get away from or disprove these facts they work themselves deeper Into the trust mire, yet they are foolish enough to continue their spasmodic struggle. Mr. Hill, of Connecticut. made a desperate effort Inst Saturday to prove, by the table of prices in tho Democratic campaign book, that tlie prices of the articles on tho free list had advanced more from IS!to to 1902 than did the prices of the articles on the dutiable list. lie took all of the eleven articles on the free list and showed that tho prices Of these had advanced 26 per cent. Then lie selected twenty one nrtleles from the 174 on the dutiable list, and, amid Republican applause, showed that the prices of these rose only 15*4 P°r sent from 1896 to 1902. , Judge Griggs, of Georgia, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Committee, got. after Mr. Hill on Wednesday and simply pulverized him. Not only did he select another list of twenty one important articles from the cam palgn book list, the prices of each and all of which are controlled by tariffprotected trusts and which advanced an average of 71 per cent from 1896 to 1002, but he showed that all but 4 of

the 2d per cent advance in price «howed by the eleven free list articles was due to the enormous advance In the prices of sisal and binder twine, •ad that the very high prices of these two articles was due t 6 the cruel war in the Philippines. Again, In the list of 174 articles on the dutiable list Mr. Hill found one the price of which was higher, at one time In 1896, than It was la 1902. This one was wire nails. Judge Griggs showed that the high price of wire nails In 1890 was due to a temporary pool of the wire nail makers, which collapsed before the cud of the year, and that the average price during the four years of the Wilson bill law was oaljr $1.70 per keg, while the average price during the last four years of Dlugloy bill, billion dollar trust domination was $2.93 per keg. The Republicans are more at home tu suppressing discussion of these trust facts than when attempting to disprove them by butting their heads up against them. “Addition, division and silence" should be their motto, as "Let well enough alone” Is their slogan. Raising a Campaign Fund. The only anti-trust legislation that (he present Congress will pass, If the statehood fight continues, Is an amend meat to the bill creating the Department of Commerce and Labor, which amendment authorizes the investigation of trust transactions as the bureau may be Able to gather them and those are only to be mude public at the discretion of the President. The trusts evidently do not object to this law, ter those Republican Senators, who are known to be friends of the trusts, fa- . vor the amendment. The only danger to tb# trusts Is that in the event of the election of a Democratic President be ■tight order all trust transactions to tie made public and the people would know the enormous profits the trusts are making on what they sell In this country, and the fact that many of the trusts are selling cheaper to the 'foreigner than they are here. There te no likelihood of a Republican President exposing such transactions of the trusts because It would prove the contention of the Democrats that the tariff fosters the trusts. The fact Is that this so-called anti-trust amendment la no actual service to the people as ffr as results are concerned; It Is mere lt)r enacted so point to as some effort to e«rt> the trusts. Again the people ihave been fooled. It Is evident that jpecdi a measure will make it more lnenmbent than ever upon the trusts to ••t up boodle to elect a President who

will serve them faithfully and who will not expose their secrets to their Injury. Thus tills measure guarantees an ample Republican campaign fund. Secretary Shaw and the Snrplua. Mr. Shaw, as Secretary of the Treasury, knows what an abnormal national surplus means. He knows that It Is dangerous. Although it may represent a high state of prosperity it involves possibilities that cannot be contemplated without an effort to avert them. Ts a great surplus in the national treasury, which is capable of administrative nianiiAilatiou, creates a dangerous condition is It not even more dangerous t.o fostgr a system that accelerates the accumulation of the nation’s wealth in a comparatively few private hands, where It cannot be manipulated by governmental agencies? Yet the system that Mr. Shaw upholds, and which lie would not modify “merely because it is imperfect," is constantly and rapidly centering a vast portion of the money of the country in the hands of tlie great trusts. Kansas City Star. Mormons' and Republicans. The whole Mormon question was injected into tlie debate in the Senate on the statehood bill last week, when it was developed that there is a large Mormon constituency In Arizona and I New Mexico, and the startling statement was made that “no Mormon could

run for a high political ofHce without the consent of the first presidency of the Mormon Church.” This debate was significant In view of the advent of the Mormon issue when Apostle Smoot shall present himself for admission to the Senate. The Republican leaders In the last presidential campaign made a political bargain with some of the Mormon apostles that if the Mormon vote was east In Utah and other States for tho Republican candidates, there should be no further legislation against polygamy. Senator McC'omas characterized the prohibition of polygamy as contained in the Utah enabling act as an Impotent pretense of restriction without Hny legal efficiency. The partnership with the Mormons entered Into by the Republican national committee Is about to lead them into an endless sea of trouble. It Is n great satisfaction to Democrats that they are not entangled with It in any way. True Jeffersonian Doctrine. Jefferson's whole theory of government was based upon the Impropriety of the government doing anything for the citizen that the jltlzen could do for himself, or to Its assuming any duties which could he performed by Individuals, either alone or in association. It was a root-hog or die republic that Jefferson believed In, founded upou the everlasting equality of opportunity. It is uot equality of opportunity that the Populists believe In so much fts In the equality of achievement, which Is at variance with everything that Jefferson conceived as freedom and liberty and life.—Detroit Free Press. X Disgraceful Exhibition. The great Htate of Illinois Is apparently In the hands of petty political tricksters utterly without regard for the dignity and fair repute of the American commonwealth whose Interests they are supposed to serve. The factional fights of the Republican organization present the State In a most unfavorable light to the country at large. Leas “gavel rule," less selfish striving for fuctlonnl advantage, a more effective performance of sworn duty are In order If Illinois Republicans hope to Justify tltalr dominance In State affairs.—St. Louis Republic. The Onljr Cure for the Kvll. If Congress would wisely regulate the combinations let Cougross repeal the law’s of Its own creation out of which the evils have grown. That is not a difficult thing to do If the party In power Is really eager to rid the country of the evils that have come of these law-made monopolies.—Dallas New*.