The herald., 1896-07-21
KING SPRECKLES TALKS

Claus Spreckels. the sugar king and
the silent proprietor of the San Fran
cisco Call has returned. from a trip to
the Fatherland, and of course has had
himself interviewed in the columns of
his own paper. What is the use Of having
a paper If you don't talk through it oc-
casionally, and what more fitting way
could be suggested whereby to celebrate
a safe and happy debarkation on ones
adopted shores than an exploitation of
personal views under a scare head in
ones own paper? There is no need of
fellow talking through his hat when
he has columns ad lib to shout through
"Claus Spreckels Talks of Silver" is
the startling intelligence announced in
the top line. Then, Thinks That Free
Coinage Would Ruin the Country" and
Would Mean Dishonor." and so on
down to the last of the lurid headlines.
These lines constitute the index to the
utterances, for publication, of the real
proprietor of great metropolitan daily
which carries in sensational lettering
on the magnificent plate glass window
of its business office the legend that
1.-The Call stands for silver" When are
we to infer that Mr.. Spreckels is right
when he is in print in the Call. or in let
tering on the Calls plate glass? Alas.
for the frailty of human constancy and
consistency! If Mr.. Spreckels really be-
lieves what he says in print about the
proposition to coin silver freely, why,
oh why, does he, rich and independent
L. = -, L. 70
add further to his wealth, does he run
newspaper which stands up for silver"
on glass? Are the exigencies offamily
or personal political ambitions so press
ing that deception Of one kind or an
other is imperative?
Mr.. Spreckels says that 1t is not more
money that this country needs. but the
proper employment of the money it has,
and then he launches into discussion
as to how to bring about this proper
employment of the money the country
has. He says:
II have just returned from a visit to
the most prosperous country in Europe
If not, indeed, at this time, in the
whole world. 1t is a country that looks
out for its own. 1t is high-tariff coun-
try. By system Of bonuses to manu-
facturers it enables them to enter into
competition with the manufacturers of
the world in the markets of the world
to such an extent that no less an au-
thority than the London Times, the
'thunderer.' gave place to an article
while was there warning England that
1t would have to return to tariff system
if 1t would preserve its place among the
nations in a business sense.
"This country that i am speaking of
Is Germany. Its prosperity in these
times that people call dull is simply
marvellous. 1t is building up in every
quarter, and enterprise marks every
field of endeavor in the empire. 1t should
be so in this country-this is my coun-
try, and I want to see it forever in the
lead"
In other words, what this country
needs to make it prosperous and its peo-
pie happy and contented is more spe-
cial privilege as expressed in protec-
tive tariff and bounty giving legislation,
and there you are. Germany" Mr..
Spreckels says, 'looks out for its own"
1t 'looks after it's own" by
giving bounties and levying pro-
tective tariffs so that consumers are
obliged to pay great deal more for GER
tain articles than they are really worth.
Does Germany look out for all of its own
in these ways or only some of its own?
Does it give bounties or the benefits of
protective tariffs to all of its people?
Can there be such thing as subsidiz-
ing or protecting all Of the individuals
of country? Is it not a fact
that bounties and protective tar
ifs are special favors, that
they involve the payment of premiums
to few of the people and that the labor
and the thrift of the many must pay the
value of those favors, those premiums?
Who can disprove the assertion that the
unsubsidized, unprotected industries are
the industries that support those of the
bounty and the tariff-the support can
come from nowhere else OF course
bounty fed and tariff protected indus
tries, whether in Germany or theUnited
States, bear the appearance of prosper
ity. Why should they not? A forger or
a highWayman will be radiant with the
glamour of prosperity as long as the
worthless paper of the one passes or the
murderous weapon of the other eXtorts
wealth from his victims. The fact that
the beneficiaries of government favor
are prosperous affords no evidence that
the remainder of the people are. On the
contrary their prosperity gives the best
of evidence that some other people are
not prosperous. You cannot rob man
without distressing him, and the boun-
ties and protective tariffs necessitate
robbery as rank as any committed by any
criminal
Mr.. Spreckels is only getting into step
with the Republican campaign tune.
Il