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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (July 11, 1902)
The Commoner. July II, 190a r. bo able to distribute a surplus among its people each year and thus convince them that the trust is a wise and benevolent institution. Some ar dent opponents of the trusts still argue that state laws are sufficient to destroy private monopolies. Let such profit by the lesson that comes from New Jersey. If a state finds it profitable to harbor pri vate monopolies on condition that it receive a part of the swag collected by them ftiore will al ways be defenders of such a co-partnership, and as long as one stateJs wiling to turn itself into a "robbers' roost" it will be difficult, if not Im possible, for other states Vj protect themselves. If. for instance, the salt trust, which now controls 95 per cent of the salt, secures control of the other 5 per cent and some state attempts to prohibit its doing business, within its limits, the people may suffer more from lack of salt than the trust will suffer from the loss of one state. It is necessary for congress to act and under the constitution congress can act, and -act effect ively. Let congress say that a corporation or ganized in New Jersey or in any other state must stay in the state of its origin and not use the mails, telegraph lines or railroads until it shows that it is not trying to monopolize any branchy of business or the production of any article of merchandise let congress say this and it will destroy every "private monopoly now in existence and prevent the creation of a new one. New Jersey would soon cease to permit the creation of trusts within her borders if their de predations were confined to the people of that state. JJJ A Real Harmony. ' The New York harmony meetings made dis cord more discordant, because they were planned by-men whose only conception of harmony was a stultification of the party, a surrender of the par ty's, principles and-a reinstatement of a leadership which conducted the party to the brink of ruin ana would disgrace it again if given authority. Such attempts at harmony are not only futile, but hurtful. In Minnesota, however, they have had a real harmony meeting a democratic convention at tended by many who were against the party in 1896, but who have returned in good faith, ac cepted the party creed and expressed a willing ness to support the party candidates without de manding or receiving concessions. The Kansas City platform was unanimously indorsed, a good state platform added, an excellent ticket nomi nated, and the campaign opened with flattering prospects of success. Rosing, the candidate for governor, is an able, loyal, hard-working demo crat. He was Governor Lind's private secretary during his administration and as chairman of the democratic state committee has built up a strong party organization. The candidate for lieutenant governor was against the ticket in 1896, but returned in 1898 and, has ever since been bringing forth works meet for repentenco. The rest of the ticket is made up of popular men, the populists being represented. This kind of harmony is real and permanent; 4t is along rational lines and brings strength to the party. JJJ . Dewey's Lame "Explanation. Admiral Dewey's testimony before the senate committee will prove a great disappointment . to those who have been attracted to him by the sturdy honesty which has heretofore character ized him. Before the committee he spoke very disparagingly of the Filipinos and when reminded of the statements made by him in 1898 he gave an explanation which is in Itself a reflection upon his good faith. . Soon after he landed at Manila he stated in one of his reports that in his opinion the Filipinos wero more capable of self-government than the Cubans, and to strengthen his statement ho added that ho knew both peoples. Some months after ward in another report to the navy department ho reiterated the opinion before expressed and declared that further observation confirmed that opinion. But when a membor of the senato com mittee questioned him about theso official reports he admitted that he had declared the Filipinos more capable of self-government than the Cubans, but tried to explain it by saying that ho did not think either Cubans or Filipinos capable of self government. The admiral had better admit' a change of heart rather than attempt to harmonize his pres ent views with those expressed four years ago. No candid man would have made the comparison he did if he really believed both people incapable of self-government. Such a mental reservation would not have been creditable to 'his sincerity and it" is more charitable to reject his very lame explana tion than to accept it. It Is quite evident that Dewey felt friendly td the Filipinos in 1898, and having no reason to dislike them he did not doubt their ability to take care of their own affairs. He supposed our nation would treat the Filipinos as it had treated the Cubans and therefore the com parison which he made was natural and proper. But close association with an imperial adminis tration at Washington Las lead him Into imperial; istic methods of thought. Ho now adopts "tho language of thrones" and indorses the benevolent despotism theory. His conversion from American to European ideas is so complete that it would not be surprising to see him appointed to repre sent the navy at the postponed coronation in the place of Charlie Clark, resigned. JJJ "Republican Tariff Dilemma." In this irsue The Commoner reproduces an s article from the pen of Walter Wellman, tho Washington correspondent of the Chicago, Record Herald, under the caption-of "How High Is thp Dingley Tariff?" In the same issue in which that article ap peared the Record-Herald, which, by the way, is a republican paper, had an editorial under the head-line "The Republican Tariff Dilemma." The Record-Herald called attention to the fact that Whenever the democrats have raised a cry for tariff reduction and the customs receipts and the state of the market have shown that it was not unreasonable the republican leaders have countered with the assertion that the re vision should be intrusted to tho friends of protection. Then the Record-Herald directed attention to Mr. Wellman's article and said that there could be no doubt about the desirability of a change in the schedules, and "no doubt that they (the repub licans) are bound by their oft-repeated profes sions to keep the tariff on a rational basis." In this editorial the Record-Herald said: An average rate of 38 per cent on an article like steel, which requires no protection, Is clearly indefensible. This Is obvious enough as a general proposition, and the declaration is strengthened by the statement that "American steel has been sold in London at 95 cents per hundred pounds when the same steel was sold 'in America at $1.65 per hundred." The differ- -' ence is too great for the most plausible ex planation. It proves that there is no danger from foreign competition and that the tariff is " maintained to add unearned riches to a billion-dollar trust. Neither is there any justification for a higher tariff average than we have ever had be fore. Perhaps some articles may really need the protection now granted, but under the the ory of protection the scale should be a de creasing rather than an Increasing one. Tho assisted industries must be steadily gaining in strength. Yet wo find that under the Dingley law the ad valorem rates have been: 1899, 62 per cent; 1900, 49 per cent; 1901, 50 per cent, while 50 per cent was the highest rate reached under the McKinley law, and for the period from 1860 until the enactment of that law it ranged from 20 per cent to 48 per cent. It is a noteworthy fact also that several of the schedules besides that on steel contri bute to tho enrichment of trusts. This will make tho agitation for reductions all the florcer. A storm is certainly brewing which will compel revision by one party or tho other, and such admissions as Congressman Gros venor makes will hasten it Can any Intelligent man oxplaln why this gov ernment should maintain an average rato of 33 per cont on an article like steel "which requlrci no protection?" According to this republican news paper American steel Is sold in London at 95 cents per hundred pounds, but when they come to pur chase the same steol Americans must pay $1.65 per hundred pounds. Here Is a difference of 70 cpnts per hundred pounds in favor of the foreigner. This republican nowspapor well says: "The difference is too great for the most plausible ex planation. It proves that there Is no danger from foreign competition and that tho tariff Is main tained to add unearned riches to a billion-dollar . trust." Why will not the American people give some heed to disclosures such as these I . , Why will thoy not think for themselves? What greator evidence do they require than this to Impress upon them tho fact that thoy arc sleeping upon their rights and that selfish men are getting the bettor of them? This testimony is from a republican source and it would seem that an intelligent republican, how over partisan ho may bo, would bo inclined to heed- the warning. JJJ Good Amendments Rejected. When the Philippine bill- was under consid eration Senator Patterson offered the following amendment: 1 "The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury, and such trial shall bo held in the province where said crimes shall have been committed." ... 4. This amendment involving, as It does tho very essence of justice and fair-dealing, was rejected. Senators Hoar and Wellington being the only, republicans who voted for it. Senator McLaurin of Mississippi offered tho following amendment: "It is the policy of the government to preserve the agricultural public lands in the archipelago for homes for tho people of tho archipelago, and no part of, said agricultural lands shall bo sold under this act except for such homes, nor to any except a native per son, a citizen of said archipelago:" This amendment was intended to protect tho home-builders and home-owners and its rejection shows that tho republican leaders are more inter ested in furnishing to foreigners a chance for ex ploitation than they are in protecting the rights and interests of Filipinos. Senator Teller offered an amendment similar to that which was attached to the resolution of in tervention in Cuba and which secured indepen dence for the Cubans, but the republicans, with tho exception of Hale, Hoar, Jones of Nevada and Wellington, refused to give this assurance to tho Filipinos. Senator Carmack offered an amendment de claring against the ultimate incorporation of tho Philippine Islands as states and another against a colonial system, but the republicans voted al most solidly against both. It Is evident, therefore, that the republicans are not willing to announce their policy and invite judgment upon it. They prefer to leave their pur pose in doubt and appeal to tho people to trust the party blindly. . . ' 4 JJJ " V The Army and Navy Journal expressos tho hope that Cuba will not permit the creation of a' national lottery. The position taken by the Jour nal is sound and its arguments weighty, but our administration will find it difficult to advise against lotteries in Cuba while it permits Ameri can newspapers to run guessing contests which are only thinly disguised lotteries. ii