Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1908 — ROOSEVELT AND THE TRUSTS. [ARTICLE]

ROOSEVELT AND THE TRUSTS.

De They Want a “Chans*7" —How the t Tariff Comes In. President Roosevelt's last letter t# Mr. Bryan, under date of Sept. 27, han an Important bearing on the tariff, now the foremost issue of the campaign. Mr. Roosevelt enumerates among the achievements of his admiuistratlou the collecting of over $150,000 in fines from the American Sugar company, $15,000 from each of four packing compaulwrDud the prosecution of other the 'Standard Oil compalifg J wT>ose case is still pending. Much light upon the relations between these trusts and the administration Is shed by facts marshaled by one of Mr. Roosevelt's supporters, Mr. H. E. Mlles, who describes himself as a "protectionist, a manufacturer and a Republican.” Mr. Mlles, who is chairman of the tariff committee of the National Association of Manufacturers, In a recent pamphlet bn “Tariff Making” says that the tariff “dicker” of the federal government “with the sugar trust has cost the (people of the United States $200,000,000 In the past ten years." In view of these undeniable tariff favors as compared with about $150,000 in fines the American Sugar company is still somewhat In the debt of Roosevelt “deeds” and, prlma facie, not likely to desire a change. Though the tariff was passed under McKinley, Roosevelt has not recommended a withdrawal by his administration from the “dicker," Again, Mr. Miles, commenting on the fact that Standard Oil products, while nominally on the free list, are by a tariff trick heavily protected, says this “petroleum Joker has cost the country another $200,000,000, government Investigation showing that American petroleum Is sold in foreign markets for 30 to 50 per cent below the price charged to domestic consumers.” Even if the government should collect the Landis fine of about $29,000,000, which seems unlikely, the Standard Oil company would appear to be no loser through the sum total of the administration’s “policies,” its tariff debits largely overbalancing the “tine” credits. The president does not mention any fining or prosecution of the steel trust, but only a permission by the; administration of its swallowing a rival company. He says the smaller company strongly desired to be swallowed and that this prevented "widespread disaster,” , But Mr. Miles, discovering no inconsiderable disaster in the tariff tributes levied by this trust, says, “The steel people have taken in the last ten years from $300,000,000 to $500,000,000 of the people’s money.” Mr. Roosevelt says, “If they violate the law in connection with any act of the steel corporation I will Immediately proceed against them.” Has it never occurred to the president or his attorney general that a number of legally Independent steel companies probably conld not consistently hold up to S2B per ton the price of steel rails, which all admit can be made for sl4 or less, if there were not between them an agreement in restraint of trade and competition? Have not these conspirators held meetings in New York from time to time, with no attempt at concealment, secure In the knowledge that the ’government, which sold them the $30,000,000 to $50,000,000 of tariff graft per year, would permit them to bank it without molestation? In the Dingley schedules as a whole, against which the president has uttered no protest, Mr. Mlles sees “the robbery of the public, as the supreme court defines it. of $500,000,000 per year.” Upon these schedules scores of trusts fatten without even she thought of a fine or a prosecution. Some years ago the president said that there is no connection between the trust question and the tariff, and the practice of his administration has been consistent with that transparent fallacy, which lias led him to attempt to punish sonic trusts for doing what the tariff encourages them all to do. A promised tariff revision to he made by his party, presumably through CanPayne. Dalzell and Fordnoy in thenouso and Aldrich, Burrows, Platt. Penrose and Hopkins In the senate. Is not calculated to inspire the tariff sheltered trusts with a desire for a change of parties. JESSE F. ORTON.