The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-02
ERA OF Low PRICES.
Virgil p. Kline Believes 1t Has Come
in the United States.


Virgil P. Kline, one of the most
prominent attorneys Of the Buckeye
state. arrived from Cleveland last
evening and registered at the Ryan.
Mr. Kline is, as he says himself "a
rock-ribbed, free trade, sound money,
single gold standard, Jeffersonian Dem
ocrat, by inheritance, as well as from
principle" He took a prominent part
in the recent campaign and exercised
all his talent in behalf of Palmer and
Buckner. ...
Speaking Of the current issue now
before the nation, that of a protective
tariff, Mr.. Kline said: II have nothing
to say on this matter, beyond the
fact that we are going back to the old
principles which divided labor and cap
ital before the last election, that Of
protecting the producer at the ex7
pense of the consumer, and thus di-
viding the people to still further
lengths. ....-.
81 believe that the era Of lower prices
in America has come to stay for all
time. The time of extravagant prices
and consumption has gone. The trend Of
all civilization is toward this end.
There used to be three great calamities
which could befall man-war, pesti-
1ence and famine. l believe that in
this country, at least, these calamities
are scarcely possible. The science of
medicine, surgery and bacteriolOgy
have robbed pestilence of its horrors;
the wonderful strides Of transporta-
ton and communication have made
famine an impossibility; arbitration
will settle disputes which used to be
settled by war, and thus we approach
the acme of Civilization. When we
reach this stage, we secure what goes
with it, that is, abundance. With
abundance comes low prices, and that
is what 1 believe is before this country
for all time to come,
Speaking of politics, I want to
say that the Democratic sound money
papers of Minnesota did more to carry
the state than any other influence, and
1 want to say that the G. o b was
often quoted in our Eastern papers
The newspapers are a tremendous
force. l notice this especially in my
legal practice. But l want to say that
the time when judicial cases can be
tried by a newspaper are numbered.
In this way the press is working a ter
Of very important cases in which the
verdict of the court and the jury has
been practically dictated by the press
Courts, to some extent, are (swayed
by public opinion, and the papers
voice the opinions.
Eve have a case in Cleveland which
has caused great excitement in Ohio.
1t is a struggle between the press and
h. 1r,II 81
printed a scathing rebuke upon Judge
Lampson, Of the district court, upon
the latters administration of his af-
fairs. We have. in Cleveland a bench
Of seven district judges, who are a
year and a half behind in their work.
The judges have gotten into a way
of indulging the bar, greatly to the
annoyance of Judge Lampson, who de.
desired to keep his calendar clean.
One afternoon the latter called a case
for trial at o'clock in the afternoon
The attorneys in the case from long
training, had had reason to believe
an excuse would be accepted and the
court was informed that the case was
not ready. Judge Lampson promptly
dismissed the case Whereupon the pa
per administered a sharp criticism for
his arbitrary methods. Judge Lamp
son Immediately summoned the editor
before him, and without warrant. trial
or process, fined him 5000 and ten
days in jail The editor appealed to
the circuit court, which stands between
the district and supreme courts, and
stay of sentence has been granted un-
til May. 1t means that the lower court
will be reversed. The questions at
issue in this case were important. The
defense set up that 1t had a right to
criticise judge in the executive adj
ministration Of his affairs, but not In
his judicial administration, which are
two different things.
Il believe there should be a happy
medium between the extreme liberty
and license of the press, and the ar
bitrariness of the court. 1t would as
sist common Justice"