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which Senator Jones is connected has a mo
nopoly of the business of compressing cotton.
If this were true and the monopoly rested upon
a patent it would not "bo a trust within tho or
dinary meaning of the word, but as a matter of
fact Mr. Jones' company does not handle ten
per cent of tho cotton compressed in tho
United States it is nearer five per cent. The
republicans say nothing about a salt trust that
controls ninety-live per cent of the output of
salt but makp a great ado about a patent which
is used in compressing but a small portion of
tho cotton crop. .
The company has been criticised for rent
ing its machines instead of selling them out
right, but as tho patent law does not prohibit
the leasing of a patented article and as this
method of realizing on a patent is quite
common it does not furnish valid ground for
complaint. Senator Jones explains in his let
ter thatj while tho company, when desired,
buys cotton from those who use tho round
bale process it does not require them to sell
to tho company.
In this connection the editor calls attention
to a suggestion which he has made on a former
occasion, namely, that there should be a value
limit as well as a time limit to a patent. In
other words, that the patent should expire
whenever a reasonable sum (the amount to be
fixed by law) has been realized from it, But
even if such a law were now in force it would
not affect the cotton company, for the owners of
the patent have not yet realized any consider
able profit on the money invested in the. patent.
This matter has been considered at some
length because the republicans, unable to. de
fend the attitude of their party on the trust
question, have sought to dodge, the issue by
bringing accusation against Senator Jones, the
chairman of the democratic national commit
tee. During- the campaign the only reply made
by republicans, when charged with friendli
ness to trusts, was that Tammany leaders were
interested in an ice trust and that Senator Jones
was interested in a cotton trust. As soon as the
campaign was over it was found that Governor
Roosevelt had, for political reasons, suppressed
Mayor Tan Wyck's answer,and it also developed
that the republican senate refused to consider
the house anti-trust bill when Senator Jones
tried to call it up.
Not a New Convert.
The New York Journal is in error in as
suming that Bryan is a new convert to munci
pal ownership. In a recent issue the Journal
said:
"The Philadelphia franchise steal has brought
out a welcome declaration from William J. Bryan.
Mr. Bryan took advantage of a visit to Philadel
phia on Saturday to say:
" 'If franchises are to bo turned over to pri
vate individuals or corporations, the transfer
should be arranged upon tho best terms possible
for the city. But I belieye that municipal owner
ship of water plants, lighting plans and street car
lines is the best solution of the problem.'
The time was when the democratic leader in
the last two national campaigns did not appre
ciate the idea of public ownership. He distrusted
The Commoner.
It as a little too much like paternalism for an old
fashioned Jeffersonian democrat.
"But men like Quay and Ashbridgo are rap
idly extinguishing that type of democracy. They
are making it evident that the Issue is no longer
between one economic theory and another, but
between honesty and theft. And on such an issue
nobody could doubt Mr. Bryan's position."
Mr. Bryan has always favored tho munici
pal ownership of water and lighting plants and
for .several years has believed in the municipal
ownership of street car lines. Tiie Commoner
in its issue of March 1st said:
"Some of our contemporaries are discussing
the relative merits of an inheritance tax and a
tax on franchises. Why not have both? One does
not Interfere with tho other and both are meritor
ious. In the course of time the cities will own
and operate their water systems, their lighting
plants and their street car lines, but until that
time comes municipal and other franchises ought
to be made to contribute to the expenses of gov
ernment." This is sufficient proof that Mr. Quay's
Philadelphia grab is not responsible for Mr.
Bryan's views of this subject.
Mr. Bryan has been dealing with national
questions and, while he was his, party's candi-
date, did not feel justified in adding to the re
forms enumerated in the platform, but as a citi
zen he is interested in -all questions affecting
the government andas an editor he will dis
cuss all questions upon which the people are
.called to act.
Pan-American Exposition.
During niy recent absence from home I
visited the Pan-American Exposition and wrhile
my stay was brief it was exceedingly pleasant
and instructive. The grounds are artistically
laid out and the buildings surpass in style and
beauty those of any other exposition. Special
attention has been given to the color effects
and aB a result the huildings present a much
more attractive appearance than the monoto
nous structures which gave to the World's
Fair the name, "The White City."
For want of statistics lam not able to com
pare tho exhibits with those of previous expo-
sitions but they are sufficient to convince one
of the wonderful resources of this country.
The exhibits of the Federal government, gath
ered from all the departments and illustrating
every phase of national life, will surprise even
the citizens of Washington.
The various states present moBt interest
ing assortment of products and give to tho vis
itor an object lesson more valuable than any
that could he obtained from books.
As usual, California leads in her display of
fruits and nuts but Florida and Idaho present
evidence of rapid developement in the matter
of fruit growing.
Illinois, Missouri, Oregon and Washington
have excellent apple exhibits.
Some of the South American countries have
a. large collection of valuable woods.
One of tho most interesting features of the
Exposition to mo was tho dairy contest now in
progress. Five of the best cows of eaoh of
several breeds are competing. A record is kept
of the milk of each cow and tho butter made
form it, together with the( cost of tho feed. ,
At the end of the test it will, bo possible to
from an intelligent opinion as to the relative
merits of the various breeds. As butter and
milk are necessities in every household I as
sume that tho readers of The Commoner will
be interested in knowing tho result of the con
test and I shall obtain and publish tho figures.
Owing both to the constant improvement
in electrical appliances and to the proximity of
Niagara Falls from which the power is secured,
the electrical display is far ahead of anything
before attempted. Considerable space is given
to mobiles and locomobileBHhey, too, show
great improvement.
The midway, while presenting as much va
riety as at other expositions, contains less that
is objectionable. The Indian congress which
brings together many famous Indian chiefs as
well as a large number of braves and squaws,
is unusually meritorious. It is especially in
structive, to the young people of the east who
have never seen the aborigines in their primi
tive costumes. Bostock's trained animals
come next in importance among the midway
attractions. The living picture in which fif
teen lions take part shows the perfection which
can be attained in the training of wild heasts.
The cyclorama showing the crucifixion, tho
trip to Klondike, the Johnstown "flood, the Jap
anese and Filipino villages, the Hawaiian
theatre, the House upside down, with its won
derful illusions, Alt Nuermberg The streets
of Cairo, .the little railroad, the canal where
children living inland are initiated into the -delights
of boat riding, tho baby hospital, .the
dwarfs, trained monkeys etc., etc all These
furnish information and many of them amuse
ment. Besides the attractions of the Exposi
tion Buffalo is itself an interesting city and is
only a short distance from Chautauqua Lake,
the homo of the parent Chautauqua, and still
nearer to one of the wonders of the world .
Niagara Falls. Nearly all who visit the Expo
sition visit the Falls, unless they have done so
before, and Sunday is the day usually set apart
for. the trip. And where can one worship
more reverently than amid those scenes? Every
object testifies to the omnipotence of" God,
every feature speaks of his matchless handi
work, and in the presence of the cataract, the
rapids, the whirlpool and the precipitous walls
of the gorge one finds himself repeating the
enquiry of tho Psalmist "What is man, that
thou art mindful, and tho son of man, that
thou visitest him?"
To those who live in the west and south
tho visit to Buffalo offers an opportunity to see
many .other places of interest. Toronto, Can
ada's most progressive city, is just across tho
lake and from that point the Richelieu and On
tario Navigation company runs a line of pas
senger boats to Montreal and Quebec. Some
time can be saved by taking the boat at Clay
ton, at the head of the St. Xiawrence a famous
fishing resort, by tho way if the tourist has
not the leisure to visit Toronto.
The daylight ride from Clayton to Montreal
is one of tho most picturesque in the world.
During the forenoon the boat winds among the
thousand islands, nearly all of them beautified
by the hand of man and made the sites of sum-
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