The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-09

BRING OUT THE TRUTH.

some OIL most extraordinary ana
sensational statements ever made in
connection with the railroad business
In this country and with the enforce
ment of laws to regulate it, have come
cut in the examination of Mr.. Stickney
at Chicago with reference to Western
freight rates, and to the existence of
an alleged pool among Western rail-
roads for a division of cash business
in defiance of law. Mr. Stickney af-
firms that the Western roads have been
acting Illegally right along, making q
traffic arrangement with one another
which was actually, as well as virtual
ly, a pool, and that they are angry with
him because he has been getting the
better of them. They retort by accus-
ing him or cutting rates and giving re-
bates indirectly but do not seem to. be
in hurry to dfsprove the principal
charge. The whole facts, it would
seem, must now come out; since the
interstate commerce commission, Ieth-
argtc as that body is, and slow to
move, can hardly refuse to go to the
bottom of this business.
1t is certainly no secret to our read
ers, for we have denounced it again
and again, that the authorities behind
the interstate commerce law have never
enforced its provisions literally and
comprehensively. Except in certain
non-essentials, it has been practically
dead letter from the time of it's pass
age. Even since the Counselman case.
and since the enactment Of a law that
puts it in the power of the commission
ers to require man to testify without
discriminating himself, little or moth
ing has been done. In the slow, sleepy,
red-tape, Indifferent way in which all
our official bodies move, the commits
sion has been getting around toward
the time when 1t should determine To
begin to get ready to commence to do
something
We say right here, and we cannot saw
1t often enough or loud enough. that II
is this sort of thing which has brought
the Peoples party into existence. has
increased its membership and will
eventually make it, with all its follies
on It's head, a majority party in this
country, If something is not done to
satls1y the people that laws are made
to be obeyed, and that officials are
elected to enforce them The great
misfortune and danger is that the
Peoples party and its associates have
been led hxyH
worn out and selfish politicians dis
earded by both the old parties. to the
advocacy of measures which do not
remedy the evils existing, but must,
instead, create new and greater ones
The evils, however, are not denied.
were 1t not for the agitation at this
time of the free coinage question. pub
lie attention would be conferred unon
the great crime of the times. which
Is the immunity of powerful corporate
interests from legislative control
1t is this fact, the ignorance of
the actual menace of our iber
ties, standing threatening at our doors
which makes the pursuit of the ignis
fatuus of cheap money as a remedy
at once so pitiful and so hostile to the
preservation of liberty and equality.
The trusts and monopolies are eyerv-
where. They care nothing about the
money standard or 'bimetallism /"
They can buy men just as well. and
rather more cheaply, with a silver
dollar, as with. a gold dollar. They
can prosper on the basis of China and
Japan even more Justify than on that
of the civilized world. What they must
have, what they insist upon and what
this debate about a sham and foolish
issue is helping them to secure. is i'm
munity in their pursuits from the re-
straints and the punishments of the
law The mighty hand of the trust
is felt everywhere. Is Industry free7
Can any man start and follow anv
business that he pleases in st. Paul
tomorrow? Let him try to establish a
biscuit factory or a match factory in
this city. with legitimate capital be-
hind it, and endeavor to do only a Ie
ultimate business on legitimate
profit, and he will fine eat. He will
be crushed as remorselessly as his body