Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-04-07

himself lucky when he gets good men
at these figures.
Thus the prosperity that. has come
with the opening OF the factories in
stead of the mints has not been long in
reaching the farm laborcr. 1t will be
interesting to note how the anti-pros-
perity papers will explain this situa-
tion.-Sioux City journal.
Tar'f Must Not Protect Truats.
The st. Paul Pioneer Press makes a
pertinent and timely appeal to the Re-
publican party to take the initiative in
dealing with those great trade combs
nations that take advantage of our rev.
cnue laws to strangle competition and
enhance prices. Not counting those
great trusts that came into existence
prior to 1898, such as the Standard Oil,
. the American Sugar Refinery, the
American Tobacco Company and many
others. 1t estimates that the past four
teen months have witnessed the for
nation of no less than eighty trusts
with an aggregate capitalization of
ONcI Fs,OOU,OUU,UUU. HOW IuT u ttuSL
or combination which relies solely
. upon the natural and economic forces
of organization and capital to increase
1 and cheaper production, and which re-
suits in supplying a better article ut a
lower cost than could be produced
under competitive conditions, may be
justified is n question for debating So
cieties. 1t is undoubtedly the duty of
legislatures and courts to protect So
ciety from the aggregations of capital
which destroy competition in order to
enhance prices. For these there can be
no excuse, protection or defense.
The Pioneer Press declares that it is
the duty of Congress, in both branches
of which the Republicans have a ma
jOrity, to abolish or suspend every pro-
tective duty under the shelter of which
its beneficiaries have organized q trust
or combination Of any sort to advance
prices. The purpose of the protective
tariff was to foster industries, not to
protect monopolies.
No mercy or consideration should be
shown to any combination of capital
that takes advantage of n protective
tariff to mulct American consumers. 1t
should be the first office of the Repub-
lican majority in Congress to free it's
skirts from all responsibility for trusts,
which under shelter of the tariff exact
higher prices from the people.
Wherever the protective tariff ell
hances the price of the product of q
trust to the American consumer ii
should be reduced or removed entirely.
That is a pretty safe proposition. Its
adoption will remove the stigma of fos.
tering trusts from the Republican
party.
Increased Employment of Labor.1
Mi. James NJ. Swank, of the Ameri-
can Iron and Steel Association, reports
that the total product Of Bessemer steel
ingots in tDe United States in 1898 was
G.GO9,O17 gross tons. This is more than
double the number of tons produced in
1893, the first year of the administra-
ton which came into office pledged to
the infliction of free trade by gradual
degrees upon the country, aud over n
third greater than the number of tons
produced during any one year while
that administration was in power. The
increased production of steel has meant
an increased employment of labor. The
steel and iron workers of the country.
who are among the most intelligent
workmen that there are. have as IL rule
recognized where their chances for
bread and butter lay and have general
ly voter for protection. They will not
be likely to change .hcir views as u re-
suit of the comparative showing made
by the steel and iron industry under
protection md free trade.