The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1894-08-11

coal interests i'll this country. On which
side in the controversy will the American
people be foundE These trusts include
some powerful American capitalists. In
the Nova Scotia coal syndicate it is Un-
derStood that President Cleveland
friend. Mr. Whitney, ana his secretary OF
war, Mr.. Lamont. have large interests
The iron companies are the Juragua and
the Sigma. with headquarters at Phila-
dclphia. and the SpanSh-Amcrican Iron
company, with headquarters ut New
ork, and these imported from the mines
III Cuba. of which they have exclusive
control. 4l3.999 tons i'll the fiscal wear
lS!i3. the average cost being about 81 30.
All other imports of iron ore We're 269,-
oJ7 tons, and the average cost about
$50. The few owners of the Cuba
mines include the Pennsylvania. Mary
land and Bethlehem steel companies, and
their interest i'll the success of Mr.. Cleve-
land as Il frcc-tradc champion has been
deep. But the mere threat of Il change
of tariff has thrown two of these compa-
nieS into bankruptcy during the last year,
and the imports of all iron ore have been
only about 2lO,OOO tons, not Il third as
much rs in lN!E5.
Such are the interests for which the
President and the House are fighting.
eganSt the coal aud iron miners Of New
York. New jersey. Pennsylvania. Ohio.
Maryland, the NirgiuiaS, Tennessee and
Alabama The American capitalists in
tcreStcd in the foreign coal and iron mo-
nopoicS may number about q hundred.
The coal and iron miners. against whom
Mr. Cleveland fights, numbers more than
half a million. Quite irrespective of party
Platforms or the personal rivalries of
party leaders. this issue involves the han
pineSS of more than half million Amer
lean homes and Mr.. Cleveland prefers to
serve the few rich capitalists, some of
them personal friends or large contrib
utorS to his election. instead of the half
million wagc-carncrS. Plainly. American
voters in such struggle will not take
sides with President Cleveland or the
foreign mOnOpolcS.
Unfortunately. they cannot take sides
either with the senators who CoutriypJ
the bill of sale. for that was a robbery of
the people for tn" benefit of the sugar
monopoly. When the Sugar trust reached
out after 4 profit of $50. O.oo0. 900 or more.
and wanted to buy votes. it captured
some with the cash profits of Il 'specula-
tlOn secured against loss. but ii cant
ured others with pledges that interests
necessary 10 their political future should
h" protected OF the fOrty-throe senators
bound 10y compact to stand together,
how many sold themselves for political
benefits and how many Tor more ma
terIal considerations no one can tell. The
President : letter placed him in the dis
graceful attitude of apologizing for the
sugar. DdISdib. Wllic plCdtInS Tor the
coal and iron mon"poicS But his sena-
torlal opponents have bound themselves
to give S3O,OOnon0 or more to the sugar
monopoly rs compensation for its con
trhuilons 10 the Democratic campaign
fund.
Between the two the people will not
choose. Their choice Is the defeat of
both. The Sugar trust which owns the
Senate, and the coal and iron trusts,
which own the President. are alike fight
Ing for private gain and to piunder the
people. The only complete answer to
these indecent demands is to kill the
pending bill and pass an act putting re
fined rs well rs raw sugar on the free
list Then the American miners of coal
and iron ore will not bc impoverished for
the benefit of McSSrs. Whitney. Lamont
and the juragua capitalists. and the
Sugar trust will have to cut down its
eXactious To meet the cost of refined
sugar imported It viii lose the one
favor which the Tribune urged Congress
in 1890 not to grant. but which it un-
wisely granted at the pleading Of the in
dependent rehners of Philadelphia, who
were then pI"d-ing themselves to fight
the trust t0 the end. The only solution
which the people can desire or approve
is tn" defeat of the pending bill and the
removal of the duty on refined sugar.
and the closer Congress can come to that
tn" better will the voters be satisfied.