Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-10-18
a1Hg SMELL OF MONOPOLY

aTHE SMELL OF MONOPOLY
Bit of Tariff History Repeats Itseif-sur-
Mus Reduction In 1879 and 1SoO-The
West Was For Tariff Reduction Then as
Now-The Blow at Monopoly Then, and [
the Aid 1t Gets Now. (
Tariff history, like other history, re-
peats itself. In the fiscal years 1871
and 1872 a surplus of something like
SlOO, 600, 0c0 had accumulated as the re-
suit of war duties which had not been
reduced. There was then no party so
extrayarant as to make it its one vital
nrinciple that the true way to make tho
people prosperous is to tax them enor-
mously beyond the needs OF the Govern
ment and then squander the surplus
by appropriations of the most profilgate
character. There was no Tom Reed at
the helm then to boast that they mad
got rid of the surplus by spending it.
The majority of the Republican party
was at that time in favor Of the common
sense view that the way to get rid OF
surplus is to reduce taxation. Then, as
now, there was strong tariff reform
wave sweeping over the Republican
party in the West; and nearly all the
Republican Congressman from the west
went to Washington in 1872 with Q de-
termination to reduce the tariff.
Mr.. Dawes Of Massachusetts,, was
then in the position now occupied by
Major Mckinley, chairman of the ways
and Means Committee of the House. As
Representative of New England he
was opposed to a reduction of the tarlli,
/ New England clamoring at that time
for the highest possible protection IL
is interesting to note that this same
Mr. Dawes, now Senator from Massa-
chusets, has begun to sec the
tariff in different light, now
that New England has ceased
to reap a benefit in all directions from
the highest form of protection, and her
manufacturers have, in fact, begun to cry
aloud for free raw materials, This same
Mr.. Dawes said Of the Mckinley BILL IN
the Senate on August 6, that 'he recog-
. nizcd that change Of sentiment in New
England" " and that nobody felt more
sensibly than he did the inequalit es
and iniustices of features of the pending
bill" After saying this he voted with
the Democrats to reduce the duty on
= iron ore
But in 1872 New England's views on
: tariff reform we're different from what
8 they are to-day, and so Mr.. Dawes held
n different views too at that time. Al
d though he was chairman OF the ways
r and Means Committee he did not sue
ceed in shaping such bill as he wanted
d for his own dear New England; anc
4 hence he left to a Western member the
h task of defending the bill that was con
u structed in accordance with Western
l. IDEAS
This was Mr., Finkelnberg, OF Mis-
o souri, In defending the tariff reduction
n bill which the committee had brough
" in he made use of language in striking
l. contrast with the sentiments of the pre-
lection party to-day. He said that tn
10 committees measure was lntende
le merely "to divest some industries
Or the suporabundant protection, whic
smells of monopoly and which it wa
C. never intended they should enjoy aftC
n' the war
10 But McKinley's duties have that yer
le odor-they smell of monopoly" 4
s. soon after the war as 1872 Mr. Finkell
berg, speaking for his party's Ways an
'l- Means Committee, said that it WI
ne never intended that our industrl'
IS should enjoy war duties after the wa
MT Now what do we find twenty-five yea
n after the close of the war? III
ok few men left in the Repu
IN lican party who talk as NJ
n Finkelnburg did against war duti
ie and 'the smell OF monopoly" a
looked upon with suspicion and d
'as nounced as assistant Democrats M
nL Kinley comes forward with duties hig
na er than the country has ever known
'at far higher even than under the stor
&c, and stress OF the civil war-and has I
an assurance to defend these exorbita
duties by telling the people that "wh
ieu merchandise is cheapest men are POI
~ est" and therefore I'VE want no retu
~ to cheap times in our own country.
eu Under the fostering care of Mckinlt
'eu and his high tarf Fl associates, trusts
springing up about us like crab-gr;
Wy after a spring shower Old trusts
'uo confirmed in their possessions, and
o' many cases get higher protection,
'fe- The linseed oil trust gets some OF t
Vas .'superabundant protection which SINE
'ec- of monopoly Three years ago
price of linseed oil was almost as
onr "u here as in England. Then the tr
our. was formed and prices were put up
sci the highest point that the duty of
es' Ger S a gallon would permit. Atpres'
InIs nrIs our people are paying almost twice
St or English price, and only five or
lift thousand dollars worth were boul
light last year. owing TO the duty.
e 90 ol As the trust has complete contro
+ S' 10 the home market, and as the com bi
this ton contains 81 per cent of the lins'
here oil mil in the country, one wo
n as think tnat they might at least contl
1trv 1t,v' to thrive on the existing duty.
anv trust did not even ask for higher dl
onor so far as the published reports sh
:, but Mckinley apparently likes du
all which 'smell of monopoly,
resi- accordingly he raised the duty on
hree seed oil from % cents gallon t.
the cents, As if this yet did not 81
strongly enough of monopoly the
Odd ate put it up to 80 cents a gallon. !
on gives the trust total of 7 cents FOL
'por- ture juggling with prices
The sugar trust too, was well
'lrst vided for The difference between
i'm duty on raw sugar and refined ST
citi' which competes with the trust
the made greater than at present; so
and although the people may get the be
AT of the cheaper sugar, the trust will
party ually reap greater profits than ever
n. The president of the sugar t
Two Theodore F. Havemeyer, has the
views about high prices as Mex
'rible himself has-they both think that
Lum- prices are best The trust simply
tho to reach the same result as that a
!, the at by Mckinley. Indeed, the trus
tting not failed to SEQ that their aims ar
ur of same and to point out the absurd
tre- any protectionist obiecting to
I'd of prices.
,wing Last winter the presiuehe oi
fo,, s,,,r truet said. svrhe great cry