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The Commoner
6
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ported, whilo last yonr thoro wore but 430. In
order to still further ontronch the trust in its
position, the tariff bill provides that no sugar
may bo imported unless it Is of a certain stand
ard color, which means that it must bo in a
certain stato of rawness that renders it un
salable oxcopt to the sugar rofinors. This is
important because three-fourths of the sugar
wo consume is imported. So important is it
that the price of nil sugar is based upon the
prico of this "Dutch standard" in New York.
An examination of the sugar schedule proves
tho truth of the contention of Senator Clay of
Georgia in his recent speech, when ho said
that tho tariff is so adjusted that for every
dollar collected in duties, the trust can and
does exact more than a dollar of profit from
conBumors.
Hero is how the tariff on sugar, a necessary
of life; affects prico: Tho average wholesale
prico in Hamburg in 1908 was 2.G4 cents; in
Now York it was 4.9G. Tho trust has fre
quently sold sugar for export, its surplus, for
three cents a pound, because the tariff 'Shut
out tho foreign refiner from the home market
and enabled the trust to compete elsewhere.
That tho trust gets tho greator part of the tax
is proved by this computation: There are ap
proximately 90,000,000 persons in the United
States, each of whom consumes eighty-one
pounds. Tho averago difference in price of
sugar between Hamburg and New York for ten
years has been 1.89 cents a pound. Multiply
this by the amount of sugar consumed and it
means a difference of $130,000,000 a year. Of
this sum tho government collected and received
by reason of tho tariff $53,000,000. The other
$83,000,000 was taken by the trust as its share
of the tariff loot. Stated in other terms
if tho tariff were removed entirely, it would
cheapen tho cost of sugar to every con
sumer nearly 2 cents a pound and deprive the
govornmont of but $53,000,000 of revenue. If
tho schedules were fixed upon a strictly revenue
basis, sugar would bo reduced about 25 per
cont in prico. Protection to the extent of $83,
000,000 a year is given tho trust, which stands
convicted of robbing its benefactor by short
weights. The schedules as now arranged give
it tho lawful right to exact that amount in
tribute from the consumer and its character
as a monopoly makes it possible for it to decide
how much of that amount it will give the cane
nnd beet growers.
C. Q. D.
.THE MULE AT HOME
Major Minnamascot, tho famous democratic"
5nuJ.Bftn1w on joying? himself at his new home
In Goldfiold, Nevada.
After shipping the Major, Charles W. Bryan,
publisher of Tho Commonor, wrote to Hon. Jack
McLaughlin, chairman of tho democratic com
mittee at GoldQeld, a letter from which the fol
lowing is taken:
"Wo hope that tho mule shows as much ap
preciation of his new masters as wo feel of the
Interest and good work done by the democrats
of Esmeralda- county. This mule was presonTed
Minnnr;n?nryaniby the Stal fah' association of
Minnesota, and was purchased by tho state fiiv
association in Missouri. The mule's pecUgiee
horoforo, is without flaw, other than the cloud
cast upon it by tho stato of Missouri gong re
publican at the recent election, but wo believe
that the mule will bo able to livo this down
fovihat hQ n?Xi camPaisn will see Missouri
take her place in the democratic column
Chairman McLaughlin replied as follows:
Goldfiold, Nevada, May 31, 1909. Mr. Charles
W. Bryan The Commoner, Lincoln, Neb My
Dear Mr. Bryan: Your favor of tho 24th inst
at hand, and I have tho honor and nleasur nf
nf Umt Maj0r Micort a?rivPc-nn GoW-
?o ?0?0rin,VB f the 28th' and was delivered
to me, as chairman of tho democratic cofintv
central committee, by Mr. C. L. Swanson-
I am pleased to say that the Major Arrived in
the best of condition and very evidently was
given the best of care and attention enroute
The arrival of Major Minnamascot created
cons derablo exciteftnont and aroused much en-
sStimT,11? f?lthfW- Wg ve estab
iisiied him in the best quarters obtainable in
the Palace stables, Main street, where he is re
ceiving the best of care and much admiration
by the many persons who daily visit Mm iS
o? CnUiflIaff f ?eral (lomand h? th dies
of Goldfield tho Major was placed on free ex
hibition at the Lyric theatre.
It has been decided to make a general cele
bration for Major Minnamascot. and on Flag
Say, June 14, tho Major will have the plac!
of honor in tho parade and bo given a real Gold
fiold publio welcome to his new home.
Permit me to assure you that the gift of
Major Minnamascot to tho democratic county
central committee of Esmeralda county, Nevada,
is highly appreciated by them and every demo
crat in tho county and stato.
From tho way tho Major has been behaving
since his advent in Goldfiold I fully believe he
appreciates his new home and. is rather glad
that ho escaped from Missouri.
With kindest regards from myself and tho
committee, I remain.
Very truly yours,
JACK MCLAUGHLIN.
PAYING POLITICAL DEBTS
Tho following editorial from the Western
Watchman (St. Louis) a Catholic paper edited
by Rev. D. S. Phelan, would indicate that Mr.
Kerens was to be rewarded for important politi
cal, work during the recent general election:
"When the result of the late election in this
stato was made known we, in common with
thousands of democrats in the state, were as
tonished, not to say dumfounded at finding
that wo had elected a republican governor and
that Mr. Taft had captured the state's electoral
vote. No one had expected it; least of all the
republicans themselves. But there was one re
publican in the state who believed that his party
could win and he devoted his time and means
and ability to that end. That man was R. C.
Kerens. For five months the democrats of the
state have been trying to find out what had
hit them. They could not believe the returns.
The thing was simply impossible. But there
stood the figures made out by democratic offi
cials. A republican had been elected governor
and tho republican nominee for the presidency
had won Missouri's eighteen electoral votes. The
great and heretofore unconquered democracy of
the state has discovered just how it happened.
'It was R. C. Kerens that did it.' We were
disappointed at tho result of the election as re
gards Missouri; but we never lose much time
grieving over spilt milk, and the very week alter
the election we asked Mr. Taft in all fairness
to recognize the splendid services of Mr. Kerens
by appointing him to a first-class embassador
ship. We stated at the time that we were
voicing the sentiments of that multitude of
Catholic democrats who had voted for Mr. Taft,
and tha they would not be satisfied with any
thing less for the noble old soldier who 'kept
tho bridge alone.'
"At the time .there was talk of giving Mr.
Kerens a cabinet position. We did not favor
that as much as a foreign appointment, for
several reasons. Mr. Kerens has been doing the
work of a dozen men for many years and he
needs a" rest. There would be only an increase
of labor and responsibility for him in the cabi
net.. Then wo had Mr. Kerens' family in view.
They would enjoy a, few years in diplomatic
society abroad, where their accomplishments and
wealth would do honor to the American name.
Mr. Kerens is the head of a poliglot family.
Scarcely any of them can speak less than three
or four languages. It would be a fitting round
ing out of a splendid political career for Mr.
Kerens to spend some years with his family at
a foreign court.
"We are informed that Mr. Taft fully recog
nizes the debt he is under to the Catholics of
tho United States. This being so, we can assure
him that ho could do nothing that would better
please that great body of loyal citizens than
appointing their honored fellow Catholic to a
distinguished foreign post. There is not a
Catholic in the land, from Cardinal Gibbons
down to the altar boy in his parish church who
would not feel personally complimented in any
honor bestowed on Mr. Kerens. For this reason
wo repeat the suggestion made in these columns
at tho close of the late presidential election
and ask President Taft to send our noble-souled
townsman to represent the country at a foreign
court. And in urging the appointment we are
candid enough to admit that a refusal to do so
on the part of Mr. Taft will be regarded by us
all as a rebuff, which even in politics leaves
unpleasant memories in its wake."
EAGER FOR INDEPENDENCE
A press dispatch from Manila (Philippine
Islands) dated May 20, leaves no doubt that the
l'ilipinos desire independence. The general as
sembly has just closed and its last act was a
re-iteration of the petition of the people of the
islands for independence.
According to the dispatch: "The last formali
ties with the Philippine commission had been
VOLUME 9, NUMBER 22
oxchanged, and the statutory hour of adjourn
ment had passed when the question was pre
sented by Speaker Osmena. He said the policy
of the assembly was to work in harmony with
and support the government in all measures
calculated to advance the interests of the Fili
pinos. Nevertheless the members had not
abandoned their original aspiration for inde
pendence, and therefore he moved that tho
Filipino delegates to the congress of the United
States be instructed to present the question to
that body whenever an opportunity was offered.
The members of the progresista, or minority
party, asked permission to abstain from voting,
which was granted. All the nationalists then
voted in favor of the resolution."
There was a time when some of the republican
leaders were bold enough to declare that tho
Filipinos were so enamored of "benevolent
assimilation" that they desired to remain under
the control of the United States. Such a claim
was so contrary to history and to human nature
that it ought not to have deceived anyone, but
it did deceive many. Mr. Taft made a similar
claim last fall, but this was immediately an
swered by a denial from the Filipinos. No
matter how grateful the Filipinos may feel for
favors received from our country, they think
that they have a right to independence, and
rights are more precious than favors. We might
as well understand that nothing that we can
do will ever make the American yoke acceptable.
Love of self government is written in the hearts
of men, and the Filipinos would be less than
human if they did not long to control their
own affairs. The more we educate them, the
more clearly will they see the injustice of a
carpet bag government and tho inconsistency
of the American position, and the more force
fully will they present .their demand for an
increasing voice in their own affairs, with a
view to ultimate independence. The sooner we
recognize the situation and promise indepen
dence, the easier will be our work in the islands.
It is strange that it does not occur to the
advocates of a big navy that it would require
a smaller force to protect the independence of
the Filipinos than it will be to protect them as
a colony, for under independence the Filipinos
would be fighting for themselves and would
thus relieve us of an endrmous burden, whereas
they can never fight for us with any heart so
long as we deny them the rights hich our
constitution guarantees to Americans. It will
not be difficult to secure the neutralization of
the islands by treaty, but until tha't treaty is
secured, it would be much easier to protect
them from outside interference as the free citi
zens of a Filipino republic than it will be to
protect them as sullen subjects.
CLAUDE KITCHEN DEMOCRAT
Hon. Claude Kitchen, member of congress
from North Carolina, has won the right to be
called a democrat by his speech on the tariff
question. Answering the taunt of a southern
representative who was pleading for a tariff
on lumber, he said:
"I am not responsible for the gentleman's
failure to understand my position. I have tried
to make myself plain; that I do not advocate
a thing as proper and right because it is 'down
south and oppose the same thing as improper
and wrong because it is not 'down south.' (Ap
plause.) In the matter of legislation which
affects a whole people, I want to look beyond
aao lAXTndm7 state' want to loolc
at 90,000,000 American people; and, sir, if the
fneol my district wish their representative
i?w ?ra measure whicb will take, not by
labor, not for value received, but by the dry,
naked Jaw, millions of dollars from all the
people and put it into the pockets of a very
hTwyt?e0ple f?wn soutn'' L would say to
them that they ought to send here not me, not
rAn?nCJ?V b?' a nhUc from my district.
(Applause.) I wish to ask you, can you, as
nrntlmHCrat" 3U1Stif your Position in advocating
FnSustrv? 0niUmbfr 1beCaUS' ifc ls yur home
viS J1" tt" gentleman from Penn
?,? n5;Jin asklnl for a tariff upon the steel
hS LmC Put ." pon the ground that ifc is
frSJ? 5 ndustry? Do not the representatives
rniLT0Jen trust districts come here and
fh JirPw ? ll Tolen g0ds because it is
frnm STi Does t-every member
i , districts of the trusts put their de-
Sdustry'n SrUnd that tt is their home
nfh le?tIon of Lorlmer in Illinois is one
of int,!?1 ?rgumGnts ever submitted in favor
of popular election of senators.
v ,.-