Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-02-22
[special Washington Letter.l

Especial Washington Letter.l
John Jacob Astor and old Stephen
Girard were paupers. The wondrous
tale of Monte-Christo is fat, stale
and improbable. CrRsus was not in
it with our modern plutocrats. Even
John D. Rockefeller must take a back
seat, and the glory Of Midas pales into
insignifieance. Henry Clay Frick has
sued Andrew Carnegie, the devil has
broken loose in Pittsburg, and the
world stands dumfounded at the de-
yelopments. If they do not get
together and squelch this law suit, 1t
will be the most famous in the annals
of the worlds jurisprudence. 1t will
create greater hullabaloo than if a
lineal descendant of James Stuart
should appear and sue Victoria Victim
in ejectment for the possession of three
kingdoms and sundry outlying coun-
tries, islands, principaliries and prov
inces.
Hold your breath while you contem-
plate the colossal sums mentioned in
Frick's complaint:
FRONTS OF carnegie company TOT l659.,
Profits OF Carnegie company for 1900,
estimated 42,5OO,0OO
Estimated value OF plant. 250,000,00
Capital stock Z5,O0O,UOO
Value OF Carnegies interest. ........ 157, $50 900
Fricks per cent on this basis. 1925 900
Carnegies estimate Of Frick's interest. 100000
The difference involved in this stu
pendous litigation is a paltry S10000,-
600, twice the revenue of the British
realm when Elizabeth, greatest of the
Tudor "kings," was on the throne,
double the revenues of the imperial
state of Missouri. Great Caesar, won't
the lawyers have rich pickings! But,
my countrymen, who furnished that
| $21, 100000 profit to Carnegie and Frick
last year, and who is furnishing that
$40, 100000 profit this year on a
capital stock Of $25,0OO,000? The peo-
pie who use the steel. They furnish
| it. bless your soul; they pay the piper.
| The boy with his barlow knife, as well
as the buyer of steel rails. contributed
and is contributing to the enormous
and abnormal profits Of these men.
The size of the figures is really stupe-
L
the people do not throttle the trusts,
the trusts win throttle them as certain
as the day doth follow out the night
Fiction 0utdOne.
Hereafter Rider Haggard and all the
rest of the romancers may as well haul
in their horns. Frick's petition dis
counts in thrilling interest She"
king Solomon's Mines" 1.-THE Rajah's
Diamond" or any other creations of the
imagination. Truth is stranger than
fiction. Yea, verify!
A few facts viii have a tendency to
open the eyes of most people.
The president of the United States
receives $4,000 per annum.
Carnegie, steel king. rakes in more
than that much every day-money paid
by the users of STEEL nearly as much
necessity of modern life as bread is.
Other distinguished and eminent per-
sons in the world who are supposed to
be well fixed receive the following
sums, out of which they are expected
to pay many bills for quasi public serv-
| ice:
Queen Victoria, 81 1,925,000.
The German emperor, 1852, ITO.
The emperor of Austria, S3,875, 900.
The king of Italy. $2.85S,000.
Andrew Carnegie, $24, ,S67, 800.
The Porto Rico Middle.
The ways and means committee is all
ripped up the back as to whether Porto
Rico is part of the United States. The
majority made one report, the minor
| ity another Mr.. Newlands of Nevada
signed the minority report, but also
filed separate opinion of his own.
Mr.. Mccall Massachusetts Republic
an, who represents the Harvard dis
trict, made him report of his own.
His report is short and unanswera-
bic. 1t shows into what a bottomless
quagmire imperialism is leading rs. |
quote 1t in full. 1t is a splendid docu-
ment to be written by Republican.
Mr.. Mccall says:
''The pending bill is, in my Judgment,
well considered measure from fis-
cal standpoint and is likely to produce
a sufficient revenue. | am unable to
give it my support, because it does not
follow the rule of uniformity prescrib-
ed by the constitution. rule which, in
my opinion, governs congress in legis-
lating for the territories of the United
States. do not think it material to
consider whether the constitution pro-
prio vigora extends TO the territory of
Porto Rico. In my opinion the ques-
tion involved is whether congress, in
legislating for that territory. is bound
to observe those limitations upon its
powers which are imposed by the con
stitution or whether it possesses arbi-
trary power, excepting the power to
establish slavery, and can govern that
island and other territories of the Unit
ed States subject only to its own will.
If congress is restrained by the limita-
tious of the constitution. it cannot pass
the pending bill If. on the other hand,
it is not so restrained, but has the pow
er to pass the pending bill. then it fol-
lows that ii also has the power to pass
ex post facto laws, bills of attainder,
and to do all the other acts prohibited
by the constitution, and the people of
Porto Rico are merely subjects or chat
tells, without legal rights and can only
enjoy their lives and property by the
sxr., 40 IF oaror,ne,s,