Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-08-13
RUN BY THE TRUSTS.
j. HAMILTON LEWIS OPINION OF
THE EXTRA SESSION.

h6 6N IA S6SSlON.
Ii WINS Controlled by Trusts-Not a
Measure Was Passed That Will
Benefit the Many Who Need Log.
isIaiion.
Asked to give Il statement of the
work of the session OF Congress recently
closed and its effect upon the country,
Representative Lewis of this State said
to an Eastern reporter:
The present extra session of Con-
gress has not passed measure for the
benefit of the many who where in need
of legislation, while every measure that
has passed is wholly in favor of the
few, who can we'll do without govern
mental aid. That such is true, a con-
else reference to the legislation will
demonstrate. To illustrate, take the
tariff bill. Sugar, necessary COM
modify to the poor, is made the sub
ject of tax of $4,000 600 a year, all
of which goes absolutely into the
pockets of the sugar trust. The rev.
enue of the government docs not reach
100000 out of this sum. A similar
tax made in the Wilson bill, but only
half as high as that i'll the Dingley
bill, brought forth from the Republic
can member of the Ways and Means
committee - General Payne of New
York-the following criticism: 1t is
a tax by actual computation of 81 to
every man in the United States, and it
is laid upon the breakfast table of the
poor, yielding not Il cent to the gov
eminent, but goes into tie private
fortunes of the sugar magnates.' If
true then, the only difference now is
that the favor is doubled, SC that the
tax is 81 upon every poor mans break
fast table instead of one; and, l must
add, upon those breakfast tables which
never know the luxury Of n table cloth.
TAX ON WHITE PINE.
"a tax of 50 to the mill companies
on white pine or house finishing lum-
Der, with nothing in the world to COM
plete against it, is, as Governor Pingree,
the Republican governor of Michigan,
says: ga contribution of $2s out of
the pocket of every poor man who at
xo,>,,,t, ~ b,,;1J N ko,,So or ho ~ RI tho
lumber trusts of the northwest
"The wheat farmer finds his wheat
taxed the whole benefit of the increased
market-the full extent of the raised
prices of wheat. The southern farmers
bagging and cotton ties are taxed for
cess of the amount of the increase of
the price of cotton. In return, he is
Knocked by the silly profession of pro
lection upon barley and wheat, when
every one knows that, far from i'm
porting barley and wheat, we grow
more than our own country demands
and supply the foreign markets OF the
world. This mock tax serves one pur-
pose, however. 1t forces other coun-
tries desiring to sell produce such as
we do not raise to levy retaliatory
tax upon our wheat, barley and cotton,
thus preventing us from selling to
foreign markets without great loss,
which means no sale at all, save and
except instances where, as at present
through calamities of climate, COM
plete failure Of crops have resulted.
FOR THE TRUSTS.
al assert, and base it upon the
schedule OF the tariff bill, that not one
single object now under control of the
trusts which manipulate prices to
their own pleasure, but what has been
taxed higher than has ever been laid
before in any other bill, with IS per
cent. going to the manufacturers, 3
per cent. to the government and 2 per
cent. to the Office holders. Three
million and a half dollars to the lead
trust, to be paid by every man who
attempts to paint his house; two mil
lion and q half Us an absolute premium
to the beef packers, such as Armour
& Co., while three and half million
is given 10 the leather trust out of the
tax on hides, who exact it from every
man who buys shoes, particularly of
the common grade. The tax on wool
gives a profit of SIS. OOO,O 900, absolute
figures, to the wool manufacturers,
who collect out of the common grades
of wool, which OF course is paid by the
poor, who buy cheap clothes. Not
more than three millions of this whole
sum can the farmer get the benefit of,
averaging not enough to each indi-
vidual farmer who grows wool to pay
the freight of the shipment from his
farm to any market, however near,
and yet he is to be told that this tax
is for his benefit in the manner it is
laid.
at will be recalled from the Con-
9ressional Record and public press that
these different items and statements
were propounded during the debate as
inquiries by me to the distinguished
gentlemen, Messrs. Dingley and Grosve-
venor, having charge of these items.
That the former gentleman refused to
answer these questions, and that the
latter said that he did not know
whether my figures were correct, that
he did not dispute them, and that he
did not care
A PROPHECY.
al prophesy that the first result of
the tariff bill, such as this, producing
such large profits to the manufacturer
is to induce the manufacturer to at
once make up enough to supply the
immediate wants of the people. In
doing SO he employs men, he pays
them, they buy their first instalment
of necessities for which they have been
in want SO long, they pay the manu-
facturer, on account of his high profits,
the full ofwhich they get from the man
for whom they work. The first appear
ance is of prosperity, the workman has
his temporary job and his first i'm
mediate wants are supplied. People
having no money are unable to pur-
chase anything more, the manufact.