The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, March 18, 1904, Page 2, Image 2
T'E)8!rffWW!WP ifc4 ! L it. I 3 L-. 2 a platform such as has been suggested by Mr. Cleveland." No one can misunderstand that statement. If the gold democrats have the majority in the democratic national convention the democratic party will declare in favor of tbe single gold standard and will bo delivered, bound and gagged, Into tho merciless keeping of the powerful inter ests that have controlled the republican party and by that control have dominated tho affairs of tho nation. Aro democrats willing that this program shall be carried out? JJJ The Beef Trust's Work, Representative Martin of South Dakota, speaking before the house committee on interstate commerce, made un interesting showing concern ing tho operations of the beef trust. According to Mr. Martin's statement tho facts appear to be as follows: Tho price of cattle since early in 1903 fell until last December, when it reached the low est price in five years. Tho price of dressed beef during the first six months of 1903 correspondingly declined: but about tho 1st of July it began to recover, and during the fall of 1903 it reached a point, at wh.ch tho spread botweon tho price or cat tle and drossed beef was from $12 to ?15-a differonco greater than any preceding record. pressed beef is bringing as much now as In 1901, whilo cattle aro much lower. Consequently, there is a great loss to producers of cattle in the west. Many of tho stockmon have become embarrassed at tho SSCinfdltl0lJ f affairs' whlcn cannot be attributed to natural causes. Tho foreign market for American beef Is good c(i tho local market is probably the best in many years. wn,1?81' X th0 prlce of (lrcsed beef STmV P5p ?und8 altliough it cost but $5.17 on tho hoof. In February, 1901, dressed beef sold at tbe same price, but beef on the hoof cost ?G50 In one instance a cattle raiser shinned a consignment to tho Chicago stock yards lie found no competition whatever, and, in fact tho absenco of a real market Thin n?S raiser called upon tho varic . i ooLeras w secured a bid from only one. HSy ac copted this. His curiosity had been arousS and ho resolved to see what the Reason was that thoy did not bid. That night the steers sold to the one firm by this cattle raiser worn separated into seven equal lots an" diK buted among tho seven different coScorns In tho faco of this showimr what rtn h, publicans purpose doinc? ? n 1 , e re" that something mus? be 225. u1' hWfcver' tense at remedying ft LS ,by way " a Pre" vided for a,rInv?st?enHni a,wS they have Pro" sarily, long drawn out , V11 be' neces- investigation caus0 tZJLhoU umM7 set forth in iKnei? ni ff "11 already cIeary at Chicago I l S fllGd in the federal court thoyIt;0xnrdcat,o iv'riv1 commence crifi SJjL general to of those different tristmna,uluca11 every one of justice, under the crimiSof8 beloro a court man anti-trust aw ClimIual clause of the Sher- r Mr, JJJ TOO Much Yrtxxr r blSKSPcc!i house of represent,, -. i,u uj. ooutll Dakota RnlH. ,IT ,v-' one who goes into hysteria ..- I80 nt irust' is mentioned hfl .,.. u "IO Lne word ar ls: swift m-tsZ!!!8 NoneottX'; TV", a como to stay. Tho im he trust has informed regard ft? &3FJT'. W0" It is disposed to take a mnS Ifi tho trust' . dnrtrU combination, reeoenlz nc if th ta" evolution ot cotons CSuS , The Commoner. cheapening of the processes of production and distribution, and for an invasion of for eign markets against formidable competitors. "But the question is 'Will the trusts let the rest of us stay?' Will they completely and entirely disregard the consumer? Will they combine in such a way as to fix and control the prices of the manufactured prod uct? If they do, the monopoly thus created is so clearly a menace to the people as to leave no loubt regarding the necessity for federal regulation and control of such com bines." If it be true that tho trusts have come to stay, then why protest against the inevitable consequences of the trust system? The Record Herald confesses the serious results of the trust system when it says: "Tho questipn now is, 'Will the trusts let the rest of us stay'?" If tho trust has come to stay, then so long as human selfishness exists the men in charge of the trusts will uso their power for selfish advant age. They will say just what they will pay for the things they must buy on the one hand, and on tho other hand they will say just what must be paid for the things they sell; and the people will be ground between the upper and the nether milestone. Tlf the situation has progressed so far that the question now is, "Will the trusts let the rest o. us stay' then it is high time the "rest of us" were doing something in the way of self-defense. Relief is not to be obtained by telling these t3e rtI,ey may conspire m restraint of trade, that they may destroy the laws of compe tition, provided their conspiracy and their de ce J"! only to a "reasonable" extent. have'no ht w and , ?e beef tn,st agnates SX vS Vi theif pini011' been unreasonable; and yet, the people have complained bitterly of the actions of these men. iy l mn,,T?n pUlic interests suffer whenever a few men have the power to fix prices Privnto 1 nopoly is intolerable and cannot be defended" ?w ihUgh tlle defense be made on the nlea us siay.' whether they will let thp rps nr o S. d0I,cna3 u much mtrTrac wm his tanlf wf11 tQ,a An,rew Jsn that uenc um Hickory" renHprh tp .,., i iai make and unmake fi' and ZT?K Cm, ' unmake nrpqirtontc a ,, d can make and annytCBtoJSifvit11118 t0 much p5wer' uy tiie eternal. I n veto your charter. "f suclrS proUtionsS t!;aV STn t0 is: "Will tho trnifi i5 at ths cluestio now intelSten mnSt'S-; T any degree? ttJdA recognized in strong arm' ol J the law b destro by the JJJ Cost of Imperialism. bill SenaSo0? i appropp,allon marks which ought to aUract a fow re" ion. He objected to the J H?l att uying mat to carrv nut 7i , ,uvi" Hoard, would soon reS'0t0Sen(SIans "' board thought that it mlRht nK Vev anm,m- Ho 000,000 next year? He Si! M mUCh r a.m'p1'1d0?hCerinleaPl"aTa, "" M Ms complete horizon o Wm ?hnavy hom O'-ythlng and the i naval hAhl nav ls v mueh In tho dlreeuSS S ii ?m haa rlm too some wn.. J?. on of enormous shln iZ farmer bo"S to Vra Le thf?,are " kins. They don't want a?eS n, In"nP "any to exeel the iSteaXel" " w G,N navy0fln0h?Worldna,rt ?Cer want the blg8est r "'VOLUME 4, NtJJ1DER The exploiters who are "rWiA t . will get rich; army contra tors 1 V10 Jnla railroads and steamships win nrofi. n?ake mo"r tation charges; shipbuilders S by transpor" of armor plate will fatten tho Tnmm and a lot of new officers wl find n? lucwS and the people will foot tho bills n, ? Positlo3! as imperialism Is, when measuiS i, vi cents the greatest injury Is that (,0llars l honor and reputation of the nation 5? to the Bympathizo with tho oppressed I anvwhnV cant being rebuked by the oppressor y,nre wltllut emphasize at home principles St w W can,1 Jjig in the Orient. The democratic vl the .subject .is being vindicated hv 1,08,Uon n sooner or later it. will bo SS? ?yi e"ents aM try. If the democra c lladeS won,V the con a little moral courage and chaMen J nlly sho licans to defend the moral nrfe lh? repub in their policies we would soor .?? m involved lJcans on the defensive Instead o M, "e repub of strength to our" nation the phi?innig a source source o weakness. They wonlS P,n?, are a attack immediately if hS ,be ?u bject to foreign war and the L8 ? a our earpet-bas government HeretoWP ag?Inst been invincible and have been saved T havo longer tW9 Crlminal ana COstly Ml, continue JJJ Why Not? AArcader The Commoner directs aitenH lion dollar appropriation for the praa-tta r o"af theansaa,tPSt Sfrjf ?f EM threimSa l r W ssursg editorial ,Kn,L?1- s reader encloses an Tniii-nni i . S m Lue J-ouisville Couuer- of t'heh?am UJryf ertInent y something case nf f !SOrt ha not- been no in the been eyaM?ia?er c,0Inbinations which havo ers Whn g e?cessIve Prices from consum tioi in naiifnrnhnapP?ne to a litLle combina - heard ouS hi t f Mch few People ever and arpSit to havo ,haPPened to the largo mad e fffectivn S?01163' if Ule law is to e was IntondP? S r the p"rPses for which it telvSJi Vs liard t0 belIeve that there is any intention to strike the big fellows " TheTCommonpleri:JOUrnal ls ennently co"rect. Public atSnn haSn 5 everaI occasions directed lion to enforce tt?0the.fa1e of the adminislra trust hw a f h? criminal clause of the aiili mt the protect L8traU? pPentatives boast vided matPWn? S-g? ?gainst the saIt trust pio- tru why woii 1id ? u! the pubIic' Tha S InaTind ctSt ain w S? prR?er to use the cr,m" whoi Jl88a,nst,the other an larger trusts managers conspire against the people? heedless Investigation. has mSd5f 8fn?nIII,?,,ttee oli Interstete commerce introduced vS'eport on tho solution totoaiM&JI?1 Martfn of South Da hor to investfoS? tf eretary commerce ana la beef cattle snnl tV2 c-,ause of the lQw Prices of e Asa U'SsT t0 determni PromptlyaadoSS faJ tbIs res'oltIon will be motive of n, ',"' of course, whatever the merely to delnJ t?dU,Cdf may be' Its effect w111 ho relief. Theni i brlneinS about of substantial the existencfi V n,eed of an investigation a& to general mad li 5?? trust for attorney ings agaSSt thi in tbe function procced- does exSS ite15 house iat such a ti ust of commerce m ?f CtlIIIng upon lh? secretary would 1 S betto? ?bP. to lnvestiSte the house ney general In I lt 8hou,d caI1 "Pn the attor- Shlman ant tiwrG' the minarSianse of the Nothing but : ii2 fc law agalnst tlle eef combine. Provide a ronJ,g rUs crItoal prosecution will These tS;?y'n Sy(? cases as these. iunctioiis? They SS2J08 f r, thJng for In" comparative J ,? 'Qt serlously disturbed bj a know? howetSf If they were made t0 law of the rS' uiat 96y coulr "ot folate the PrisonmeSt Xv1 iBKpay,ne tbe penalty of lnl ways. ' they would, very soon mend their SJrft JJ( x y. (j .- it fft.'t'ru