The Owosso times., 1902-07-18
GRANGE DEPARTMENT.
Conducted by w. F. Alexander, r r.
D. No. 4, Owosso.

Conducted by w. F. Alexander, r r.
D. No q. Owosso.
To whom Correspondence for the department
should be addressed
COUNTY GRANGE CALENDAR.
Owosso Township: First and third Tuesday
In each month az 80 p. M. Richardson's hall
Owosso.
New Lothrop: Second and fourth Tresdiy
afternoon In each month.
Bennington: First and third Saturday after
noon In each month.
Hazel Green: First and third Friday of each
month; Henderson.
Burns: Every Tuesday evening, Knaggs'
Bridge.
Union: Each Alternate Friday evening;
Chapin.
THE GREAT TRUSTS-TfIE VITALITY
OF A GRANGE IDEA.
President j. j. Hill Of the Northern
Pacific railroad and other representa-
tives of large corporate interests are re-
ported to have recently suggested as a
solution to the trust problem, that
properties consolidated in the trusts
should only be rated or capitalized at
their actual value instead of the fc-
titiOus valuations at which they are
invariably capitalized. Many papers
are now most justly commencing Mr.
Hills wisdom in making the foregoing
suggestion, and are earnestly urging its
adoption, all of which we most heartily
endorse.
But the suggestion is not new one,
and did not originate with Mr.. Hill nor
any other corporation magnate. Care
full students of economic questions have
for long time held this view of the
matter, and grange speakers have pro-
claimed it from the platform in all
parts of the country for many years.
They have repeatedly said that the
people would not object to being taxed
to pay dividends that were within the
bounds of reason, on any properties
whose products are public necessities.
What they did and now do object to is
the consolidation and capitalization of
the individual plants of given indus
try at two or three times their actual
cost and real value.
What we have asked is law of con-
gress prohibiting the watering of the
stock of trusts and combines, which to
greater or less extent control the
necessities of life and tax the people
beyond the bounds of reason to make
-millionaires of few individuals,
thus concentrating the enormous wealth
of the country in the hands of few
individuals, and making it a menace to
the freedom and future prosperity of
the people.
1t is gratifying to know that the
grange view Of the matter has been ac-
cepted by so eminent fnancier as Mr..
| Hill, and that he and others have the
courage freely to express their convic-
tions. 1t is also gratifying 10 know
that class of journals that have no
decided opinions of their own on public
questions are ready to fall into line and
support the suggestion of actual valua-
1ioH VI CapltdllZdlIOH u corporation
stock when it has the endorsement of
such men as Mr.. Hill But the best
part of all is to know that we have men
in this country in high positions of trust
and honor who have the interests of the
great body of the people at heart, and
who are patriotic and broad-minded
enough to ignore, in measure at least,
the inordinate desire of some men to
pile colossal fortunes at the expense of
the many, and conduct the vast enter
prises which they manage, in a spirit Of
fairness and justice to the public whose
S servants in reality they are
ALPHA MESSER.