The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-05-29
-----------7-----1---7-1
CURRENT sOmM EMIT
Brief Discussions Of Political and
Other Matters Of Public Interest.
ANDREW ]. PALM.

Tho citizens of Pittsburg have been
gold -bricked from every point OF the
political compass, until the intelligent
portion refuse to take stock In any
more deals or promises. They have
been driven to the conclusion, after
long experience, that the official pat
ronage of the city has been traded
back and forth with as little concern
as boys trade jack-knives, and they
will put the stamp of their disapproval
on the whole business when they get
another whack at the gang that has
used the city, as Ben Focht says, for
the purpose of plunder
1t is remarkable how odious the pro-
tective tariff is declared to be even by
the most radical tariff organ when 1t
admits the truth through carelessness
or other cause They all join in de-
manding the repeal of the duty on
wood pulp They strenuously insist
that IL is simply tax on intelligence,
as 1t increases the price of the paper
through which they teach their con-
fiding readers the benefits of protec-
tive tariff. They are quite right in in
sisting that the tariff is a tax on in
telligence, for It must tax to the ut
most any mans intelligence to uphold
so monstrous a doctrine. The duty on
wood pulp is not whit worse than it
is on a thousand other things about
which one never hears whimper of
complaint from the protective organs
that are so ready to squeal when they
are hit; but are Indifferent to the
groans of others who are robbed sys-
tematically by the protective humbug.
The whole protective system is a gil
gantic fraud, forcing money from the
many to put into the pockets of the
few.
The damnable outrages perpetrated
in the name of patriotism and for the
purpose of benevolent assimilation in
the Philippines are coming to light day
after day, and the record is enough to
make a man ashamed of his race. The
only sensible thing to do was to keep
entirely away from all such imperial
/ istic ventures, but as that was not
/ done the only sensible thing now is to
withdraw every American soldier at
once from the islands, for we never
/ had shadow of right there except the
| title recognized by savages and bar
/ barians, that might makes right. What!
! leave them to kill one another? Ger
tainly, if they feel like it. They would
kill themselves cheaper and more hui
namely than we are doing it for them
Oh! but we want to make Christians OF
them. But live heather is better
than a dead Christian, and if we are tc
be judged by our army live heather
is even better than a live Christian
Yes, but some other bad nation woult
go in and capture these poor people
that we have been treating so kindly
1t isn't at all likely that any other ma
tion would be so foolish, but if il
should attempt such a thing it nigh
learn wisdom in the FOOLS school o.
experience, just as England is takins
lesson in South Africa from the
Beers and as we are doing in thu
Philippines. The military man whose
trade is killing, burning, wounding anC
plundering and the trust magnate WHIT
wants other worlds to conquer are il
favor Of continuing the war in tn
Philippines. but all good people ar,
sick and tired of the wicked folly o
trying to run the whole world.