The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-09-27

10 his CINCINNATI speech MI. A'V0S0
welt made an effort to show that there
is no connection between tariff and
trusts. He had recourse to that hoary
old dodge about petroleum and an
thracite coal being on the free list.
Mr.. Roosevelt is at heart a tariff re-
former just as Mckinley was a free
silyerite, but he has had notice served
upon him 10 an impressive way that
he must either preach protection OF
give up all ambition Of succeeding
himself in 1904. No wonder he made
this lame excuse.
He knows that anthracite coal
is a aatural monopoly. There is only
a small amount of It in the world.
The mines in England are almost
worked out. The anthracite Of Arkan-
sas, Indian Territory, and Colorado is
only semi-antbraci te, and such ash is, is
too far from New York and Boston TO
be shipped there and sold 10 competi-
ton with Pennsylvania anthracite.
The Pennsylvania Fields are owned
almost entirely by one great company.
Petroleum is a similar case. There is
plenty Of it in Russia in Asia, but
Russia is denied an outlet to the
ocean. So far as the price OF petro-
leum in this country is concerned, it
would be the same to us if there were
no other oil fields in the world,
These are monopOlies. They are
what are called natural m~onopolies.
The government may have to regu-
late them some day TO prevent the
robbing Of the people. No modifica-
tion Of tariff scedules would affect
then. But the case is different with
steel trust, the plate glass trust, the
tin plate trust, and ninety-eight per
cent of all the other trusts. These
things can be made In almost every
state 10 the union and in almost
every county in the world. They can
be made cheaper 10 this country than
in any other country in the world.
These trusts are bowling for recip-
rOcjty-tTeatieS 10 ena' le them to sell
their wares IN otner countries with
out having 70 ply duties on entering
those c apt es. Meanwhile they want
our o-n tariff dulles GU manufac
tures continued SO that they may
have a monopoly of the American
market and charge the American con-
sumner more than they charge the
foreign consumer. These are artificial
%monopolies. 1t is against these mono.
poles that tariff reform is directed.
The tariff reformer does not care
whether our industries are conducted
by large companies or small ones.
What he does object to is for the
government to hold while the trust
heeces the consumer.
On Sept. ,, 1901, Mr.. Roosevelt
said in his Labor Day speech at Min
%neapolis. "YVe shall find it necessary
10 the future TO shackle cunning as in
the past we have shackled force. The
vast combinations Of capital that have
marked the Development of our in
dustrial system create new conditions
aud necessitate a change from the
old altitude of the state and nation
toward property"
What change has come over Mr..
Roosevelt? In a set speech at Gin
cinnsti be recanted all his heresies,
and then he had a surgical operation
performed and gave up his western
trip. Perhaps Platt and Morgan's
threatened surgical operation brought
him to time. Anyhow it is as gratI-
tying to the people as it doubtless is
to him that he will not have to re-
peat his recantatlon all through the
western states. And Mr.. Roosevelt's
surgical operation may prove as
amusing as a certain Missourian's
trouble with his eyes in the state
campaign a few years ago. His claws
have been clipped.