Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-01-28
THE TRUSTS AND THE PEOPLE.
Corporate interests Are of First Ina.
Dortance with Republican
/ LEGISLATORS,

Inc QefenQerS OF our present Car1u
system, from the president down,
need not think that they can salts
~ the popular demand for tariff re-
vision simply by shutting their eyes
and ears to its existence. There is
many a man who believes in reasona-
BILE protection who is entirely unable
to see why the United States Steel
corporation should have any discrim-
.tnation in its favor and at the ex-
pense of the people of the United
States. President Roosevelt is stu
dent Of our history, and he knows
that the original theory of protec-
tion was that it should be given to
Infant industries, and continued only
as long as those industries continued
to be infants. It was admitted by all
that protection should be withdrawn
Just as soon as the industries to
which it had been given were able
10 get along without 1T. The people,
Too, understand this. Therefore, says
the Independent Indianapolis News.
when it is said that there shall be
no modification of the tariff, and that
The reciprocity treaties should not
be ra titled, and when Mr.. Roosevelt
merely recommends that those trea-
ties be considered" the people are
wondering on what theory it is that
the steel trust, the sugar trust, the
Enplate trust, and other tremendous
eggTegations of capital are to be al
bowed to continue to tax them ex-
brilliantly for the sake of adding to
profits that are already enormous.
The situation is indeed serious, and
It may become critical for the repub-
Ncan party. The gentlemen of the
ways and means committee may re-
fuse to grant relief to the people,
and the president and congress may
sustain them, but theirs is not the
Last word. All over the country, and
among republicans as well as demo-
Gratis, the people are growing FESTIVE
under existing conditions. There is
not western congressman who does
not know this. We all know in this
section that the tinplate and steel
industries are mot Infants" To sug-
gest that they are, and to urge pro-
lection on that or any other ground.
Is only to arouse contemptuous indig-
nation on the part of the people. The
warning is as plain as can be. But
there are no Indications that it will
be regarded. On the contrary, the
republican leaders, instead of moving
to modify or to repeal these need
less, and SO unjust taxes, are striv
Ing TO secure the imposition Of 9th
ers for the benefit OF the great ship
ping combine.
There is nothing that the demo
Gratis would like so well as to hav
the tariff laws left alone and the shi
subsidy grab go through. So great j
kheir eagerness to have the republic
ans fall into these b1unders tina
there is reason to fear that they ma,
not do their full duty as the oppo
sition party in congress. Indeed, tn
question is getting far beyond on
pt mere taxation. 1t will soon bt
IL 1t is not now, one of whether thi
country is to be ruled by the peopl
or by the trusts and corporations
We hear much of Influence" in tn
present congress- The subsidy hi
is said to be supported by powerf,
influence. the isthmian canal
threatened by other influences, fat
treatment of Cuba depends on tn
result of the fight between two gres
Influences and the relation of on
statesmen to them, and so on. Or
wonders where the people come in.