,TMS
The Commoner.
NOVEMBER 1, 1907
it
rii-
provided light does not dawn upon hisconstit
uents. ' ,
Mr. Snapp told the republican publishers
of Illinois that the measure must come up in
congress "as 'a republican measure and in the
regular manner' That means it must have
first the O, K. of the paper trust itself, then
the endorsement of that grand old standpatter,
"Uncle Joe" Cannon, and then It must win the
approval of a ways and means committee whoso
members were chosen with the view of seeing
that not one brick Is. removed from the tariff
wall built for the use and benefit of the gen-,
orous contributors to republican campaign
funds.
No matter to Mr. Snapp that his own con
stituents were pleading for relief; no matter that
the burden had become so heavy that oven pub
lishers of -republican newspapers found It neces
sary to furnish proof to contradict the tariff edi
torials printed in their own newspapers by ap
pealing to the-congress controlled by their own
party for relief. This republican congressman
from Illinois could-not harken to the voice of
his own afflicted people. They must talk to a
trust controlled house, a trust controlled ways
and means committee; and until those high au
thorities were moved to lend a listening oar
this republican congressman would not act.1 In
other words he is not a representative of his
people, he is merely a cog in the great repub
lican machine which is operated in the interests
of the gigantic business concerns that oppress
the people.
This dispatch referring to Congressman
Snapp says: "He scolded the newspaper men
for not advancing the price of their paper in
view of the immense advance in. cost of labor,
material and other commodities." What a
qharacteristic republican speech! Don't inter
fere with the sacred tariff! Don't move against
the shelter enjoyed by the trusts. If .tariff op
pression becomes too great pile it on the con
sumer; he is patient and long sufferlpg.
Pile it on the consumer! Surely Mr.
Snapp is a stalwart among the stalwarts. Ho
is the frank and outspoken representative of
a trust ridden .political organization. He puts
.tiluritly ihtp words what is in the hearts of the
high tariff advocate and the high tariff bene
ficiary. oooo
AS OTHERS SEE US
We are indebted to the Literary Digest for
an interesting extract from an editorial printed
recently by the London Times. The Times ex
presses some surprise at the extent to which
Americans allow themselves to be victimized by
dishonest officials and extortionate monopolists.
Such a caBe as this presents "a curious ethical
problem' says the Times, for "the great middle
1 class-in the United States is probably not sur
passed in honesty and business integrity by any
people in the world. ,J It seems very remarkable
to this observer, therefore,, that they should
so often "leave- their public business in the
hands of notorious rogues," and even take a cer
tain pride in the magnitude of corrupt fortunes
and "in the ostentation with which in many in-
stances they are displayed." Americans are too
shrewd -not to see that they are being "done,"
says this writer, and. quotes President Roosevelt
to the effect that they not only know it, but feel
It- in their pockets, and "many of these existing
traits and still more the possible future combin
ations of unscrupulous millionaires (and politi
cians) may seriously affect the comfort and wel
fare of great masses of the population." The
American perhaps likes to be robbed, it is sug
- gested, by men who add to the impresslveness
of the American republic abroad by the posses
sion of enormous fortunes. Thus we read:
"Every inhabitant of those American cities
must be perfectly well aware that he pays more
than he oughJ to pay for every one of the ordi
nary accompaniments, of urban civilization, for
roads, for water,- for light, for the protection of
. life and property; and that all these necessarlea,
besides being supplied to him at exorbitant rates,
are, as a rule, very bad of their kind. Every
American knows that Illicit profits upon munici-
pal management, or illicit enhancement of the
price of commodities of universal necessity, are
the origins and. foundations" of most of the colos
sal fortunes to which he points with a certain
degree of pride, though they often constitute
;in reality not only a national disgrace, but a
national danger."
. . The Standard- Oil company made Jn nine-
-teeA y.ears, reflects this- writer, as- greatja- sum
as the atrociously exorbitant -indemnity -de-'
manded by Bismarck" after the surrender at
Sedan.
WHAT IS A REPUBLICAN?.
Mr. Roosevelt at St. Louis: "My plea Is
not to bring about a condition of centralization;
It is that the government shall recognize a con
ditlon of centralization in a fiold whore it al
ready exists."
Mr. Roosevelt at St. Louis: "The railroads,
themselves have been exceedingly shortsighted
In the rancorous bitterness which they have
shown against tho resumption by the nation of
this long-neglected power. The control
must exist somewhere; and unless It is by thor
ough going and. radical law placed upon tho
statute books of tho nation, it will bo exorcised
in over-increasing- measure, by the' sovoral
states."
Herbert Knox Smith, United States com
missioner of corporations bpforo tho Civic Fed
oration at Chicago: "Tho fedoral government
is the only power that 'can carry on such a sys
tem of regulation for it is tho only jurisdiction
commensurate with the scope of present corpor
ate operations. Any system by the stato must
always be, as It is now, a chaos of conflicting
legal conditions resulting in inefficiency and un
certainty." ,' . ' ',
President Felton of the Chicago and. Alton:
"I think, well of federal control and regulation
as a substitute for the existing system of varied
laws' and regulation as imposed by tho various
states."
President Mather of the Rock Island: "A
wise and just regulation Is only possible under
a singlo and centralized authority. Tho day is
passed for unyielding opposition to all policies
of federal control of our carrier corporations.
Nay,' more, tho day has dawned in which to wel
come that control." '
.
r
President Ripley of tho Santa Io: "Wo
have, too many masters. Wouldn't it be better
tor us if we had a Bingle, central source of reg
ulation instead of so many'j"
President Harahan of tho Illinois Central:
"Mr. Mather's statement, in my opinion, pretty
well expressed the feeling of railroad presidents
and managers. The trouble is and has been that
.the states have various laws which conflict. with
"tho interstate laws."
President McDool of the Monon: "The
point Mr. Mather made as to federal regulation
and control struck me as a sensible and sane
one. I think that most railroad officials will
approve it as I do. The trouble is that when a
road Tung. through: ten: or fifteen states it must
operate under a variety of laws that make obed
iende well-nigh impossible." '
State railroad commissioners (mostly ro
f publican) for nortliwostorn states in session at
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v. "" "ii uajm ubcu uiumacivGS in non-
j'uiivi "iwi-viuwH uguinsi ' niJHoiuto rederal rcg
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Republican state convention for Nebraska
hold at Lincoln Soptember 24, adopted this reso
lution: "We favor tho onactmdnt of a federal
law and if necessary an nmondmont to the fed
eral constitution which will forbid tho federal
courts from Issuing writs of Injunction against
stato officors charged by law with tho onforco- '
mont of stato statutos."
9
Attorneys gonor'al (mostly republican) for
. twouty-th roe states In session nt St. Louis adopt
ed resolutions as follows:
' "Whereas, Tho efficient administration as
well as tho preservation of our dual system of
government requires that each sovereignty bo
permitted to exercise its function as defined by
tho federal constitution unhampered by tho
others; thoreforo be It
Resolved, By the convention of attorneys
general of tho sovoral states hero assembled that
wo earnestly recommend to the favorable con
sideration of the president and the congress of
the United States tho enactment of a federal
law providing that no circuit court of the United
States or any Judgo exercising poworo of such
circuit courts shall have jurisdiction in any
case brought to restrain any officors of a state
m or any administrative board or a stato from in
stituting In a stato court any suit or other ap
propriate proceeding to onforco tho laws of such
state or to enforce any order, mado by such
administrative board, but allowing any person
or corporation assorting In any such action In a
state court any right arising under tho constitu
tion or any laws of tho United States to have
tho decision of tho highest court of such stato
reviewed by tho supreme court of tho United
States as now provided by-law.
Wo also recommend that suits in federal
circuit courts by persons interested in corpora
tions to restrain such corporations from oboying
tho laws of states in which (hoy are doing busi
ness be prohibited,
Stato railroad commissioners (mostly 're
publican) in their national convention at .Wash
ington, October 11, adopted tho following re
port: "Tho cases are rare whore a railroad of
any Importance is not an interstate road. This
may be argued as a reason for entire federal
control, something wo believe to be impossible
without amending tho constitution. This we do
not think the states will concede until it is dem
onstrated that it is more practical than exper
ience has yet shown it to-be. There have been
many general reductions in different states
followed by reductions in Interstate tariffs,
and so far as wo know these have all been
brought about by tho affirmative action of state
authorities. So far as we are advised, wo know
of no general reduction due to any action by the
federal authorities. Wo believe that the best
Interests of the people would not be sorved by
placing the entire responsibility for rate regula
tion in 'the federal government. We believe
there should bo a much closer relationship be
tween the federal and state authorities than
seem to exist at present; that in many matters
a state commission should act as agent for the
interstate commerce commission to the advan
tage of both."
FORTUNES THAT WAIT
Men eager to amass a fortune need -not
seek the same through the devious wiles, of the
"frenzied financier" nor tho special privilege of
the trust. The. world wants a few things, and
wants them so much It la willing to pay hand
somely for them. Here are three things badly
wanted, and all you need to do to amass a for
tune beyond the dreams of avarice Is to provide
the world with either one of them. The post
office department will pay an enormous sum for
a device that will safely catch and hold the mail
bags thrown from swiftly moving mail trains.
For years manufacturers of goods sold in bottles-
have been vainly looking for a bottle that
can: not be refilled, and will pay an enormous
sum to the man who can furnish it. The com
mon lightningbug manufactures light without
heat. The man who can discover the "ltow" of
it and can furniBh the world light without heat
can trade the knowledge for more money than
King Midas ever yearned for. Just any one of
these three things, and you are eligible to tho
millionaire class.
.
OOOO
FUNNY
, The Chicago Record-Herald Is inclined to
grow facetious over the fact that a western congressman-elect
is. In favor of providing free
agricultural implements to farmers. It really
Is almost as funny as paying ship owners a
subsidy for engaging in a profitable business.
OOOO
Air line traffic may. have Its dangers; but
spreading rails because of poor ties and" insuffi
cient spiking will not be one of them.
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