'Cbe Conservative.
is a fog that caii bo blown away in a
moment.
We are not claiming that associations
of producers are under all circumstances
an evil , for we freely admit that in some
form they must continue to exist that
union for business purposes is something
that has come to stay. The evil comes
in when the association is encouraged
to oppress fellow citizens by a monopoly
which legislation has made. Precisely
the same organization may be a flagrant
evil if granted a monopoly , and quite
harmless if not so favored. Further ,
the monopoly that renders the trust
formidable may arise from other sources
possession of land , deals with private
corporations , and what not as well as
from legislation. But it is senseless to
speak of that , as disproving that legis
lation may be and is used to create
monopolies. Why are the trusts and
combines so much more harmless in
England than here ? Just because legis
lation there does not put a weapon into
their hands to aid in reducing citizens
to submission.
After all , it cannot be worth while to
discuss these pretended objections among
candid reasoning men , for such men can
have no real doubt on the subject. The
test question is , will you vote for the
repeal of every duty which creates a
monopoly , every duty which by cutting
off importation from abroad cuts off all
revenue from the government and at the
same time enables the trust to maintain
prices against consumers in this country ?
A negative answer can come only from
an ally of those trusts. Every man who
sincerely opposes them will unhesi
tatingly vote for repeal.
York , Pa , Nov. 9 , 1899.
Receiving letters
from correspon
dents regarding the proper treatment of
roses and shrubs at this season of the
year leads to the thought that perhaps
this is a matter of general interest.
Some of the hardiest varieties of roses
endure neglect in any winter without
protection. The more desirable varieties ,
however , appreciate winter protection.
While varieties like Madam Plautier auc
Prairie Queen winter in perfect condi
tion without any assistance ; niosl
varieties of the Hybrid Perpetuals are
the better for a little protection , and the
Hybrid Teas require it.
Many people are misled by the term
Hybrid Perpetual. Not all the varieties
really belonging to this class bloom
through the season. While the Coquette
des Alps , one of the most reliable white
roses , will really bloom in succession al
of the season , and well into autumn
( and we notice they yet have buds to
this day , Nov. 8th. ) , varieties like
General Jacqueminot are more likely to
bloom but once or twice , unless afte
" blooming they are slightly out back
given additional fertilizers , plenty o
vater , forced to make a new growth ,
and then bloom on the new wood thus
'ormod. When the effort is made to
orce varieties of this class to repeated
dooming the season through , care
hould be taken to allow them to ripen
n good time before the first cold days
of October.
Such Hybrid Perpetuals as General
"acquemiuotPaulNeyron , Madam Ohas.
Wood , also called Dinsmore , Coquette des
Alps , Coquette des Blanches Fisher
lolmes , will ordinarily winter with only
a liberal application of fine , well rotted
manure two or three inches in thickness
and an addition of matted straw or hay
; o insure that the ground shall not dry
out through the dry winter months. In
vinters like those of 1898-99 all of these
varieties suffered , General Jacqueminot
o the extent that it gave very little
jloom this season. Coquette des Alps ,
lowever , recovered in time to carry
learly its usual amount of bloom.
With the Hybrid Teas , however , such
varieties as La Franco , Meteor , Ameri
can Beauty , and others of that class
should be laid down and covered with
earth , or if in a lawn whore it is not
convenient to get earth , they may be
bent down and covered with four inches
of straw. Over this place boards to
jeep away the winter wind. Or we
often , after packing carefully in straw ,
cover with a tight box. In rose beds it
may be found more convenient to lay
down , the Hybrid Teas , cover with
earth , over this a covering of strawy
mulch. Leaves are useful as a cover
but if used directly over the rose bushes
; hey mat so closely that there is some
danger of mold.
Some years we take time to drive
stakes around the stronger bushes , and
pack in with hay or straw. This lessens
winter evaporation from dry , cold
winds.
Roses like Baltimore Belle that have
many feet of cane may be wrapped with
hay or straw and covered with burlap
to advantage. About the rose beds , wo
sometimes board up one board high and
fill in with fine chaffy straw and leaves.
Over this some brush to prevent the
action of the wind driving away leaves
and litter.
The rose requires very rich soil. The
best time to make application of rnaimro
is in the fall of the year. Three or four
inches of very fine well rotted manure
that should bo as fine as mold , is not too
much to apply , three or four bushels of
each kind applied two or three feet in
diameter. The various Spireas do not
need much winter protection here.
Hydrangeas winter perfectly. They
are all the bettor , however , for a liberal
application of fine old manure and some
strawy litter which enriches the soil
and at the same time prevents dying
out.
out.From
From the first to the fifteenth of
November is a good time to do this
work , being sure they are all properly
protected before the first severe freezing
weather which is quite likely to come in
our latitude from the middle to the first
of November. The amount of labor re
quired is really much less than it ap
pears in talking about it , and is fully
repaid by the results secured.
E. F. STEVENS.
Crete , Neb.
We print today an interesting letter
upon steel trusts , from Mr. A. B. Far-
quhnr of York , Pa. It is characteristic
of Mr. Farquhar's modesty and of the
breadth of all his public utterances , that
he discusses the effect of protected trusts
upon our people and our manufacturers
of exports in general , and does not tell
us how exceptionally he is qualified to
speak from his own business experience
as a great manufactxirer of agricultural
implements.
He employs over 500 men and exports
a largo portion of the plows , harrows ,
threshers , etc. which ho makes. To his
friends and customers he does not hesi
tate to state many points in which his
business is typical of numbers of other
American manufacturers. He knows
that with a fair chance he can compete
with anyone from anywhere ; but ,
because of our protective tariff duties
and the trusts which they foster , he is
placed at a considerable disadvantage.
He sees our protected steel trusts selling
steel to his European competitors at the
present time for about $6 a ton less than
he is compelled to pay. But for the
duty he could got his steel at about the
same prices paid by his foreign com
petitors , because steel billets make
excellent ballast and can usually be im
ported from Europe at an extremely low
cost for transportation.
He now finds himself in the position ,
as he states it , of being held down by
his government while he is pounded by
the various steel , iron , coal , lead and
other tariff "trusts. " An interesting
portion of his letter shows that at last
other manufacturers are beginning to
follow him in realizing the position in
which the protective tariff leaves them.
When enough of them feel the pinch of
protection and realize that most trusts
will have no pinchers when they have
no tariff duties , then manufacturers
will be lined up , where they should be ,
on the free trade side , and will help to
abolish protection in this country as
they did in England. There is reason to
believe that manufacturers are about
ready to make a move in this direction.
"A plain , straightforward bill mak
ing the gold standard mandatory should
be passed by the republicans at Wash
ington before the coming session ends , "
the Philadelphia Bulletin ( rep. ) says. , ,
"Tho result of every election since 1890
shows that such a measure would have
the cordial approval of a large majority
of the voters of the United States. "
