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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1902)
3 a'V Oct3lv If3 monopoly" plank different Interpretations have been made of tnat platform. Some republican leaders have contended that it does not mean that tho tariff provides shelter to monopolies; but in a speech delivered at Chicago on the evening of October 9, Governor Cummins, who led the forces .through whoso -efforts that plank was adopted, made if very clear that tho "no shelter to-monop-ply" plank meant exactly what it said: , In that speech Uovernor Cummins declared: -"Corporations and combinations to which the Iowa platform refers, are those brought together, not to outstrip competition in aAfair race, but to destroy competition by tho actual obliteration of Independent establishments and which establish their purpose either by pur chase or by piracy. They are invariably ac- cpmpanied by the issuance of vast quantities of stock which have no basis save tho audacity of promoters and which serve two ends equal ly objectionable, first to enrich beyond compre hensibn tho movers of the nefarious enter prises, and second to cloak the enormous prof its which may be extorted from their hapless yictims. "While I believe that tho plan they adopt is as weak as it is vicious and that the ordi nary operation of the immutable laws of com merce would in the course of time overthrow them, nevertheless it is the duty of the gov ernment to hasten their disintegration and downfall by every power within tho scope of . organized society. There are but two forces that can be trusted to fix prices, competition and the regulation of organized government Tho latter is totally inadmissablo and wo must preserve the former. Therefore the high and imperative duty of the government is to , .so adjust the laws that there will be the least possible motive for the destruction of competi tion. "Tho experience of the past few years has shown us that ambitious spirits are able to es tablish and maintain monopolies in some of tho important products of Industry, and with respect to these things it is self-evident that the tariff duties In a measure are a shelter, ' because they deprive us of the ability to in ' vite competition from other lands." Evidently tho governor of Iowa Is not dis posed to mince words in the statement of his opinion. In that opinion "it is self-evident that the tariff duties in a measure are a shelter because they deprive the American people of tho ability of in viting competition from other lands," and when the Iowa republicans in state convention assem bled declared themselves in favor of "any modifi cation of tho tariff schedules that will prevent their affording shelter to monopoly," they meant to give indorsement to the plan provided in the Kan sas City platform; and yet it is Interesting to ob serve thatJVhile many of these republicans are en gaged in giving cordial support to what they call the "Iowa idea," they are giving equally cordial support to republican candidates for congress in the state of Iowaeven of those candidates who have openly repudiated the "no shelter to monop oly" plank contained in the republican state plat form. JJJ Revised by Its Friends. 1 A familiar statement that appears these days In republican papers is that the tariff must be 're .vised by itsy friends." This is meant to impress upon tho voters the desirability of electing a re publican congress and depending upon such a con gress to give the people relief on the tariff ques tion. In some quarters the Iowa platform is re ferred to as an evidence of the republican party's intention to rovi3e te tariff in the public interests. fThe Des Moines Register and Leader in a recent Issue says that the Iowa shelter plank which ap pears in the republican platform of 1902 and which also appeared in the republican .platform of 1901 jyas approved by President McKinley after that plank had been adopted. But those who may be disposed to place confidence in the claim that the people may hope for relief at the hands of tho re publican party will have their confidence shattered The Commoner. by a glance at the Burlington Hawkoye for Octo ber 21. The Hawkey has never takon kindly to the sholter plank in the Iowa republican plat form, which plank has come to be popularly known as the "Iowa Idea." The Washington correspon dent of the Hawkoye, under date of October 20, says: Tho 'Iowa We" for the revision of tho tariff will never be accepted or put into opera tion by congress. It has becomo plainly cvi-' dent that this is a fact since Governor Cum mins' Chicago speech has bad time to permeate political circles. This speech was rogarded as the official explanation of tho Iowa Idea and while it made plain many of tho Inex plicable features of tho proposition it still gave unmistakable emphasis to the fact that tho Iowa idea means a revision of tho tariff at once and a revision that is personally con ducted by tho congress of tho United States. Allowing for some probable changes In the coming election politicians who claim to know the situation do not hesitate to emphati cally state that this is something that congress will never do. Tho Hawkoyo correspondent says that It be gins to look as though the tariff may bo revised "in somo way," but he explains that if it is re vised tho result will bo accomplished in one of two ways; "by a commission appointed by tho president or through the medium of reciprocity with foreign countries." Now It is well under stood that revision through a commission would mean indefinite postponement of revision. That has been the people's experience with theso com missions on every question with which a commis sion has been chosen to deal. So far as revision "through tho medium of reciprocity with foreign countries" is concerned, such a "revision" would not provide tho pooplo with relief from the trusts that find shelter In tho tariff. This same correspondent quotes from Mr. Payne, the republican chairman of the ways and means committee. Mr. Payne says: "Our experience has been that the tariff cannot be changed without an attendant stag nation of business. Tho revision of tho tariff will involve a complete reconstruction of tho schedules. The suggestion that it might bo done gradually is impracticable. The work must be done thoroughly when it is done. This, as I have said, involves a stagnation of busi ness. Therefore it should not be undertaken until tho demand for tho change is so great and the benefits accruing will be so pro nounced as to overbalance the evil effects on business until tho culmination of the legisla tion." It will be seen from Mr. Payne's statement that the republican leaders are -not only opposed, to what is called the "Iowa idea," but that they do not intend to give the people any measure of relief either through tho medium of reciprocity treaties with foreign countries or through a tariff commission. Whatever may bo done by republi can leaders on the tariff question it Is fair to in fer from Mr. Payne's statement that it will be done simply for the purpose of avoiding the popular judgment at this time and going through the form of pretending to give the people relief when in fact it is not the intention of the republican lead ers to interfere in the least with the shelter which the trusts find in the republican tariff. JJJ Desperate Straights. The Nashville American, which falsely claims to be a democratic newspaper, says: "If tho democratic party had a wise, cour ageous and resourceful leader, one who has nothing In common with populists and popu lism or their visionary ideas, who does not be lieve that every man that has a dollar should be put in the penitentiary or that every cor poration is a menace to the country,- there might be a new chief in the Wbite house after Marcb 4, 1905." Such statement show, the desperation of the plutocratic preee. It would be a reflection on the intelligence of the editor, pi the ;(U.n) American to say that he did not know better. The fact that ho accuses tho party or any prominent leader of the party of boHovlng Hhat ovory man that has a doliar should be put In the ponltentlary or that ovory corporation Is a monaco to tho country" Is proof positlvo that the editor has no sound ar gument to advance. There Is not a lino in the democratic platform of 1896 and 1900 that in the remotest way tonds to dlscourago tho making or saving of monoy". In fact those platforms offer the best stimulus to industry and economy by guaran teeing to tho toller protection In tho enjoyment of his earnings. A man may have monoy any amount of It if ho honestly earns it and still bo a democrat, but Iff his monoy has him ho naturally gravitates toward tho republican party, which Is now iuo representation of plutocracy. It Is only a question whether monoy shall bo tho master or sorvant With tho American and papers of its class money is the master and Its voice has a motalllc ring whonovor It speaks on any subject Nolthor docs tho democratic party believe "that ovory .corporation Is a menaco to tho country," but It does believe that a corporation is a monace when It becomes strong enough to monopolize an industry. And, it may bo added, next to tho trust itself, nothing is a greater manaco than the news paper corporation whoso stock is owned by a rail road and whose policy Is dictated by mon who use tho paper to beguile tho public while the pa per's managers conspire against the public .wol- farc. , s JJJ A False Hope. The Donvor Republican Is deluding either Itself or Its roaders when it Insists that tho republican party will reform tho tariff. It says: , "Mr. McKInley's Buffajo speech, Mr. Bab cock's declaration last spring, the attitude of Iowa republicans today and last, though not least, President Roosevelt's declaration in favor of reciprocity and of a permanent tariff, commission, all point towards a proper change of tariff schedules by tho republican party. Tho "infant Industry" cry Is no longer forci ble or effectlvo, nor is that of "pauper labor of Europo," and it Is the republican party that recognizes changed conditions and tho neces sity of changing laws to meet them." ' It admits that tho "Infant industry" and "pau per labor" arguments aro worn out, but it be trays a strong Ignorance of the influences which control tho republican party when it assumes that it is free to act The beneficiaries of protection not its victims will write the tariff laws so long as tho republicans remain in power. To borrow & forcible simile from tho columns of the Republi can "ono might as well try to blow perfume through an onion stem" as to expect to get a tariff reform measure through a republican congress. JJJ The Republican Idea. In a speech delivered at Lancaster, Wis., re cently Senator Spooner said: "If we could elect a good strong republi can president like Theodore Roosevelt and a strong republican senate and house for a term of twenty years It would be better for the country. "I believe this demagogic tear-up comes too . often in this country." Suppose "wo could elect a good strong repub lican president like Theodore Roosevelt and strong republican senate and house for a term of twenty years," does any one imagine that during that twenty years the people could obtain any re lief from trust impositions? The coal strike of 1900 would not have beea settled but for the fact that that strike threatened republican success in the presidential election of that year and soon after the republicans were vic torious the workingmen found It necessary to once more enter an organized protest in order to ob tain justice. The coal strike of 1902 would not nave bMtt