The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-22
THE FARMER AND THE TRUs1

failure, not his.
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THE FARMER AND THE TRUSTS.
In the First district, where perhaps the
trust issue is more acute than elsewhere
in Minnesota, all attempt to deny increas-
ed prices as a result of trust rnanipula-
ton has been abandoned by the Repub-
licanS, who are telling the farmers that
they cannot expect any tariff benefits
themselves unless they are willing to
concede the same benefits to others.
The / o e cannot emphasize too
strongly that the farmers never received
penny of financial reward that they
did not earn through their own hard
work, in open competition with the
world, and that when tariff benefits are
distributed among the favorites, the
farmers are always contributors, never
recipients.
1t is claimed that the farmers of this
First district have realized during the
past year $4,000, 900 from increased prices
of their products. This is probably an
congregation, but suppose it is true, why
should not the farmers be allowed to en-
joy it in peace? 1t is hard earned
money, and comes entirely from the de-
mand created by the war with Spain.
the war in South Africa, and the great
military operations in China. The Repub-
lican party did not make these wars,
neither did the farmers. The opportunity
for the latter to realize extra profits
was perfectly legitimate and indepen-
dent Of politics. Why are not the farm
ers allowed to benefit fully from this
favorable turn of supply and demand ?
Why should they, in the First district
alone, be called upon to give even $780,
Geo of their money to the lumber trust +?
Why should they be robbed of $685., 600
for the benefit CT the hardware trust?
Why hold them up for 100000 for the
sugar trust, and 5000, GOO for the Standard
Oil trust?
What is the difference between this
trust ROBBERY of The farmer and ordinary
highway robbery? What is the moral
difference between holding up the farm
er at the point of the pistol on his way
home from market, and taking his money
from him later by force of law?
What man honestly earns is his, to
be used as he elects for the benefits of
his chilren, and under the common law
against highway robbery the farmers OF
the First district would be protected in
their full enjoyment of the $500, goo of ex-
ira profits. But, judging from the course
of the Republican party, the only thing
the matter with the highwayman is MS
method of doing business; he is too bold
and harsh. If he were up to date he
would abandon the "money-on-y our-life'
argument, call a conference with the Re-
publican congressman, and make ar
rangements for monopolizing some arti-
Gle of prime necessity to the farmers.
In short, he would get from the only
party willing to grant it, a license to
pursue, commercial robbery, give up his
gun, take off his mask, seize his pen and
by a few strokes grab thousands of dol
lars safely where his gun play brought
him tens at the risk of his life and
liberty.
The lumber trust is not the only Il
censed genteeI highwayman operating In
the First district. Congressman Tawney
! had time to help score of other com
bines secure a license. These have al
been after the farmer until his So, 00D, 0Oi
| of extra profits looks almost as bad as
| 80 cents, to use a very expressive phrase
| of the streets. The man who tolls Ill
he has $1,000 and then is knocked down
and robbed of it. counts his toll lost
| What good has the farmers toll and the
| turn of fortune caused by foreign war:
| accomplished for him If his money is
| gone into the Golfers of the robbie.
trusts? He had the money, he held it IL
his hand a moment, and then it was
! gone; he held it. he smeiled OF it, and
satisfied himself of its genuineness, and
then was forced to give it away. VIVA
he regarded as rightfully his own was
not his to save and lay by for old age
He has merely been a collector for the
Dingley trusts, and the question now i.
whether he wants to handle some NOR,
money for the trusts or for himself.
But. ask the Republican orators, ha.
not the farmer been given protection OF
wheat. barley. potatoes and eggs? Thi
is not only worthless defense of trus
extortion, but complete confession Q
such extortion. Congressman Tawne!
and his friends no longer attempt t.
deny that the trusts which he heipe,
create are robbing the people. but wan
the farmers to believe they have Sc