The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-04-06


Then II competition were absolutely
tree and unhampered, steel rails
wo I'D sell I'm Americl for $ll per
ton. The difference between s. and
$I6 per ton Is due to forms of monop
oily other than the tarlff-to collision
with railways possessing monopoly
powers, patent monopolies and the
monopoly of iron ore anc coal lands,
principally the latter.
Large quantities ofbarb wire were
exported from New York last De.
cember Mt So 20 per hundred, al
thoaph the home price was raised
to "a IL
Tue above are not exceptional IL
lusrratio of the working of the
tariff. rhey are the rules.
Reputable witnesses tt stlfled be-
fOte the United States Industrial
Comm is-ion last year that the
Standard Oil trust, by special ar
rangements with certain railways,
received 80 per CEN rebate on their
freight rates. With collusion with
railways aud pipe line monopoly.
and almost monopoly of oil lands,
the Standard is enabled to freq =.
out" competition. A couple OF years
since it was reported that the
Standard OIL Company filed II large
European order for oil at three and
One-te nth cents per gallon. 1t
charges American dealers II and II
cents per gallon.
The beef trust, the cracker trust,
and many others are based upon ia
vored rates over monopoly highways.
TIE beef trust feels itself strong
enough now to buy the herds on the
plains, and the plains along with
them
The coal trust is based upon land
monopoly and the tariff. Only fe W
months since the Federal Steel trust
bought 900 acres OF coal lands for
~ $40 900 or $4l6 per acre. (This
shows tho intimate relation between
the steel trust and the coal trust. }
A couple of weeks later the assessors
10 the Spring Valley, H., district,
got together and raised the assess
ment on $4,000 acres of coal land to
SIT per acre, but the operators made
"a combined "kick" and proposed to
compromise at $12 The difference
between $4l7 and $l2, or even SIT, is
flattering tribute to our ingenious
and equitable (?) tax system. Val
liable coal lands are assessed as
wild land" at a lower valuation
than adjoining farm lands worth
less than one-tenth as much. Mil
lions of acres of coal lands are
thus held out of use, paying a nom
inal tax. If these coal lands were
assessed at $4L7 instead of $12, and
the tax rate was increased from
mills on the hundred dollars to 4
per cent, the taxes which the co al
barons would have to pay would be
increased from 10 cents per acre to
$2l per acre. How many million
acres would they hold out of use
under those conditions? They could
well afford to pay $2l an acre tax on
the mines they operated, but they
would turn loose all unused mines.
This thousands of idle miners could
cooperate, sink shafts and employ
themselves, receiving their whole
produot as wages. Then no one
would work for the trusts for less
Instead of a limited output, high
prices and low wages, we would see
coal plentiful and cheap, and wages
high.
The remedy for tariff monopoly ii
to abolish the tariff, sell the custom
houses and revenue cutters and dis
charge all customs officials. AL
tariffs are robbery. Equity admits
or no degree; therefore a revenue
tariff is as much robbery as protec
tive tariff. The sneak thief deserves
no more respect nor consideration
than the highwayman. The remedy
for railroad monopoly is for the gov
eminent to buy out or duplicate the
roadbeds and terminal facilities and
to open them freely to all carriers
thus making our rail-highways az
| free as our streets and turnpik es
rivers, canals, lakes and seas.
To abolish land monopoly it il
only necessary to levy a tax on lane
equal to it's annual rental value ir
respective OF any improvements in
or on it.
The patent monopoly can be eliml
mated by abollshing the patent Of
flee and substituting bounty, ii
necessary, for useful inventions
such inventions TO be free to the
public.
TO eliminate the trusts it will b,
necessary for government to abolist
the tariff ard internal revenue ta1
and the patent Office; withdraw tn,
exclusive monopoly privilege Of is
STING money now enjoyed by tn,
National banks; assume OWNERSHIP
of the railways and of all functions
which are in their very nature mono
poles and which are now operated
| by individuals through franchise
grants.
This is quite an extensive program
and it is radical. But the cancer OIL
the social body cannot be removes
by faith or salve. Heroic treat
ment is necessary. Until this pro
gram is adopted plutocracy will con
tinue to rob the producing masses o
all above bare subsistence. To as
sure themselves and their posterit
religious liberty the Pilgrim father
traversed unknown sea; and settler
in wild land among savage men
To attain political liberty our revo
lutionary sires voluntarily assumes
the responsibility for and expert
/ enced the horrors Of an eight year
devastating war. To free the Ian