Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 August 1907 — MORE ABOUT TRUSTS. [ARTICLE]

MORE ABOUT TRUSTS.

The Roosevelt Republicans of Indiana need not expect to get a hearing when it oomes to selecting delegates to the national convention. Mr. Fairbanks’ machine will see to that, just as it has been attending to other party matters for ten years.

The Cincinnati Times-Star, which is owned by a brother of Candidate Taft, reproduces the buttermilk jokes and other jokes about Candidate Fairbanks and generally “makes light” of him. In return the Fairbanks organs print cartoons representing Taft as being built like a baloon. What a happy family!

The building permits issued in July of this year in the principal cities of the country bliow a falling off of $10,000,000 when compared with July, 1906. In all parts of the country there has been a decided check in the building of homes. The lumber trust, backed up by the tariff, has about killed the goose in its haste to get the golden egg.

Presuming that there will be no reduction of the present rate of taxation of $3.36 on each one hundred dollars valuation in Rensselaer, if the railroad subsidy tax of 11 per cent —$1.50 on the sloo—is voted, we will then enjoy a rate of ♦4.86! The republican idea, however, is to tax the people to make them prosperous, and as this subsidy proposition is likely to carry we may expect a season of unparalleled prosperity in Rensselaer.

The assessment of the farm lands of the state has been raised an average of 10 per cent by the state tax board. It takes money—and a lot of it —to run the state government and pay the increased salaries of those holding state jobs. Besides several dozen new otHces were created by the last legislature. “Business administrations” like those we have been having for twelve years are oostly. If the taxpayers want extravaganoe in publio office they will have to pay for it.

Indianapolis News (lud. Republican): As for ourselves we have little faith in any oampaign against trusts that does not strike directly at the high duties under which they are able to maintain their monopoly, and make what prioes they please. The powder truant, for example, whioh has incurred the enmity of the President, is protected by a duty of 4 cents a pound when the valuation is not in excess of 20 cents, and of 6 cents a pound on any valuation in

I excess of 20 cents. But these duties jtoo, must be maintained, in the interest of a trust that is strong ! enough to dictate terms to the Government itself. It is on suob taxes as these that we Are to stand pat. They are not to be interfered I with for two or three years beoause j Senator Hopkins thinks it would jbe “suicidal” for the Republican 1 party to revise the tariff now, and the President of the United States agrees with him. Of the attitude of the Republican leaders, the New York Times says: The obstacles to revision do not lie in the tariff. The task is not complex, it could be made exceedingly simple. It lis the attitude of the President and bis ' stand-pat advisers that constitutes the obstruction. “Trust-bustmg" is popular and wins votes. The formulation of new and strange theories of the constitution, no sooner produced than ridiculed, wins the applause of the multitude. Immediate revision of the tariff would bethonest. It is a duty. But honesty and duty are commonplace virtues, not in the least spectacular, So the practice of them i may be deferred to a more convenient season after election. So the spectacular trust-busting campaign will go on, and prices will continue to soar. But we do not see much chance for that “alert competition” which is suggested as a remedy for the extortions of the thread trust. We are going to stand v pat for at least two years, and thd-president is on record as believing that there is no connection between trust extortion and our protective taxes.