Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 December 1903 — POLITICS OF THE DAY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

POLITICS OF THE DAY

High Tariff and Rednced Wages. Thirty-two thousand operatives lo the cotton mills of New England have had their wages cut 10 per cent, and they do not view low’er wages and high cost of living as prosperity for them, whatever it may be for the protected trusts.'Then again the employes of the American Tin Plate Company—part of the steel trust —have returned to work at a 20 per cent redaction of their wages, and they do not feel prosperous. If the Republican party had permitted the amendment to the Cuban reciprocity bill abolishing the differential —extra duty—on refined sugar, the saving of seven or eight million dollars to the cotton and tin plate operatives and other consumers would have helped to tide over the long, cold winter that has just begun. But the sugar trust was more influential with Republican Congressmen than the people, and by taking off 20 per cent of the duty on Cuban raw sugar they presented the sugar trust with the opportunity to make, as Increased profit, almost to a dollar what the people would have saved by the abolishing of the extra duty on refined sugar, which the Democratic amendment proposed to abolish. The leaders of this same Republican Congress have agreed with President Roosevelt that reciprocity for the sugar trust and the Cubans was the most important legislation that was necessary, and they have further agreed that no reform of the tariff In its shelter to the trusts is needed. With no reduction or abolition of tariff taxes, the numerous trusts, that are protected like the sugar trust, can continue to extort their enormous profits. If the tariff taxes were reduced to a reasonable figure, enough to produce what the government needs, honestly administered, the trusts would have to reduce their profits to a corresponding ratio, or competition from abroad would come In and supply the market. That most of the trusts are able 4 o make ample profits without any protective tariff is shown by their exporting their products to foreign countries and selling them In competition with the foreign manufacturers after paying the high duties which are demanded there. In many instances it has been proven that the price the trusts obtain abroad are much less than they charge our own people. If the trusts were making no profit on the goods they export, they would not long continue such business, or be so anxious to extend this trade by sending agents to increase it, so the excuse .that the trusts are losing money on the goods they are selling in foreign markets, or dumping their surplus for whatever it will bring, is not borne out by the facts. The trusts, like other people, would not continue to do a losing business and be seeking more at the same unprofitable rate. The steel trust Is 'bidding on foreign contracts against the English, German, French and Belgian manufacturers, and successfully, too, at 33 per cent less on some of its products. To enable it to compete with the foreigners on their own ground it reduced the wages of its employes, but does not lower the price of its products at home. The workmen, the farmers and the balance of us would all be better off If the tariff was reduced and competition was allowed to keep the trust prices down. If the cost of living was reduced one-third, the workmen could afford to labor for less wages, and what a blessing the lower cost of living would he to those with limited incomes. The farmer would get the same price for what he raises under a low as he does under a high tariff, because the price of agricultural products Is based simply upon supply and demand, and no tariff can change that Immutable law, and the fanner has no protection to aid him except the duty on wool, and that has proven to be a boomerang. The wholesale and retail dealers make a larger percentage of profits the cheaper they can buy the goods they sell, so they would gain by tariff reduction. The whole army of those who work for wages, be the wages large or small, are benefited by a reasonable price for all they buy. The high tariff adds to those .prices directly. and in a much greater proportion through the increased profits the trusts and protected monopolies charge under the shelter of high protection. The Republican masses feel that protection is robbing them and are protesting, the “lowa idea” being a sample protest, but the Republican leaders have succeeded in putting even that small effort to sleep.

The Bristow Report. The report made by Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bristow "as a result of bis Investigation into the post office cases presents a record of bribery, blackmail and miscellaneous political corruption which has few parallels In recent political history. It Is a record of criminal collusion and deliberate betrayal of a public trust. The methods pursued by those who prostituted their offices and entered into conspiracies to defraud the nation were various, but the end jn all cases was the satisfaction of Selfish greed. For a period of ten years. It Is shown, there has been a system of organized corruption ramlfytogthrough some of thejnost Important branches of the Post Office Department and Implicating officials bolding places of

higb responsibility. Apparently the dishonebt crew, of whom Beavers. Machen and Tyner were the chief offenders, neglected no opportunity which might be turned to use for their own profit Unnecessary and worthless supplies were purchased, the manufacturers and the government officials dividing the profltß of the transaction. Extortionate prices were paid to favored firms. Leases for post office premises were canceled and the rent increased upon the recommendation of prominent politicians. Clerks, assistants and bookkeepers were hired without regard to fitness or the needs of official business, salaries being paid in some Instances where no work was done. Nor Is this all. In some cases conspiracies were entered into with get-rich-quick concerns and other swindling devices which bribed officials. According to Mr. Bristow, the personal profits of the boodlers were small ;s compared with the losses inflicted apon the government and the pubr lie. He estimates the sums secured, by the men who debauched the public service at between $300,000 and $400,000, while the loss to the government, considering the needless supplies purv chased, must mount well up into the millions. The full loss which the nation has been made to suffer, however, is not to be measured in money. The ultimate effect of all the proceedings has been the debasing and*demoralizatlon of the public service and the Introduction of an element of greatest danger Into national affairs. President Roosevelt says In his comment on the Bristow report: “Self-government becomes a farce if the representatives of the people corrupt others or are themselves corrupted.” The President makes recommendations as to the desirability of new legislation to prevent “boodling,” but the prime need, as he recognizes, is the prompt and effective punishment of every wrongdoer. Simultaneously, there must be a steady, earnest effort to dam the sources of corruption by putting venal politicians out of power, not only In executive positions, but in Congress.—Chicago News.

Ftrenuons Times. It Is rather a singular coincidence that just when General Wood was beiyg investigated by a committee of the United States Senate on the serious charges made of his conduct in Cuba that the War Department should report the slaughter, by the forces under his command, of 300 Moros in the Island of Jolo and the balance of “Hassan’s forces literally destroyed,” which consisted In all of 2,000. This reported carnage may be true; It may be exaggerated, for the censorship of news from this extreme point of our dependencies is in the hands of the War' Department, and the authorities can deal out such as they desire. The United States was supposed to have been at peace with the Sultan of Jolo, and had certainly made a treaty with that pot&ntate and his dattos, of whom Hassan was the principal one, which continued the control of Jolo In the bands of the natives, as It had been under the Spaniards. No news has been published of any insurrection, or other reason, for this sudden onslaught of General Wood, unless secret instructions had been given him by President Rooaevelt to clean out these semibarbarian* without the usual declaration of \v*r. One circumstance that Is mentioned in the dispatch announcing the slaughter gives color to suclv-an unusual proceeding, for it is stated that the treaty with the Moros may now he considered at an end. It is therefore possible that this sudden onslaught may have been premeditated for tha purpose of annulling a treaty that has always been unpopular, as it guaranteed polygamy and slavery. If the news of the slaughter of the Moros was not concocted to show General Wood was more than a doctor —indeed, a strenuous general—and thus help his.case with the Republican member* of the Senate, it will be necessary for the administration to explain who ordered General Wood to attack the Moros.

Victories at the far end of the line and presidential pressure close at home may lead to a favorable verdict from the Senators who are investigating the former doings of General Wood. Nowadays it is well not to be surprised at anything. Strenuosity is in the saddle, and war, pestilence and famine may be forced upon us at any time, and we may be thnnful that at present those calamities are so distant as in far-off Jolo. At th* White House Window.