FnnnuATtY 9. isos
Nebrachtv Independent
I'AGtt I
oooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I THE WORST OF ALL M0N0P0US i I
- Editor Independent; ; The question 1 tion must now defend it from those
destroy the trusts or pauperize the w ho build up under duties on imports
people is paramount.. An irrepressi
ble conflict is on between the trusts
and people, and must be fought out
now, for a money oligarchy proposes
to create a money feudalism that can
control all lines of production, .distri
bution transportation, and finance,
and hold the great body of the people
in industrial slavery for cenluries to
come. The leaders of this money oli
garchy,' all able, educated, aggressive,
courageous, unscrupulous men, are al
ways at work; they Know the weak
places in the people's position, and
therefore know what action to take
to overcome ohstacles and how-to make
an all-powerful organization.
Trusts shelter' under tariff protection,
freight discrimination and franchises.
To talk of licensing trusts is to trifle
with evil. iTae .trusts have come-
some as the" product of Industrial evo
lution,', from the fact -that great com
binations have 'made possible the in
troduction of economies in production;
some as the product of special legis
lation, largely the 'granting; of ; fran
chises exclusive by their nature; some
a3 -the result, of railroad discrimina
tions forbidden by, the law, but which
tne . law , nas been- powerless to pre
vent. 'And -so arising the trusts must
be treated with some regard to the
manner by :hich;i they have risen
Those that have come in the third way,
in railroad discriminations, can be
dealt with effectually, properly, by the
government , taking ,; possession ; of . the
railroads , and putting an end to thej
.evil :.of. 'tietgiii .discrimination, so de
structive of the first right of the Amer
ican people to an equality of oppor
tunity. Those; that have arisen in the
second way, can be successfully treated
only by the national, state, and muni
cipal governments taking back the pub
lic franchises they have given away
and which they have a common law
right to do; - those that have arisen
in the first way, and that abuse their
power, the power that , comes with
concentration; and .that ought to bene
fit the general public, mustbe taken
by the people as they see the necessity,
and that they, may. enjoy the benefits
of. the industrial evolution going on
around them. ' :
.- Where trusts and monopolies are the
growth of natural conditions, are, and
must continue. to( be, monopolies be
cause of the very nature of their being;
then ' the nation, the state, the muni
cipality, must be the monopolist in or
der that the people may be protected
in their rights. Where monopoly can
not be destroyed, or where, being of
natural growth,'1 it is not to the inter
est of the people to destroy it, the gov
ernment must be the monopolist Pri
vate monopoly of natural monopolies
must be a bane; government monopoly
must be a blessing. -
. The friends Of the policy of protec
degrading domestic monopolies. The
money cliques, under the tariff, shut
cliques could effectually and easily ex
tend their special rates, their discrimi
nations, their rebates divided, thus
out foreign competition in industrial
operations and set up monstrous do
mestic monopolies, and so make abor
tive the protective system.
To stop this shameful' course, to put
an end to thl3 public robbery, I pro
posed fifteen years since to legislate
against industrial trusts: ,. , .
1. To treat industrial trusts as con
spiracies against the public. ,s ,,;
2,. To . remove '. all tariff import pro
tection from articles which the trusts
monopolize, , . , - . .
- 3. To provide means to discover and
to enforce penal ties against, dishon
est capitalization of industrial., corpo
rations. - v ".'
In these ways I would destroy all the
trust corporations that rest upon tar
iff protection ,and put an end to rob
bery of the people through .overcharges
for manufactured articles . and through
sales of fictitious because, over-capital-;
ized stocks and bonds, . Thus would
be justified the protective tariff sys
tem imposed for protection of Ameri
can labor against underpaid and de
graded European and Asiatic labor.
Unless such legislation can be had, the
protective tariff system -can not and
should not be maintained. Protective
tariff duties should never be imposed
for revenue
The Hon.' Paul Morton, ' in a pub
lished statement, says that he believes
one of three things is sure to take
place in the conduct of our railway
systems. First, legalization or pools;
second, further unification of owner
ship, " delivering in time the entire
railway ownership of the country into
the hands of a few individuals or one
syndicate; " third, government owner
ship. Mr. Morton declares that he
stands for pooling. J Of course, all in
the railroad group believe in pooling,
for, such plan, puts into, their hands all
the important enterprises of the coun
try,, for all depend for life upon trans
portation, . upon the railroads. The
worst of all private monopolies with
which we have to contend is the rail
road monopoly. Upon it rest most-of
industrial monopolies that so sorely
oppress the people, exacting the toll
of monopoly, this toll being added
unto the prices paid by consumers for
trust products and deducted from the
prices paid producers by the trusts for
the raw material they purchase. Mo
nopolies exact toll both buying and
selling, and- buying labor as well as the
products of labor. It is power to exact
such toll that monopoly gives, and it is
the railroad monopoly that has con
ferred such monopoly power upon
many industrial combines and trusts.
It will be noticed that I speak of rail
road . monopoly as the worst private
monopoly. 'I do so because I believe
that if the railroad monopoly was a
public monopoly it would not be bad
at all. ' I do not believe the men workr
ing-cational railroads could be used as
political machines as they are now
used. At-thi3 'time the railroad men
vote as railroad presidents 'and mana
gers dictate. Under national railroads
the army of railroad men would be
free to vote as. they wished; there
could -.be no slavery such as exists
now, for holding their -places would
not depend upon their 0te3, but upon
good and loyal work done. -:! I
Mr Morton and all other railroad of
ficers say that competition is 'at 'the
bottom of our railroad troubles,, the
very root of rate discrimination', and
therefore all say to get rid of such
discrimination we ought to authorize
pooling between the railroads, . Legal-.
izauuii ujl puuiuig YVUUIU &C1, UU UJ.
competition; would "make one, great pri
vate railroad monopoly. Thus there
would be an end of rate-cutting and
rate discrimination to get business,
but there wpuld not be an end to rate-
cutting and rate-aiscriminaonio give
advantages to favored combines' and
trusts in which railroad managers and
the- money cliques -behind the rail
roads, dictating their policy, have or;
may secure an interest, The . latter;
kind of rate-cutting would go oni
worse than ever, for more than ever:
would it be in the power of the specu
that the legalization of pooling, that
can but strengthen the ties of that
partnership, will break up the grant
ing of special privileges, is ab3urd. .In
short, such pooling arrangements, as
Mr. Morton urges, would broaden the
territory over which the , railroad
building up trusts, combines and mo
nopolies. The producers and consum
ers must be the losers from the legal
ization of railroad pools; must lose
from the spread of discrimination;
must lose from the arbitrary raising of
freight rates,
The further unification of ownership
of railroads means the permanent fix-
ihg of freight rates so a3,to pay inter
est on the million of dollars of over
capitalization, means the fixing of
freight rates soas to pay interest upon
several billions of dollars of capital ,
stock for,..whlch no money was, paid
paying Interest upon the fictitious cap
ital the money cliques in control of the
railroads of the country have divided
among themselves. In other words; the
inoney combine in contfol of the rail
roads of the1 couhtry will take from the
producers and consumers of the coun
try each'year more than three hundred
millions of dollars ($300,000,000) for
interest upon, capital stock, for which
nO money was paid, for which ho real
value was ; given. Of course the Tail--r6ad'
"corporations have most valuable
tjflblfc franchises, but no capitalization
or-chafkeW: should be made upoirr fran
chises, fo'r franchises are a public trust '
lative money cliques to Use the rail- The'evii-from private railroad monop
roads effectively as engines of specul!flW nf, h(i m(it bv DfA)iinEr leiral
ized. The evil will cease when we have
lation, engines to build up :the !pros-:
perity of these enterprises - in -which;
they were Interested,, wreck- those en-j
terprises, which were competitive, and
that .they wished to destroy. ' And so
the evil of rate discrimination would
not cease, but - would be accelerated
with the joining of our railroads in a
way to make one great private rail
road monopoly. . The ; cutting of rates-
has not been forced upon railroads by
larga, shippers as often as have' re
bates, been offered such- shippers by
the railroad managers. These railroad
managers demand a share, as personal
profit, of the money , thus dishonestly
showered upon favored shippers at the
expense , of, the railroad Investor, and
to the ruin of the competitors of such
favored shippers. It is thus that rail
road managers with salaries of a few
thousands of dollars a year accumu
late large fortunes in a few years
fortunes that can .be counted only by
millions; it is thus that (these ship
pers who profit from the enjoyment of
special privileges gather fortunes. Snch
shippers and such railroad managers
gather their great fortunes because
of their partnership in fraud, and it is
in this partnership that is, to be found
the cause of the granting of special
privileges by our railroads. They , are
granted for the mutual profit of those
in this partnership. And to suppose
nationalized' the railroads,- substituted
a publiO monopoly for a private monopoly."-
When we have national rail
roads we will have equal and fair rates
from ail point3. We will see- an end
of discrimination and an end of the
shameful partnership between railroad
managers and shippers that now
makes and wrecks fortunes. Compe
tition "and pooling do not Insure fair
railroad rates. .
We have come to a point where wo
must nationalize the railroads or es
tablish a new form of feudal aristoc
racy.' . ':. '
State ownership of railroads in Great
Britain was settled in' principle more
than sixty years ago, for in 1844, upon
the introduction of Mr. Gladstone, an
act of parliament was passed definite
ly providing for the compulsory ac
quisition of the railway system of, the
United Kingdom by the state in the
discretion of parliament at any time
after 'twenty-one years from that date;
and in all subsequent railway legisla
tion the possible uHimate possession of
the system by the state, has - been
steadily kept in view by every new
railroad act being made subject; to the
act of 1844.
' ' WHARTON BARKER.
Philadelphia, Pa.
Chosen Farmers of America"
Among the different bodies of or
ganized farmers now extending their
local branches into every locality, the
Chosen Farmers of. America deserves
consideration". Mr; Wm. K. Osborn,
secretary-treasurer of C. F. A. Union
No. 1, Farina, 111., sends Tom Watson's
Magazine a club of eight subscribers
for that publication and The Independ
ent, and takes occasion to say:
- "Enclosed you will find a club of
eight subscribersr'tc. the magazine and
Tibbies' .Independent, . sent by , the
Chosen Farmers - i America, at .Inter
vale Home, Union, rNo. 1. V"; - -:
"Please accept this little contribu
tion as a showing, of our loyalty to
Tom Watson, the standard bearer of
the grandest - party on earth.
"We are all In the middle . of the
road with our coats 'and hats off and
ready for the best race in 1908 that the
. people of this country have ever wit
nessed. Even- now we can, feel the
- thrill of victory; in our pulses. . Tom
Wat3on didn't.get.elected president last
fall but we believe he cleared the track
for a great run next campaign.
"Washington's .retreats, always car
ried with. ithenYVthe effect, of victory
rind so did Watson's defeat last. fall.-'
j'Now,; ,'brother:;;pCpulists,; Tet us "Set
into the ring and get ready to give the
g. ;-o.? p". the knock- out ; blow in 1908.
Never has a "country needed reforma
tion, as ours-does today. Never has it
Deen, more necessary that the people
should vband '.-.together against tne
mi chty 'power of monopoly.-
;?;!' ! " ' -i
"So let U3 be ready. With Tom Watr
son as our leader we can rout the
enemy yet." '
THE C. F. A., UNION NO. 1.
Per Wm. K. Osborn, Sec.-Treas.
Farina, 111., R. E..D. No. 2. - , V
Investment Opportunity.
1,340 acres of alfalfa land in the Re
publican river bottom, at $16.50 per
acre. Thi3 is a beautif il ranch; 350
acres in high state of cultivation; 30
acres of. growing alfalfa; 100 acres in
wild hay meadow; 16 miles of good
fence; 5 acres In grqye3 wTells and
windmUls, 4 living" springs of pure
water, tone and three-fourths miles of
river - front; S-room house, stables,
sheds, feed yards, etc., the improve
ments on the ranch are; worth about
$5,000. Every foot of this land is first
class alfalfa and'sugar beat land except
about 120 acres; it lays 5 mile3 from a
good town, ia Hitchcock county, and
in the center of the; great sugar beet
district; this land has on,e p the finest
ditclv prospects of any territory in the
west 1 . .. ' . .'.2',"Y-." ' ' , -This
is an exceptionally phoice In
vestment proposition, and will be&r the
closest investlgauon. We fir'mly believe
that this land will ' double in, value
within" five years. Go with us and look
over the land - closely and" you' will
agree, "with. us -that the above claim Is;
reasonable. If you are interested write
U3 for full information and plat of the
land. Weber & Farris, 1328 O street,
Private H os
One of the most complete and satis
factory private hospitals in the state
is that of Dr. C. A. Shoemaker of this
city. With all modern equipments he
Is prepared io treat diseases of the
nervous system of MEN, ; WOMEN
AND CHILDREN. Special attention
given to diseases of Women and Sur
gical diseases. Every convenience for
pelvic and abdoninal surgery. - Static
electricity used .treating Anemia,'
Rheumatism and Paralysis.' X-Ray
examinations with no discomfort; or;
injury to patient. Everything is hom
like as possible. Board and room rea
sonable. The . Electro-Radiator cures
Rheumatism, Asthma and various 'dis
eases the only one inthe state. "
S'end a full account of your ailment
to Dr. -Shoemaker and he will advise
you the proper treatment, time nec
essary for cure, expense for treatment,:
board; room, etc.' ' Please mention The
Independent "when writing. Address
Dr C. A. Shoemaker,-1121 L street;
Lincoln, Neb. - : : ; : -- ?
Wintr In Cuba
Havana is a delightful resort and
easily reached. The S, S". Sarratoga
the .largest and most palatial on the
Gulf sails from Mobile at . 2 p. m.
every Tuesday and makes the run. to"
Havana in forty hours. The Mobile
and Ohio railroad offers excellent serv
ice .to Mol lie. Write Jno. M. Beall,
General Passenger, Agent. M. & O. JR. .
Ri; St. Loul3. for all informationi
I To :The Farmers, 'of
Do vbu know
HIDES...1
TANNED
. SEND VOUR
HIDES TO US
We are the oldest and largest custopi tn
iieralft the Northwest. Aslt any ban$ or
mercftDttle bouse about us. -Write us Jbr
price list It's free. Address,
J. H. Cownlo GIov Co. Drtone, Iowa
A m. i l
ihat von can eret X
v eleeant robes or coats made from
' ' the horse or cattle hides you sell
to local dealer? Write for par
ticulars or send your hides to
THE LINCOLN TANNERY
Henry HoIm, Prop. " 3'3-35 O Strt
'. : UNCOtN, NEBR. ,
fur coats and robes in stock for sale
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Hides Tan nod
Jlorse and Cattle tildes tanned by ovr
process make the finest of coats and
r' robesV "Send ui 'your hidei, all work
guaranteed. FBE2booklet on hides ala
shipping tags and fjrice list. . Address
I OWA TANNING CO. . DesMolnes, la.
; J it .) Ji.i ',' ti ft"!"-'