Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-09-12
WASHINGTON. Sept. 4. 1902

Strike-RooseveIt's Prospects Are Wobbly."
From our regular correspondent)
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 1902.
The Democratic Campaign Book
was issued yesterday and is replete
with interesting and, in many in
stances, startling facts. 1t is doubtful
if the longest search would have re-
vealed better motto or one more in
accordance with the Democratic ideals
than that chosen to ornament the front
cover Of the book. 1t reads, Equal
rights for all, special privileges for
none" While space will not permit
comprehensive review, here, it may
be said that the handling of the trust
question is of the utmost Importance
and reveals a condition of affairs
which calls for prompt and positive
remedies. While constitutional
amendment may. in time, be necessary
to meet the eXigencies of the situation,
nothing of the kind is practical nor
necessary at this time. AS is clearly
shown by the figures given in the
Hand Book, the trusts are the chill
dren of the tariff from which they
draw their nOuriShment and a curtail-
ment of that nourishment along the
lines of the bill offered in the House
of Representatives by Chairman Bah
cock, before he became seduced by
Congressional favor, would promptly
and effectively remedy existing con-
ditions. Were the tariff reduced, or
in some instances removed, from trust
made articles, free and open competi-
ton would compel the sale of Ameri
can manufactured articles at, at least,
as reasonable prices as the trusts are
now asking the foreigners for the same
goods. Such tariff revision, 1t is evil
dent, would not destroy the trusts,
which would still be able to do bust
ness on a basis which would enable
them to pay handsome profit on the
capital actually invested and there is
no reson why they should be unable to
charge the consumers prices which
permit Of their paying large dividends
on immense quantities of water"
The Philippine situation is extern
sively canvassed in the Hand Book
and President Mckinley is effectively
quoted as saying Il speak not Of
forcible annexation, for that is not to
be though of. That, under our code
of morals, would be criminal aggres-
sion" Senator Spooner's words are
also quoted on the subject as follows:
81 shrink from the notion that the
interests of this country will be sub
served by making permanently part
of our land, territory thousands of
miles away" What has become of
the high ideals of these opponents
of Republican doctrine. the authors of
the Text Book do not attempt to say.
Due consideration Is paid to the
nefariOus Ship Subsidy bill which, ac
cording to the Republican programme,
will be enacted during the next ses-
sion Of Congress. The utter abuse of
any excuse for such palpable class
legislation is clearly shown and 1t is
further demonstrated that the only
beneficiaries will be certain capitalists
who are already far beyond the need
Of Government charity. The close
control exercised over legislation by
a Republican Congress by the vested
interests and the trusts, despite the
earnest protests Of the President, is
clearly set forth in the handling of
the subject of Cuban reciprocity.
New evidence is furnished of the
close intimacy which exists between
the Republican leaders and the trusts
by the confident statements of Sena-
tors Plat of New York. and Quay of
Pennsylvania, to the effect that the
coal strike will be brought to an end
within the coming week. These very
confident statements might be re-
garded as somewhat in the nature of
a bluff, were 1t not for the fact that
the word of Senators has gone forth
on Wall Street and on the strength
of their representation stocks have
shown q material advance. Had it
not been for the serious rumOrs of
the Presidents accident, prices would
have scared yesterday and even as it
was they advanced along many lines.
It may be asked, If these Senators
can so surely predict the action of
the railway presidents why have
they not already interceded to prevent
the hardship which has been worked
on the miners by the already prolonged
strike. but the answer should be plain.
They have not interfered for the same
reason that the President has not
interfered, viz: for the reason that
their friends were too deeply inter-
ested in the crushing of the miners
union and that only party exigencies
would move them to ask any sacri.
nee from the mine operators.
There is some indication that the
Republican leaders mean to repudiate
President Roosevelt. Senator Plat,
whose antipathy to the President has
long been known, has stated to a
representative of New York paper
that the New York Republican plat
form will not advocate Mr.. RoOse-
velt's nomination In 1904 and that it
is probable that the platform will not
endorse his views on the trust Ques-
ton. 1t has long been recognized that
Mr.. Roosevelt had few friends among
the capitalistic class, which Is pOpu-
larly referred to as wall Street."
but 1t was not supposed that so shrewd
q politician would give so plain an
evidence OF his antagOnism to the
party's leader. When Mr.. Roosevelt
was persuaded to sidetrack the tariff
reform movement, so dear to the
members Of his party in the West,
by the advocacy Of trust control by
a constitutional amendment, it was
supposed that his sacrifice of principle
would insure for him the cordial sup
port Of Plat and his ilk, but such
appears not to have been the case
Under the circumstances, the Presi-
dent seems to be much in the position
OF the man who has fallen between
two stools. He has forfeited the re-
spect Of the Western Republicans in
his effort to secure the support of
the Eastern capitalists and now they
give indications of rejecting him.
Dem.
DRAMATIC CATASTROPHE AT VILLA.