The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-14
THE rARIFF AND TRrsTs.

One Of the most notable interviews
which has appeared in the public prints
on the trust question is that Of ex-senator
William d. Washburn Of Minnesota. II
was first published in the New York
Tribune Mr. Washburn s a Republican,
and one of the most distinguished men in
the West He does not hesitate to say
that in the public mind the Republican
party is ASSOCIATED with trusts. mainly be
cause the protective tariff fosters trusts,
ana that party is responsible for The pro-
tectiye principle in the tariff.
lie calls attention TO The fact that when
he was in the United States Senate he as
sisted in putting a tariff on tin plate. lie
thought il was right TO do so at the time.
and he stil thinks that he acted for the
best interests OF the people. He wanted a
tin plaie industry built up in this country.
That has been accomplished, and there is
10 longer any need of tariff on tin plate.
But the makers of tin plate are now using
The tariff to keep up the price of that
article. What ought 10 be done, says Mr..
Washburn, is to repeal the tiu-plate tariff.
And there are many other provisions of
the tariff that trusts are depending on TO
keep up the prices of their respective
products which ought to be repealed. If
his advice is followed the Republicans, as
soon as Congress convenes, viii set to
work to repeal all of those features of the
tariff which are now being used by trusts
10 rob the people.
The West. according to Mr.. Washburn,
10 MOI n he
question. So intense is the feeling that
there will be a split in the Republican
party OF that section unless the party sets
70 work at once to crush trusts. Can the
Republicans of the East be made to I'M
derstand the intensity of the feeling in
the West against trusts? That is a ques-
lion in which the leaders of both of the
great political parties are deeply inter
ested If the Republicans of the East
win not heed the danger which threatens
their party, the Democratic leaders, if
they are wise, will give the greater part
or their attention to the antitrust issue.
The farther they push silver into the back
ground and the more prominent they make
the antitrust issue the better their chance
will be for getting control of the govern
ment at The next national election.
Mr.. Washburn is interested in the great
Touring mills at Minneapolis. He is one
of the pioneers of the West. No man is
better qualified TO judge of the sentiments
of the western people on any public ques-
ton than he is. All through the West
trusts are regarded as a means for robbing
the people. They don't give a young man
a chance. Everything Ike individual en-
terprise is crushed out by them. Besides,
they are greatly overcaptalzed, and the
time will comet may be very soon
when all but the strongest of the trusts
VIII go into bankruptcy. They will not be
able to pay dividends in hard times and
probably not even their running expenses.
The promoters of trusts sell their shares
in them just as soon as they can get
fair price for them. The unsuspecting, on
whom they unload, will have to bear the
loss when the crash comes. The party
that makes the best fight against trustees
viii stand the best chance of being in
trusted with power.