The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-02
Industrial Commissioner Bell Talks
of Conditions.
BRYAN HIS CANDIDATE
THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE
UNITED STATES.
Purposes of the Smelter Combine
and How It Will Crush Out Com
petition Disclosures Before the
Commission-How Republican Mo-
nopolists Coerce the Labor Vote.

The congressional subcommittee Q
the industrial commission, which i
now in the city, will begin its session
this morning at 10 O'Clock at the Knuts
ford hotel. The committee intends L
thoroughly investigate mining condi
tions and all matters pertaining there
TO. and expects to be III session severa
days. Judge J. c. Bell OF Montrose
Colo, its chairman, is now serving his
fourth term in congress- having beer
elected each time by the Populist party
and by a big majority at each election
He was, previous TO becoming a Popu-
list, a Democrat. but renowned Cleve-
land and the platform on his second
nomination. Judge Bell states that out
of 1000 Democrats in Colorado at that
time 10000 of them Joined the Populist
party. and all of them were for Bryan
in 1896
The Smelter Combine.
Speaking as citizen and member of
congress, but not as a member of the
Industrial commission last evening ON
the smelter situation in his state, he
said:
The smeIter combine wanted that
close-down, and ii was right into their
hand. II Will enable them. when they
resume. to do SO without opening all Of
the shelters. II is trust. and was or
ganiZed with the intention of closing
shelters at certain points and handling
the ore at fewer points and at fewer
smelters, which can no doubt easily be
done. OF course, by concentrating the
reduction of the product ,at certain
points they Will greatly reduce the eX-
pense Of handling il. but it will be at
the expense of many laborers thrown
out of employment and detriment of
communities that will suffer by the
shutdown and permanent closing of
their shelters.
"One great item of expense that will
be saved by such procedure, and which
no doubt was carefully taken into con-
Sideration by the owners before the
formation OF the smelter trust is that
of railroad freights. 1t is possible. and
probable. that they viii get the benefit
of greatly reduced rates, and receive
large rebates that will enable them to
crush out competition. Former Senator
Hill of Denver. president of the Argo
smelter. stated before our committee
THAI it was his fear that the trust
would, by secret rates and rebates, OBJ
tain such a vast advantage over the
Independent smelters that it would be
able TO crush them entirely.
Methods of Trusts.
Trusts of all kinds have sprung into
existence. and flourish because with
their tremendous combination of CAPT.
tai they are able to make freight con-
tracts with railroads that the independ-
ent and smaller concerns cannot posi-
bly, obtain, and it is no doubt a mutual
interest as the capital employed in the |
operation of the principal trusts and in !
railroad securities is largely owned by /
the same combinations. When the com /
mission Investigated the Standard Oil /
monopoly, an independent producer in /
hHra l.,r-, 2
testified that every gallon of oil his |
concern sold in the United States was
sold at loss, and that the profits were
obtained from what was sold abroad
He stated That no independent oil com
pany could compete with the Standard
IN the United States, because even when
their product realized the same prices
per gallon as that of the Standard, it
meant loss. owing TO the better rail-
road rates obtained by the latter, and !
the big rebates they received. His COM
pany had only been able to do bust
ness abroad at a profit. since building
n pipe line to the seashOre thus rem
dering them independent of railway
freights.
Judge Bell was asked what he con-
sldered the remedy for relief from
trusts, and he quickly replied:
governmental control of railroads. In
Europe, where the railroads are owned
:
or manufacturer enjoys an equal adj
vantage with the largest shipper. as the
rates are established and collected bv
the government, and there is no devia-
ton therefrom. nor discrimination in I
FAVOR OF any person or class. I
Financial Questions.
Referring to the financial aspect and
the chances for bimetallism, he said :
that as long as the present conditions :
continue, there would be very little
for the double standard
In the present condition. with all !
sections prosperous ana money plenty. =
very few people give any thought to !
he monetary standard, ne said, and =
when the subject is preached to them
hey are apt to ignore it, with the re-
mark that money is plenty and good
and we don't need any change
l only shows what little attention peo- A
lie give TO these matters, especially
he working classes, who think for
themselves very little on these prob
ems, and who give themselves little Y,
oncern over them when work is album =
ant and wages good. 1t is only when / "
he shoe pinches and work is hard to 8.
ct and wages next TO nothing that az
hey are impressed. ! consider il a { ri
angerous condition of things when the "a
anks have so much money. and are DC
loans and extending their
iicS o. circuit as they are at present
ecause should for any reason they fe
heck up on their present policy. it 81,
ould cause a crisis. And they can F,
ithdraw their credits and call in the "
honey any time they take a notion. / 70
nd the public is left at the mercy of Rf
Jmbined capital. MI
Question of Men. all
4 don't believe that the money cues w. ~
on or any other particular plank will on
in in the next election. | believe in in,
le man and his character I believe f.,
lat party can take up any strong
an of honor ana ability. such as
ryan, and be successful In the last
mpaign Bryan was compare lively un-
Town. and considered by many TO be Sh
I inexperienced boy, but the entire
untry knows different now. and he
regarded as one of the soundest. 7
'epest and most patriotic figures be- bel
re the public, and firm on every oues-
IN he IS the strongest man in the ~
1ited States today With the people. II pei
the man, and not the platform. that
ms. The promises made in the latter llis
q invariably broken or ignored. and lci
We come to be regarded as of little 0ig
rec. i
Republican Methods. Gig
But 1 honestly believe that the Re cha
blican party can continue ia hold sew
elf indefinitely in power as long as if
n continue to hold its grasp ON the
te of the working class. which If q.
ans to do now. In the last election Of
dc nd hi