New Ulm review., 1894-01-24
Tom Johnson, Monopolist.

Ism OF the pioneer settlers or Minnesota.
Tom Johnson, Monopolist.
"That am a monopolist is charge
to which plead guilty." Having said
this in congress, and said it in sad earn
est, Mr.. Tom johnson is stopped from
pleading in the character of''a friend Of the
people," The circumstances leading to
Congressman Toms confession are these;
Tom had offered an amendment to the
Wilson bill, said amendment being that
steel rails should be admitted free of
duty. Tom himself is manufacturer
of steel rails, and it sounded in a tone
of self-sacrifce when Tom asked for re-
peal of duty on an article made by
himself.
But Mr.. Dalzell charged that Toms
steel rails were protected by. 102 patents
none of which were used by his comre-
titors in trade. Therefore, argued Tom s
real purpose was to break down his Am
erican rivals by subjecting them to COM
petition with free English-made rails,
and then to hold a monopoly over such
English goods by his own patents. Tom
was s.cornered" and pleaded guilty in the
words quoted by us.
Mr.. Dalzell did not rest here; he made
Tom confess that h. was paying his
workmen one third in cash and two
thirds in scrip, such scrip being pur-
chased at discount from Toms needy
workmen by relative of Tom, and by
Tom redeemed at par from Toms rela-
tive.
Things, being thus, by Toms open
confession, we submit there are forms
and methods of "robbery' in the steel rail
business as conducted by Tom far more
"infamous" than any imagined by. the
most visionary free-trader to be made
possible by the Mckinley Chicago
Inter Ocean.
Captain Jack Crawford, tie Poet
Scout who is gathering bright laurels in
the entertainment field, is in the habit of
doing very effective missionary work in
hi. own quiet way. He responds to fire.
quent calls to talk to the pupils of pub
lie and Sabbath schools. and in eloquent
and impressive language warn the young
people of the ruinous results of reading
the sensational, fashy literature with
which news stands are flooded. But few
evenings ago he was billed for an enter
tainment at the Opera House at Pontiac,
ILL.,, and on the afternoon of the evening
of his appearance accepted an invitation
from Superintendent McClaughry to Wis
1t the State Reformatory and talk to the
boys confined there. After entertaining
the boys for an hour with border stories
and political recitations he launched
forth into the subject nearest his heart
and delivered an address so eloquent and
so touchingly pathetic on the evils Of
dime novel reading and youthful vices
generally that tears trickled down every
youthful face as the burning words fell
from his lips. On his return to Chicago
| Captain Crawford received the following
letter of thanks from MajorMcC Claughry
"1llinois State Reformatory, Pontiac
Jan 11.--Captain Jack Crawford, Chi.
cago, III. My Dear Sir: wish to thank
you most heartily for the entertaining
amusing and instructive talk that YOU
gave to the inmates of this Reformatory
yesterday. To hear man who has real.
ly been 'on the traiI and has had person
al encounters with live. Indians dispe]
as happily and completely as you did
the dime novel ideas of western life with
which so many of these boys are imbued
was indeed helpful and refreshing, The
warning you gave them against vile lit,
erature, whisky and evil associations
came with special force from your lips
and made an excellent impression. You
will always be welcome visitor here. 4
The True Policy Of Florida.
If the Mitchell Corbett fight shall
prove TO be so improbable an undertak