V
Commoner Comment.
about Mexico.
Sliver Is Mcxl
her public men understand that leglsla
mm against it would not only redin
me export price and thun less
en the ability of Mexico to pay he
debts abroad. lut If It finally led to
in discarding of a money which she
produces herself, would romjel her to
mortgage herself to foreign financiers
ti secure the money necessary to do
" minings of the country.
i Mexico's leaders, from the president
tint ma canine t down to the members
r congress, governors ami lesser off!
Vdiately im-reasInK the gap between
.fie outside world gives them credit fo
ling, nti'l they know that Mexico,
teat s'l-.er producng country. coul
not discriminate against silver and join
.n tne m ramble for c.oIil without Im
iit cllat lev increasing the gap between
void and silvir. a suflicient evil, am
.liive olhT silver using countries t(
the yellow metal. It is likelv. there
fore, that Mexico will adhere to silver
In ST'ite (,r the iijcon ven ience caused by
Zu 'tuation in ex hange rather tlia
nvlle the greater perils that would
come from un adoption of the K,M
- t'nilard.
It Is evident from what is going on
" ttie ITnited States ami in the great
.rmricy making centers that the finan
ciers are determined to take from the
people any advantage that might come
Irom an Increased production of cold
Schemes are being constantly devised
for increasing the demand for gold,
and the strain ujon it. If the money
-'hanger have their way the demand
will not only be made equal to the sup-
oly. but enough greater than the supply
So insure an era of falling prices, a con
dition beneficial only to the owners of
money and fixed investments.
The quantitative theory of money is
now generally admitted. It is a well
recognized fad that a doubling of the
population without any increase in
the supply of wheat would raise the
price of wheat, and so it is also under
stood that a doubling of the gold using
population without an increase in the
supply of gold would raise the purchas
ing iower of each ounce of gold. The
director of the mint is already discour
aging the production of gold, and the
financiers are doing what they can
fo Increase the demand for if. These
efforts cannot be successful without
serious injury to the producing classes
of the world. The people in gold-using
countries ought to be grateful to Mex
ico for standing steadfast in her deter
mination to keep silver a part of the
currency of the world, for. to fhe ex
tent that silver is used, the strain up
on gold is lessened.
In conclusion I may add that Mexico
furnishes a complete answer to the
arguments of imperialists. In the first
place, those who say that we cannot
haul down the lias: when once it lias
been raised will find that our flag once
floated over Chepultepec. the rocky hill
that rises abruptly from the plain of
Mexico and which was for ages the citi
ilel of ihe Montezuma. When the
treaty of peace was signed our flag was
hauled down and brought back more
than 8u miles to the Rio Grande.
This only proves that the flag can bo
hauled down but subsequent history
shows that it was better tor the flag
of the Mexican republic to float over
the Mexican people than that the char
acter of our government should have
been changed in order to make our flag
wave over a subject race. Mexico has
made more progress under the stimu
lus of self-government than she could
have mad under a carpetbag system
such as is employed in the colonies.
H?r officials are of the same race and
blood as her citizens, and they are knit
ogether by bonds of sympathy that
e impossible when a foreign master
jiles a conquered people.
' Sometimes the imperialist attempts
to appeal to a patriot i- sentiment and
argues that otir flag must nont over
the Philippines because Americans li'
buried there. If he will visit Mexico
he will tind in the suburbs of the capi
tal an American grave-yard where the
tars an'! ifripes are raised at sunrise
ind lowered at sunset. In this ground
owned bv the United States, the sol
diers of the Mexican war. known anil
unknown, are buried an 1 an American
ritizen. an appointee of our govern
ment, sees that their graves are kept
green. Here on Decoration Day flow
ers are brought, and the sleep of these
soldiers Is none the less sweet because
their companions in arms and their
-oimtrv's officials preferred to observe
the principles of the Declaration of
Independence rather than convert a re
public into an empire.
Acain. the imperialist will find in
Mim more progress made in the
last thirty years than he can find in
India during the hundred and fifty
years of English rule. And in Mexico
the imperialist will find more great
men developed by the inspiring doc
trines of civil liberty and inalienable
rights than England has ever sent to
India to conduct her colonial govern
ment. All things considered. Mexico's ex
perience is illustrative of the growth of
democratic- principles and can be
Htudied with profit by Americans. The
friendship existing today between the
United States ami Mexico Is based up
on an identity of Interests and upon a
growing identity of ideas. If any con
flict arises between the United States
and European countries in respect to
the enforcement of the Monroe doc
trine Mexko is likely to be our
atannchest and most valuable ally.
A REAL TRUST FIGHTER.
The Globe-Democrat in a recent Is
sue tells how President Diaz or th
Mexican Republic thwarted the Stand
ard Oil company. According to th
Globe-Dernocrat the oil trust got con
trol of a Mexican railroad and at
tempted to freeze out a rival by put
ting a prohibitive rate on oil frorr
the competing well. The matter was
brought to the attention of the presi
dent and he at once put the legal ma
chinery Into nioii and the railroad
soon had to choose between the restor
ation of the old rate ami a forfeiture of
its charter. The result was that the
railroad reduced its rate for carrying
oil and the Standard Oil company had
to meet the competitive pi ice of oil.
Our president, could do the same
thing In effect if he desired to do so.
If he was really anxious to exterminate
the trn.sts be could do so in short or
der. He could prepare a bill making
.. unlawful for any corporation to use
the mail.s. railroads or telegraph lines
for interstate commerce until that cor
poration showed that, its stock was not
watered and that it was not trying to
monopolize any branch of merchandise.
His power to appeal to the people and
is abnity to focus public attention
upon a question would enable him to
fccciire the passage of a really meritori
oils law but such action would an
tagonize the money power and bring
a light in the next national conven
tion.
TIME AS A CUKE-ALL
DOLLIVER HAS CURIOUS REM
EDY FOR TRUST EVILS.
Iowa Statesman' One-Sided Philoso
phy The Longer the People Endure
Corporation Greed, the More Ex
tortionate Will the Monopolies
Prove.
ARE AT AGREEMENT.
The Washington correspondent of
Ihe Philadelphia Press recently re
ported that "after the purpose of the
administration's anti-trust bill had
been explained, opposition not only
dissolved, but actual approval was
given." This prompts the Omaha Bee,
a republican paper, to ask. '"Have the
trusts capitulated? The Bee says
that the trusts have decided wisely if
it be a fact that they propose not to
to attempt to prevent legislation. Does
any one really believe that the trusts
have capitulated? Is it not more rea
sonable to believe that, as stated by
Walter Wellman. the Washington cor-
resMndent of the Chicago Kecord-
Herald. the so-called anti-trust pro
gram of the Roosevelt administratiqn
has met with the approval of the rep
resentatives of the trusts simply be
cause that program does not contem
plate serious legislation.
The New York Commercial Adver
tiser refers seriously to the nomination
f Grover Cleveland by the democrats
in 190!. The Commercial Advertiser
savs that Mr. Cleveland wrote a letter
ongratulating the president on his
. . . - t rr r ...
ourse in tne coal sume. ine ,ew
York paper adds: "This would go tar
o indicate that the two men are not
widely apart in their views as to the
proper regulation of corporations and
rusts, for the chief grievance of tne
after toward the president is his in
terference in the coal strike." It is
ionbtless true that Mr. Cleveland s at-
itude toward trus-ls is not widely apart
from that of Mr. Roosevelt or any
Hher republican who has no serious
intention of providing the people ma
erial relief from trust impositions. It
was just that sort of a policy that made
Mr. Cleveland's second administration
a failure: and it was just that sort 01
a policy that the democratic party was
ailed to account upon in the two pres
.leniial i-amnaizns following tne
leveland administration. Democrats
want no more republicanization of the
part'.
Senator Dolliver's remarks at a New
York banquet hold out a curious rem
edy for the evils complained of as to
the trusts.
"Within twenty years," he said,
"every trust magnate of to-day will be
dead or in a sanitarium for nervous
diseases, and the world will be looking
for trained men to do the world'3
work."
This is a solemn subject, but the
years that are expected to work such
havoc among the trust magnates will
not pass more lightly over the heads
of others. In twenty years most of
the men who are honestly attempting
to curb the trusts will be dead also,
and as for the victims of these com
binations the people who are com
pelled to do without things that they
need if they are not dead or In sani
tariums they will be in asylums and
hospitals and poorhouses. So Mr.
Dolliver's philosophy is no philosophy
at all. It is a one-sided fatalism
which does not look at the other side
and which does not even have the
wisdom of the ancient philosophy
which found expression in the words:
"It will make no difference a hundred
years from now."
Sir Edward Coke said many years
ago that "corporations cannot com
mit treason, nor be outlawed nor ex
communicated, for they have no
souls." So far as time and death and
decay are concerned they have no
bodies, either, and in one form or an
other they live forever.
People who wait for time to cure
the evils of combination and monopo
ly will be disappointed. There are
some things in the world which grow
stronger with age. The longer the
victims of trusts endure their oppres
sions the less likely will they be to
take effective measures against them.
Like monarehs. the magnates of
the trusts may die or collapse from
nervous prostration, but they will be
succeeded by others, and all history
shows that those born to the purple
are apt to have less regard for popu
lar rights than the founders of dynasties.
trusts, from water, from railroad dU
crimination, from legislative favor,
When people see vast corporations
built up by secret contracts with com
mon carriers in violation of law
whf-a they see other corporations per
mitted by ill-adjusted tariff duties to
sell their goods here for so much that
it is profitable td purchase abroad
those same goods manufactured here
and freight them back, it Is 'no won
der that they grow discontented. We
firmly believe that a plunge into
socialism would be the ruin of this
country.' Its salvation must be found
in free initiative and enterprise as of
old. Whatever seems to large bodies
of the people to trench upon that free
dom by granting special privileges
tends to provoke demands for such
regulation of equality as will kill in
dividualism and enterprise.
Partisan Stolidity.
Aimougn substantial assurance
from Congress that the Republican
majority will vote with the Democrats
to remove the duty on coal would in
stantly ease tae coal situation and
burst the "corner" particularly in
New England no word of hope comes
from either branch of that body nor
from the White House.
President Roosevelt plays a pretty
and piquant part as humanitarian
when it takes nothing out of pockets
he relies on for contributions to his
political candidacy.
Tariff-fatted pets in senate and
house look in stolid indifference upon
millions of shivering men, women and
children and indicate no intention of
hastening relief to their frosted doors.
The coal "corner" and coal famine
are a powerful object lesson in the
brutality of the tariff.
It will not be difficult for real demo
Tats to get together on real demo
cratic principles. The trouble will
come when an effort is made to get
real demo rts together on republican
principles.
In addition to saying that he would
accept the republican nomination for
governor of Ohio. Mr. Herrick says
hat the main thing for Ohio repub
licans to accomplish is the return of
Mr Hanna to the senate. This looks
like It ought to be good for a little
reciprocity on the part of Mr. Hanna.
Most of the democrats mentioned for
the presidential nomination by repub
lican organs hare earned the recog
nition nof those organs by assisting
them in bringing about the triumphs
of republican leaders.
The imperialistic papers are so en
thusiastic In describing the riches of
the Philippine islands that it is easy
to understand why their editors believe
fn the doctrine that this nation has
been providentially selected to exploit
the Filipinos.
When senators are elected by direct
vote of the people the people will
stand at least an equal show with the
trusts.
The republican senators who oppose
keeping their platform pledge to the
territories are victims of ingrowing
sense of honor.
in bis New York speech Senator
Dolliver said: "Within twenty years
verv trust magnate will be dead or
n a sanitarium lor ihmiuhs na-xcw-!.
n.i the world will be looking tor
rained men to do the world's work."
The Sioux City Tribune commenting
it.nn hi statement savs that the
trust magnate should not be permitted
to pursue such a cruel fate. But the
Tribune directs attention to the fa t
that there is another phase in this
quotation fro mthe senator from Iowa.
This relates to the .position of the
public. The Tribune intimates that a
large number of the consumers will
be in the grave or in a mad-house long
before this twenty-year period has ex
pired. That paper says: "The situa
tion is something of a mental and
phvsical strain for others than trust
magnates. It is no snap to watch the
cold, clammy hand reaching out for
the currency remnants and getting
them. It is a nerve and body break
ing game all around, and if the early
grave and the asylum yawn for any of
tne participants they must yawn for
them all. more or less. The need for
salvation is large and inviting, and
who will say it is not more desirable
to save than to allow the drift toward
the awful abyss pictured by Senator
Dolliver?"
Walter Wellman. the Washington
correspondent of the Chic ago Record
Herald tells his paper that the trust
magnates have been to the national
capital and reached an agreement with
republican leaders whereby the sting
will be carefully removed from any
proposed legislation.
Senator Mason allowed his sense of
right to prevail over his sense of duty
to his party, with the result that his
party turned him down. His defeat
was one 01 uw u'S"1 . r .
ever paid to the junior senator o.
nois.
Illi-
If removing the coal tariff will crip
ple the coal trust and reduce the price
to a more reasonable basis, why may
not the same end be reached by remov
ing the tariff on other necessaries.
The republican congressional major
st v is so anxious to do a lot of things
not mentioned in the g. o. p piauorni
members are very mad at Sen
ator Quay for insisting that they keep
the platform promise of statehood for
the territories.
Senator Aldrieh talks like a man
who can aireaay u -
- v o!-7iinP Tat-
sound tn iuc w-.-o
Those indicted coal dealers have a
V VL wn,.. discrimination. The
beef trust was in joined.
Sherlock
latest Fowler bill.
It appears that it does not suit the
coal trust to be smoked out.
Some enterprising g. o. p. organ
shouW interview ex-Governor Taylor
If "ndlana-from Kentucky-on the
Tillman-Gonzales shooting.
It appears that Governor Miirphy be
lieves in "standing up for New Jersey,
but it is hard on the rest of us.
How Is This for Conservatism?
It was no obscure member sitting
down away back, it was no Populist,
it was no cheap Democrat bidding for
socialist votes that bobbed up in the
house at Washington and proposed
that Uncle Sam "take possession of
all coal, coal beds and coal mines in
the United States and all lines of
transportation of coal."
It was the Republican chairman of
the house judiciary committee who
proposed all that.
It was a man chosen for his sup
Iosed coolheadedness, conservatism
and respect for the constitution and
the laws made in pursuance thereof
as head of the most conservative com
mittee of hte house.
It was a man chosen by the Speaker
of the House, who is supposed to
stand very near the head of the Re
publican party of the country the
party which denounced and hooted
and jeered the expropriation plank of
the New York Democratic platform
last fall the plank which the Demo
cratic nominee for governor of that
ttate made haste to repudiate.
It was John J. Jenkins of Wiscon
sin, a Republican supposed to stand
at about the farthest remove from
revolutionary socialism, who proposed
to distance the New York Hill plat
form and give the country a tremen
dous send-off in the direction of
state socialism.
What has happened to the Repub
lican party lately?
Tt looks a good deal like a panic and
a general run for the tall timber.
Redress of Some Sort Demanded.
There is something radically wrong
vhen the most prosperous nation with
the greatest fuel resources finds itself
in the condition which the cold wave
has placed the United States. With
hundreds of thousands, if not millions,
in the great cities suffering because
coal is unobtainable. except at
famine prices, there is an insistent de
mand for legal or legislative redress.
What is imperatively needed is a
popular agitation that will compel
such action as will prevent a recur
rence of the same conditions. No mat
ter what the result of the present ar
bitration may be to the miners and
operators, it cannot compensate the
people for the suffering now endured.
TRUSTS IN CONTROL
MONOPOLIES DICTATE LEGISLA
TION BY CONGRESS.
tlrely dependent upon the excessively
Ligu tax on ordinary alcohol. Other
substitutes are turpentine and boracle
acid. None oi these; substitutes aro
texed at all.
This is about the only civilized
countrv that taxes this most Imnortnnt
With the Idea of Fooling the People. raw inaterial. In the oninlon of ex-
tha Trusts Will Permit Mild Legisla- pcrt8t free alcohol In the arts would
tion Against Themselves Roosevelt. revolutionize our drug and chemical
industries and would not stop our
heavy importations of drugs, etc., but
because we would have the cheapest
grain alcohol In the world, would give
us the world's markets for many drugs
and chemicals. This outrageous tax
Satisfied With "Some Kind of Ac
tion."
Mexico and the Monopolies.
Mexico has a clear idea of what to
do with protected industries when
they exact unreasonable prices. There
is a wheat ring in that country which,
aided by the tariff on grain, has been
screwing up the price till the bakers
have reduced their rates on American
grain and there is to be cheap bread
again in the City of Mexico. The
policy of the government is to break
uj all monopolies that raise the price
of living. If the United States govern
ment favored the same policy it would
employ the same means.
The Speaker's Dangerous Power.
The power vested in the Speaker by
the rules which give him absolute
control of committe assignments is
one foreign to the true functions of
his office and subject to the gravest
and most radical abuse. That it has
been used in the past to debauch the
minority as well as to terrorize the
majority there can be no question.
And so long as the Speaker retains
this check on free speech and honest
thought fie will remain and must
remain the dictator, not the servant
of the house.
Trust legislation is possible, but
hardly probable, at this session of
Congress. A compromise bill will pass
the House of Representatives, shorn
of all that will really curb the trusts
The bills prepared by Attorney Gen
eial Knox and Introduced In the House
of Representatives by the chairman of
the Judiciary committee, were found,
after consultation with the Republican
managers of the Senate, to be too
dtastic to command a majority of the
votes and a compromise bill is the
re sult which is as harmless as a suck
ing dove.
President Roosevelt, his attorney
general, the Judiciary committee of
Congress and the leaders of the Re
publican party have all bad a hand in
incubating this innocent bill. A pro
digious amount of work has been ex
pc-nded on it; for it is quite difficult to
compose a bill that will read like a
trust-hunter and yet be a trust shelter
That the bill is to be harmless to the
trusts was acknowledged by the per
sonal organ of the administration, the
Washington Star of Jan. 1G, when it
said:
"Two important facts appear to-day
in the situation concerning possible
anti-trust legislation: First, the legis
lation proposed by the House will not
be drastic. Second, that there is a dis
position on the part of the trust in
terests to accept the legislation and
permit it to go through the senate, if
it is not of a drastic character.
"Private information comes to the
capitol to-day from trust sources that
it may be possible to reach an agree
ment which will permit the enactment
of mild legislation regulating the
trusts, and that if assurances can be
given that the perfected bill will be
of a character so conservative as to
merely satisfy the President's demand
for "some kind of action," no
obstacles will be placed in the way of
the bill in the senate."
These are extraordinary admissions
for the Star to make. First, that THE
TRUSTS WILL PERMIT MILD LEG
ISLATION. Second, that President
Roosevelt will be satisfied with SOME
KIND OF ACTION.
What do you think of that? The
trusts will kindly permit Congress to
pass a law nominally against them
selves. So here we have the flat-footed
assertion by the newspaper organ of
the Republican administration that the
trusts own Congress and dictate any
and all laws they think desirable or
expedient. Democratic newspapers
and orators have claimed this for
some years, but it has always been
.ndignantly denied until at last the
disgraceful truth is admitted.
But what is the matter with Presi
dent Roosevelt that he should also
come to be satisfied with any legisla
tion the trusts may dictate? Is the
tiust-hunter so anxious to be again
nominated for president that "some
kind of action" against the trusts will
now satisfy him? Democratic news
papers and speakers have always
given the President credit for honesty
of purpose, whatever his shortcomings, j
of about 1200 per cent on the original
cost of the alcohol Is a heavy burdeu
on the alcohol-using industries and a
handicap which Is prohibitive as to
exports.
As, however, our treasury officials
say that it is inijiossible to have ffcec
alcohol in the arts without great fraud
on the revenues and. in fact, without
free alcohol for many other purposes
the only adequate means of relief lies
i: reducing the tax to the maximum
revenue H)int. which, as stated, is 70
cents per gallon. This reduction would
greatly stimulate our alcohol uslnc In
dust rios ami would cheapen the cost of
many important medicines, chemicals
etc. J Here are many reasons for. and
no sound ones against, such a reduc
tion.
A WOlti) Ui SEASON
IMPORTANCE OF GOOD ADVICE,
COURTEOUSLY GIVEN.
Whole Current of Young Man's Life
Probably Changed for the Beat by
Well Meant and Kindly Admonition
Gently Offered.
Helping Cuba.
It is almost impcrssible for a protee
uuiusi organ 10 piay us little piece
without getting out of tune with facts
Here is the Washington Post, for in
stance, saying. "What has become of
all that Democratic sympathy for suf
ft-ring Cuba? Surely it was not all for
political effect?"
The Post knows, full well, that there
is no suffering in Cuba now, more
than there is in the United States. The
sugar trust press agent occasionally
manufactures a little suffering for the
benefit of Congress, when the reci
procity chariot wheels drag heavily.
but this evidence is hardly substantial
enough to excite the Democrats who
know it is for political effect. The
Democrats, if they had the chance.
would, instead of fussing over the
terms of a questionable reciprocity
which the party in power is now doing,
so reduce the high protective rates of
the tariff that Cuba, and all countries,
would have equal access to our markets.
Why blame the Democrats because
the reciprocity treaty is not ratified?
It is a humbug, pun? and simple,
worked up by the sugar trust, and of
no advantage to the United States, and
will be but little if any aid to Cuba.
The Democrats forced the freeing of
Cuba from the despotic- yoke of Spain
and they have voted money with a free
hand to aid her. If the Republicans
have made any secret pledges to Cuba
they have the political power to re
deem tliem. If aiil is needed from the
Democrats to carry out. the pledges.
let the Republicans disclose what the
pledges are and who made them, and
if the United States is bound in honor
to redeem them, the Democrats will
be found ready to protect the honor of
their country. Hut when it comes to
pulling chestnuts out of Ihe fire to
help their political opponents, withou.
at the same time helping Uncle Sam,
the Democrats are not there.
Farmers and the Trusts.
The cattle men held their annual
convention at Kansas City a few days
ago ar.d tie question of the beef trust
came before tliem and the result of
the proposed merger of all the pack-
but here we have his personal organ, , housS Was Mated to the conven
: k : , 1 - i . -i. : .
vv imjii iii iiiapiic-u iiwiii nitr v line
Famines and Taxes.
The worst features of what is called
the coal famine are due not so much
to a scarcity of coal as to a scarcity
of money.
Newspaper accounts of the pitiful
scenes at various distributing points
in Chicago show that with thousands
Df people this so-called era of prosper
ity is a period of hardship and dis
tress. All of the public and private
agencies for the relief of the poor
have the same report to make. If
they can get money they can get coal.
Most of the people who are suffering
from lack of coal are suffering also
from the lack of many other things,
all of which cost money.
A-great deal of political capital was
made a few years ago when, during
the course of a severe winter, it was
found that many people were suffering
for the necessaries of life and some
soup kitchens were established with
an ostentation which derh od not a
little of its vigor from the knowledge
that they could be referred t- later on
as frightful examples of wha happen
ed to the country when not :.:ng more
than an attempt was made to take
some of the injustice out of its laws.
It should be remembered hereafter
that with the country enjoying what
everybody who can gain the ear or
the eye of the public is disposed to
all wonderful prosperity the distress
among the poor this year is as keen
as It ever was and that the measures
that now seem necessary to relieve it
are quite as comprehensive as they
were in 1894-5, when alms-giving be
?ame fashionable because it seemed
to reflect upon a political and eco
nomic policy which the majority of
the people then looked upon as dis
credited. It should not be forgotten, either,
that every pound of coal, every piece
Df beef and every article of clothing
now distributed among the suffering
poor is taxed roundly to promote the
prosperity of somebody.
Who is the somebody?
No Hope of Tariff Revision.
There is every indication that the
high protec tionists are carrying an
amount of steam on the tariff question
which will certainly explode their
boilers. Tae hide-bound tenacity with
which they spurn every suggestion in
their own ranks for rational treatment
of that question foreshadows internal
dissension among them pregnant
with disaster. It is perfectly obvious
that there will be no tariff revision
until the Republican party goes out of
power.
The Method of Pickpockets.
For the coal trust to claim that the
independent operators are keeping up
the price of coal is an absolute false
hood. If the trust were so disposed
the independents could be driven to
the wall in a week. The scheme is
plainlj' and simply to confuse the pub
lic mind while it is robbed. It is the
method of pickpockets who work In
couples. One of them brushes up
against their victim to distract his at
tention, while the other filches from
him.
Real Breeders of Socialism.
The chief teachers of socialism in
tills country are those who have osten
tatiously paraded their power under
present conditions to conjure enor
mous wealth from combinations, from
A Ridiculous Contention.
It was very surprising to hear Mr.
Payne and Mr. Dalzell argue in the
House that the removal of the coal
duty would make no appreciable dif
ference in the importation of coal. If
that is the case it affords all the bet
ter reason why the duty should be
removed, not only temporarily, but
permanently. It is ridiculous to con
tend for the preservation of a duty
that has no effect.
A Better Use for Their Money.
Instead of raising money to em
blematize Roosevelt in bronze for his
services in behalf of arbitration those
foreign nations who are so much in
terested in the matter would build a
better and more pertinent monument
by devoting themselves more assidu
ously to cultivating The Hague tri
bunal. That institution has been lan
guishing, though its services have
been needed.
Too Much Fashion in the Army.
Army officers complain that they
cannot financially keep up with the
lightning changes in uniforms. More
attention seems to be devoted to
fashion plates than to seeing that
there are enough competent men to
use the coast-defense machinery.
Leading Up to Trouble.
Rear Adniral Evans wants more
men behind his guns.- More guns
more men, more men more guns,
more men and guns more ships seems
to be the naval program. When, it is
finished we shall probably see more
fi&nting.
House, acknowledging that the Presi
dent has joined the other leaders of
his party in trying to fool the people
with fake legislation against the
trusts.
Another eminent Republican, at a
crisis in the history of the country,
said: "You can fool all the people
some of the time and some of the peo
pie all the time, but you cannot fool all
of the people all of the time." It is
to be hoped that the people will not be
fooled more easily to-day than they
were in Lincoln's time.
An Absurd Tax.
We have many burdensome and
foolish taxes. The best of the protec
tive tariff taxes takes more money
from the people than it puts into their
treasury; the worst and they now
are the most numerous produce but
little revenue and take $10 or $100
from the people for every dollar
turned into the public treasury. The
trusts get the difference as a "rake
off." All this, however foolish, is done
in the name of "protection" a sup
posed economic system or principle
apparently approved by the people.
But there is another tax. extremely
burdensome to industry, foolish and
unnecessary as a financial measure,
without reason in economics or ethics,
and which forms no part of "protec
tion" or of any other political system
on which the voters have expressed
themselves.
The tax of $1.10 per proof gallon on
distilled spirits, commonly called al
cohol, is indefensible from any stand
point, unless possibly for the purpose
of encouraging illicit stills and protect
ing ine poisonous wood aiconol in
dustry. That is, 40 cents of this $1.10
i? indefensible.
As this tax is levied primarily to
produce a revenue, it should be placed
at the point which will yield the most
revenue. This point, as shown by the
commissioner of internal revenue in
1897, is at 70 cents per gallon. The
higher tax not only produces less rev
enue, but has increased the number of
illicit distilleries from 1,018 to 1,905.
The higher tax also greatly increases
the use of adulterants and increases
the harmful effects of alcoholic beverages.
But there is a more Important rea
son for placing this tax at the lowest
possible point consistent with our rev
enue requirements. Grain alcohol Is
one of the most important of our raw
materials. Because it is a universal
solvent, it forms the basis of the drug
and pharmaceutical manufacturing In
dustries which are extremely impor
tant and necessary. It is also impor
tant in ihe manufacture of varnishes,
chemicals and in the mechanical arts.
In some industries, wood alcohol can
be and is substituted, but. as it is poi
sonous and dangerous and naturally
costs three times as much to p reduce
as does grain alcohol, its u. is en-
turn as follows:
"The raiserers of live stock in this
country would, if such a merger cor
poration were formed, be compelled to
sell all their products to one purchaser
and that purchaser would fix thn
prices to be paid, the number of live
stock to be purchased and the places
at which they would purchase and pay
lor the same."
The farmers, in the aggregate, raise
ten times the number of beef cattle
that, are ser.t to market from the free
ranges of the West. The farmers are
therefore interested in controlling the
beef trust, for they will be more at
the mercy of the trust when they mar
ket their stock. A large shipper of
cattle, like the great cattle barons of
the plains, may probably be able to
arrange the prices they will receive
before the steers are shipped, but the
farmer who tends a car load to the
Chicago or Kansas City stockyards is,
and will continue to be. entirely de
pendent upon the price that the beef
trust dictates. No c lass of c itizens is
more interested in trust busting than
the farmers, and yet a majority of
them continue to vote for the political
party that is allied with the trusts.
Tainted Money.
Lecturing before the Philadelphia
Society of Ethical Culture Mr. John
A. Hobson, English economist and
sociologist, said :
"Carnegie, Rockefeller and Rhodes,
made rich by corrupt bargains with
office holders, monopoly of oil wells
and pipe lines, control of law courts
and politicians, avoidance of taxes,
ruthless crushing of independent deal
ers, control ot markets ny trusts.
tariff protection purchased is it safe
and good to take charity from such
men as these?"
This is the question, put in a slight
ly different form by Prof. Bascom.
which is now agitating the pulpit and
press of the country. However, it
may be settled it is certain that the
power to advance prices, which these
trust barons usually exercise just
after they have announced to the
world that they are about to give
charity to some institution, should be
taken from them. It is noticed that
they collect from the people, in en
hanced prices, several times the
amount to be given in charity. If,
after being shorn of the power over
prices, they should continue to give
millions to subsidize colleges and en
slave the professors, we might be
more ready to give them some credit
for their action, and not suspect that
their charity was a cloak to cover
their sin of monopoly and extortion
ate prices.
It Is impossible to correctly value a
good word spoken under favoring con
ditions. An Illustrative Incident Is
related In the experience of Hon. John
Mahin, the veteran editor and pub
lisher of the Muscatine Journal, whose
sturdy antagonism to the liquor traffic:
and the drink habit Is of more than
state-wide knowledge. Somo fifteen
years ago. traveling upon a train from
Muscatine to Kansas City, Mr. Mahin
entered the lavotoiy of Ihe tdcepcr as
the train approached the latter city.
Hanging from the wall was the tout
of a young man from West Virginia.
In the pocket was a Hash of liquor.
The West Virginian, an intelligi lit,
manly appearing fellow, courteously
offered Mr. Mahin a drink, which, of
course, was declined. When their toil
ets were completed and they were
again seated in the coach, near each
other. Mr. Mahin. attracted by the
young fellow's gentlemanly beurlng,
ventured a kindly word of admonition
against the practice of using intoxi
cating beverages. "That la what my
mother has been telling me," said the
young man.
"And where will you find in all the
world any one more deeply interested
in your welfare, one who love you
more devotedly, than your mother?"
inquired Mr. Mahin.
"That is true," rcsjHiiided the West
Virginian in recognition of the kindly
intent of the advice of the older man,
"and the young lady to whom I am
jiaying attention haa iiIho glvcu me the
same advice."
"Then you have tha ruost powerful
of all motives for hre&king away from
the habit," said Mr. Mahin. "and let
nie urge upon you the jjreat Import
ance of such a course and its Influence
iiIHn your future career;" and a con
versation ensued, in which the young
man promised to abandon lam orinK
habit.
Three weeks later Mr. Mahin
traveling over the same road on a
train from Kansas City and was ac
costed by the West Virginian, who rec
ognized him. "I have kepi my prom
ise," said the- young man. "I was vis
iting an uncle ::i Kansas City. There
was a social gathering at his house at
which wine was served. All partook
but myself. Afterwards my uncle, who
uses beverages, comn.-'nded tne for
declining, so you sc" I b-id not low
ered myself in his esteem b." refusing
Vi drink."
Fifteen years rolled by anc the
Christ mas-tide of 1902 was approach
ing. One day there came to the resi
dence of Mrs. John Mahin at Musca
tine an express package from Chicago,
It container) a beautiful mantel clock.
and with it a note recalling the cir
cumstance on the train which we have
related. It was Irom the West Vir
ginian, now a successful western man
ager of a large manufacturing indus
try in the cast. He had steadfastly
adhered to the promise he had made
o her husband fifteen years ago and
n grateful remembrance asked the ac
ceptance of a memento to mark a
kindly deed that affected a turning
oint in his life.
Th- incide nt re veal.-- its own moral,
t is found not only in the- wisdom and
firmne ss of purpose of tlx- young West
Vit!-ini:in that made- a man d him.
T;it in the kind and lis ree-t counsel
Siven hirn by one whose advice wa?
not obtrusive. iut was nejiie. the rP
honest, earnest, and effective. Tee:
few pL.;pl" realize how great a good
may be a' lii' v-'l by a kindly word
ut;er.-d in the right spirit and at the
or - '.irne.- !',ui li.rt:n Hawk-Eye.
ONE OF HERMANN'S Tn"K.
Magician Puzzled a Select Company
of Bohemians.
Not many months be fore bis death
the magician was a guest at the fa
mous but now defunct Whltechapel
flub, the rendezvous of Chicago Bo
hemians. On the night in question a
venerable Japanese priest was pren
ent. In the course of a few tricks
Hermann picked up a deck of cards
and asked some: one to select a card.
The seven of clubs was the card
drawn from the pack and it was
shown to the spectators, but not to
the magician. The card was re placed
in the deck, which was shuffled and
then handed to one of the spectators.
"Look through the deck, please."
said Hermann.
The holder of the cards did as re
quested. "Is the card that was drawn in the
pack?" asked the wizard.
"No, sir," answered the spectator.
"What was the card?"
"The seven of clubs."
"Well, gentlemen, if one of you will
kindly unlace the prelate's shoe, yotj
will find the card that has vanished
from the pack. "
After a smiling protest the Japanese
priest unlaced his shoe, and there,
to the amazement of all, wa3 found
the seven spot of clubs.
The Father' Hope.
"Do you thin Josh's Inventions
will work?" asked Mrs. Corntossei.
T hope so," answered her husoand:
"I know mighty well that Josh won't"
A Rival to Ping Pong.
The latest Parisian development of
ping pong consists in substituting for
the ball a light feather made of collo
dion, and for the racquets rods or
wands electrified by friction. The
feather is first thrown Into the air be
tween the two players, where It tem
porarily remains by virtue of Its light
ness. The game consists in driving It
backwards and forwards, not by forc,
as In ping pong, but by the repellent
action of the wands, which are pre
viously electrified for the purpose by
an energetic rubbing.
A Four-Footed Porter.
One of the most zealous officials on
the southeastern and Chatham rail
way is four-footed, and Is stationed at
West St. Leonards station, Ixindon,
England. He Is a fox terrier, who
comes on duty at 2 o'clock (wlto his
master) every day. and conveys let
ters, by mouth, from the booking of
fice along the line to the cearest
signal box. and vice versa. This
four footed porter allows no one to
intercept him, and waits patiently till
the door is opened for him. ,
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