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The Commoner.
3
TONE 2, 1901
THE CZAR GRANTS RELIGTOUS FREEDOtt
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The Czar has made another concession to his
people this time a great concession. But for tho
fact Jthat Russia is still so far behind tho western,
world in matters of government the concessions
granted by the present czar would seem oven more
important than they do. At the birth of his son
lie released the indebtedness incurred by tho for
mer serfs when, upon their emancipation, they
were permitted to purchase the land upon which
they had lived. This was a great boon to tho
peasants. Later, the czar announced his inten
tion to create an elective assembly, which, while
it would not participate in the enactment of law,
would bo permitted to discuss proposed laws or
decrees. While this comes far short of constitu
tional liberty, it was really - great step in advance,
because public opinion is almost as effective as
law when that public opinion can find expression
through recognized channels. It has another ad:
vantage in that it permits the development of
leaders of popular thought. At .present there is
no way in which a person can become a popular
leader no way in which public confidence can
be centered'ln some able spokesman. This has
been one of the weaknesses of all roform move
ments in Russia. Tho representative body to bo
established gives a chance for tho development
of leadership and for tho establishment of prestlgo
with the people, and it will inevitably lead to a
legislative, body empowered to participate in tho
making of tho laws. ,
The last concession granted that of religious
liberty is tho greatest of all. Nothing is moro
paralyzing to a nation"s development than laws
or decrees which forbid tho following of onc'a
conscience. When Jefferson looked back over his
life he placed next to the Declaration of Inde
pendence the statute which ho framed providing
for religious freedom in tho stato of Virginia.
With a conscience free to work and to express it
self a new era opens before Russia. While, of
course, it is impossible to know whether this con
cession is duo to tho war or could have been
secured without tho war, still it will probably bo
regarded as a result of tho embarrassment
brought by tho war, and will go far toward making
the people forget tho hardships which have been
Imposed upon them by the sanguinary conflict be
tween Russia and Japan.
Tho world moves. Tho forces at work for
tho advancement of tho race aro irreslstiblo forces,
and whether wo view thorn in their contost with
arbitrary power in tho Czar's realm or In Eng
land, In Germany, in Franco, In Italy, In Spain,
In South America, in tho Philippines, or in our
own land, tho final result Is always tho same
victory for tho right!
Japan has religious frcodora as well as a
logislaturo, and theso things probably account In
part, at least, for tho enthusiasm with which tho
Japanese havo supported their government. Tho
restriction placed by tho Russian government
upon liborty of conscience, of thought and of
tongue havo contributed largely toward tho up
risings which havo embarrassed tho Czar.
Tho peoplo of America will hoartlly con
gratulate tho Russians upon tho concessions which
they havo won during tho last two years, nnd will
hopo for still further concessions until tho peoplo
of Russia at last enjoy freedom to worship God
according to tho dictates of their own consciences,
freedom to think as they ploaso, freedom to ex
press their opinions by tongue or pen, and full
participation in tho government un ,r which thoy
llvo.
SECRETARY TAFT AND THE G. O. P. TEXT BOOK
The Republican Campaign Text-Book for 1904
provides interesting reading in the lighi of re
cent developments with respect to the tariff question.-
Several pages of that book were devoted
to an effort to show that American goods wero
not sold abroad cheaper than at home. And where
it seemed impossible to deny that in some cases
foreign prices were cheaper, an effort was made
to explain away the fact by the statement that
American manufacturers were seeking to Kulld up
a market for the benefit of American labcr. Where
It was .inconvenient to deny that American prices
were much higher than foreign prices, an effort
was made to explain away the fact by the asser
tion that it is a duty to buy at home, and that
even when Americans pay exorbitant prices for
American-made goods, they are merely "paying
the money into their own pockets."
Dealing particularly with the duties on iron
and steel the text book sought to establish the
claim that those duties aro not prohibitive as to
imports, and that it is not in the power of tho
manufacturers to maintain such prices as they
may choose in the home market.
In another chapter an effort was made to
show that prices in the United States, wero as
a rule much lower than prices in Enland.
The proposition that tho foreigner pays tho
tax was asserted by this text book and it was
said: "The claim that tho foreign producer or
merchant pays at least a part of tho tariffLlovIed
on imported goods is now admitted in freo -trade
England."
One chapter of the text book was largely do
voted to an effort to show that trusts do not
control prices. In this chaptqr it was said that
"trusts are utterly unable to control the markets."
An extract from thiB chapter follows:
It is doubtless true that occasional sales
of American manufactures aro made' abroad
at less than the established prices ct homo,
just as", the manufacturer or merchant fre
quently sells below his regular price in tho
home. market for the sake of gaining new cus
tomers or of disposing c" his surplus produce
at cost, rather than closo down his factories
and deprive his workmen of employment.
Emphasis was laid on the report of a com
mission to the effect that "a" great majority of
the answers -(to its inquiry) indL ..to that prices
aro no lower abroad than thoy aro for domestic
consumers, and a considerable number indlcato
that foreign prices aro higher."
In another chapter it was asserted: "Circum
stances in tho United States do not Justify tho
assertion mado by tho free traders that a protec
tive tariff results in an advance of prices or in
high prices In tho country -adopting It. Cer
tainly it has not been tho case in tho United
States."
These statements are particularly interesting
at this time. They require no commont other than
that provided in what is. known as "Secretary
Taft's free trade order.'' It will bo remembered
that, according to tho dispatch carried by tho
Associated Press, tho canal commission acting ,
with tho approval of Secretary Taft who acted
with the approval of President Roosevelt decided
that the money consideration In tho i-urchnso of
canal supplies was so great that It could not bo
Ignored, and it was, therefore, decided to pur
chase material in tho marlcets of tho world. As
.explained by this press dispatch "It was held that
in many cases fully 50 per cent more would bo
charged for tho material needed in the canal
construction than the same .goods could be pro
cured for in Europe."
THE PREVAILING FORCE IN THE COUNTRY
The Wall Street Journal recently published
a series of articles on insurance. They wero
written by an expert and every American citizen
should read the Journal's review. Unquestionably
many people who imagine thoy had some con
ception of the Immense sums of money being
gathered in by these great insurance companies
will be surprised by the Journal's statement that
in the year. 1904 the gross income of life insurance
companies in this country aggregated nearly
$600,000,000. In the last fiscal year the total in-'
come of the United States government was $684,
000,000, only about $84,000,000 in excess cf that
of the insurance companies.
Some other extracts from the Journal's art
icles may be interesting. For instance there are
now outstanding in the United States upwards
of .25,000,000 life Insurance policies of ajl kinds.
The Journal admits that "the accumulation of
vast assets under the control of the managers of
these companies, and especially the accumulation
by the three leading companies, has resulted in
the creation of a financial power which promises
before long to be the 'prevailing force in tho
business of the country."
One may better appreciate the accuracy of
the Journal's prediction by a glance at the state
ment showing how rapidly life insurance assets
havo increased in the United States.
A table giving the total assets in five-year
periods from 1380 to 1905, follows: 1905, $2,500,
000,000; 1900, $1,742,000,000; ,1895, $1,159,000,000;
1890, $770,000,01)0; 3585, $551,000,000; 1880, $452,
000,00. The Journal' compared this growth with tho
estimated Increase in the wqalth of the country
since 1880. This is shown T)y the following table:
P. C. of Assets
Wealth of Country. Life Ins. Assets, to Wealth.
1905.. $103,000,000,000 $2,500,000,000 2.42
1880.. 42,000,000,000 452,000,000 1.07
$2,048,000,000
454.2
Increase $61,000,000,000
P. C. of inc. 145.2
The Journal says:
This exhibits very plainly the fact that
Insurance company assets are Increasing much
more rapidly than the aggregate wealth of 'tho
-country. In 1880 life insurance assets amount
ed to only but littl j over 1 per cent of tho
total wealth of the country. They now amount
- to nearly 2 per cent of the total wealth.
While wealth has increased in twenty-five
years 145 per cent, life insurance assets havo
Increased 454 per cent. Nor is there any sign .
of a slackening of the speed of insurance de
velopment. The increase lri assets last year
was greater than in the year preceding.
After making this showing the Journal seems
disposed to offer an apology to the insurance
managers when it -fcays:
The awakened Interest in life insurance,
therefore, is reasonable and it is timely. It
'is not an interest which Iff unfriendly to the
insurance companies. It alms not at d -truc-tlon.
The people simply' want to knov what
life insurance is, what Its full meaning Is,
what are tho ethical and economic princi
ples underlying it, and what are its methods.
- They want to know, also, more concerning
the financial operations of these companies,
investment of their assets, the disposition of
their Income, and the percentage of their oper
ating expenses.
While it is true that -the people want to
know these things it Is also true that they want
to apply a remedy, for, according to the Journal's
own showing, a remedy Is called for. The awak
cned interest in life insurance is reasonable and
timely, because investigation will open the eyea
of the peoplo to the absurdity of maintaining tho
present system. If "the accumulation by tho
three leading companies has resulted in the crea
tion of a financial power which promises before
long to bo tho prevailing force in the business
of the country," then many who were reluctant
to move for the abolition of the system will bo
Inclined to join with the already large number o
people who believe that one of tho most impor
tant reforms to be brought about Is the substitu
tion of Insurance by the state for the present plan,
through which a few men ar now amassing un
told wealth. . . r. . m
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