Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25

National Importance. l state nothing of
its internal workings and its political
manipulations from my own knowledge.
but | know Democrats who declare that
Mr.. Randall. the able, upright. aud ex-
perienced Speaker of the House of
Representatives, was driven from the
chair and Mr.. John g. Carlisle of Ken
lucky made his successor BY a Demo
cratic caucus controlled by the Whisky
Trust and acting under the whip and
spur Of its agents. Mr.. RandalPs al
legged offense being that he would not
aid in suspending the tax laws and post
poning the payment of the tax on whisky
in bond when it seemed the interests of
the trust to secure q postponment
Mr.. Randall did not believe that the
laws of the United States should be ad-
ministered in such a way as to promote
a huge speculation in whisky; and /
wish some inquisitive reporter would in
terview Mr. Randalrs political friends
On that subject, and then ask also how
much money the Whisky Trust is con-
tributlng to the Democratic canvass this
year-and at the same time he might ex-
tend the inquiry into the amount con-
tributed by the Sugar Trust; and also by
the Salt Trust, including its fellow trust
in the business beyond the sea. Ap.
plause.
THE STANDARD OIL ANACONDA.
Nor have l exhausted the list of trusts
in which the Democratic party has a
large interest Unless every newspaper
is at fault the Democratic party has re-
ceived large contributions from stock
holders in the Standard Oil Trust at
every critical election within the last
five years, and is now relying upon the
gracious continuance of that aid in the
pending National crisis. So notorious
was this interposition that the Ohio
Legislature memoraliZed the Senate of
the United States to cause an inquiry to
be made into alleged corruption in the
election of the last Democratic Senator
from that State. | do not undertake to
say that there was corruption, for |
know nothing personally of it; but I do
say that the memorial of the State
Legislature was presented by Senator
Sherman, and a rightful, legal, and
proper opportunity was given to search
through and through for the truth and
for thorough examination into one of
the largest trusts in the whole world.
Then was the time for Democratic Sena-
tors to make an examination in trusts.
One of the largest of them was before
the Senate, and before it legitimately;
and yet you know how precipitately the
Democratic Senators fed from the task.
You could not lead Democratic Sena-
tor up to that investigation any more
than you could induce breachy colt to
face a Whistling locomotive. Laughter
and Cheers. Nor was rumor quiet as to
the interposition of the National Ad-
ministration to suppress an investiga-
ton. If President Cleveland had been
rs eager to examine into a great trust as
he was to denounce them all in his mes
sage, is opportunity was there; but I'M
less ali rumor be at fault, the social
Establishments of the Administration
were lavished on Republican Senators to
secure enough of them to join the Dem
ocrats or take off the curse of a unani-
nous Democratic resistance to the in
vestigation of a trust. Loud applause.
In addition to these trusts [ have
named comes the Cotton-Seed Oil Trust,
which is in the hands Of Southern Dem
ocrats, and its power used to aid the
Democratic campaign. They do not APP
ply their money in aid of the Southern
Democratic party, for the Southern
Democrats are too ''highed toned to
use money in election. Laughter and
applause. They have found q moro
excellent way in the South and they re-
serve pecuniary contributions wholly for
the Northern field. Laughter and
cheers.
THE PRICE OF STEEL RAILS.
Fellow citizens, I have named five
trusts in which all the evil that can
shades Of the evils that might come
from trusts are conspicuously prominent.
[ pause now, and if there be a Demo-
Graf in this assembIage l ask him to tell
ne one great trust in this country con-
trolled by Republicans with any politi-
cal connection or able to exert any pow
er Of the kind have named. No reply
CINE from the great throng, and Mr..
Blaine proceeded. Some one may, per-
haps, say, ''The Steel Rail Trust" Well,
if there be steel rail trust it must be
privately known to the Democrats who
make the accusation, for it has certainly
never been known to the public, and, as
a matter of fact, believe only exists in
Democratic imagination, or, more prob
ably still, in Democratic invention.
Laughter and applause. But I avail
myself Of the opportunity that the men
ton of steel rails gives me to clinch an
argument that was made in reference to
the Salt Trust. Steel rails in this coun-
try, under the influence of high pro-
tective tariff, have dropped in twenty
years from $115 down to S31 or S32. and
have in fact sold as low as S;27.50 per
ton. All this result has come about, of
course, by way of illustrating the Presi-
dents doctrine that a tariff duty is in
variably added to the cost of the article.
daughter and applause. This fall in
price has been steady and continuous,
and if there is a Steel Rail Trust it GER
tainly has been one that worked, not to
keep up prices but to steadily lower.
them But the Democrats are clamOr-
ing for free trade in steel rails, or for
such a low duty as viii permit free i'm
portations of rails from England. Well,
suppose they should attain it. The men
engaged in the steel rail business have
Just as sharp eyes to their interests as
Wellington r. Burt has to the salt in
terest in Michigan. What would hap
penn Would it not be the easiest thing
in the world for the fourteen steel rail
manufacturing establishments in this
country to unite with about the same
number that exists in Great Britain and
thus make the price of rails whatever
they choose, selling them all the time at
the highest price that the purchaser
could bear, thus illustrating anew and
afresh that IL is free trade and not pro-
lection that gives the wide, the limitless
field of operation through the system Of
trusts? For, repeat, as intimated be-
fore, that international trusts - a.
basis OF free trade cannot be dealt with
and controlled as domestic trusts that