The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-04-25
RESULTS OF A SYSTEM

The Portland Oregonlan is
famous paper, a great republican
journal accepted as a political bible
by q host of men. An orthodox adj
ministration partisan would no more
think of denouncing that expoundel
of his political creed than Roman.
ist would think of condemning tho
Pope. This justly celebrated journal
circulates to considerable extent in
this part of Idaho and is read by
some loyal supports who would con-
denim in the SIGNAL statements that
they would endorse in the Ore
CONAN. We take the following from
late issue of the Portland paper:
1t is much the fashion to extol Carnegie
as philanthropistand public benefactor.
lie has accumulated twohundred millions
dollars, and now is giving them away and
making virtue of it. But The Oregon
ian has doubts about the ability of any
body to make virtue of the way in
which these two hundred millions were
accumulated. 1t was the system of tar.
Ill robbery, in the name of protection.
which this country has pursued. thai
gave Carnegie his opportunity No man
can accumulate so vast a sum as two
hundred millions of dollars without
frghtful injustice to vast numbers of
people; and in this case the accumulation
represents oppression of labor on the one
hand and eXtortionate prices for com
modltles on the other.
The chief instrument that enabled
Carnegie to accomplish this was protec-
tive tariif-that is so say, protected rob
berry Carnegie was in position 10 take
special and highest advantage Of This
favoritism of the law, Mt time when
larger manufacture and larger use of iron
and steel were just beginning. and he was
enabled by support of this form of rob
berry through law to extort extreme prices
and at the same time to force labor TO
his terms. Men had to work for what he
was pleased to give them, and ne could
eXtort Tor The product of their labor
what prices he chose. He was the first
10 get inns business established on large
OASIS ana therefore was enabled to
monopolze IL. Under no other conditions
could so colossal fortune have been
made 1t was not possible in England
or elsewhere. and was possible here only
through protected robbery. Protest of
labor against the expressions of the sys-
tenn was answered by such tragedies as
that OF Homestead and the whole peonle
OF the United States paid their tribnte to
this fortune of two hundred millions
through excessive prices for the products
OF iron and steel To an extent, they are
paying the tribute still, for the billion
dollar steel trust. successor of Carneple's
operations, still revels in the ocean If
protected bounty, and while it main.
taihs hlgh prices at home it sells at low
er prices In competitive markets of the
worio' alter payment of the transporta-
ton. y"
II there is anything equitable in this
system, or anything to boast of as moral
ana economic achievement, in the ac-
cumulation of fortune of two hundred
millions upon it, or in making it the
oasis OF continuation of billion-dollar
trust Tor the further robbery of the peo-
pie OF the United States, The Oregonian
must admit that it is TOO obtuse to see il
lhere is faint upon these colossal for
tunes. obtained in such ways, that All
great Neptune's ocean can't wash away
HOW long is the state TO be particens
crfmlnls IN such affairs? We think nor
mucn longer. collateral question is
whether it is TO be upset without destruc.
tlon OF the republican party.
We are glad that appeared in the
Oregonian, as it expresses our idea
exactly; but, had the same words
as an original expression
IN the SIGNAL, a certain number of
Oregonian readers would have mut-
tered through their boards about
Their Interests being attacked. )"
heads would have been put together
and among few men here whom the
has helped TO make moder.
'tely wealthy there would have been
loonobbing and discussion of plans
% strike the SIGNAL in some wav
financially or contribution of a
part of said wealth to supply op-
position and 'sknock" an Institution
pronounced to be inimical to them.
We are glad it is in the Oregonian.
because, being there, it may be ac-
epted as correct and not be pre-
judged as vicious aud aimed at their
Individual interests.
While Carnagie with his illgotteu