The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-05

extension. 1t believes in extending our
trade, not alone with the half-civilized
races of Asia, who know nothing Of the
value of our products, but with the great
nations Of Europe who want our goods and
have the money in abundance TO pay for
them.
Give the American manufacturer a
chance at these markets. Encourage him
by giving him free raw materials. Give
the American workignman also a chance
at them. With clear head, stout heart
energy of purpose, with a skill born of in
tunity TO buy food and clothing for him
self and family, without the payment of
| tariff tribute, he need never shrink from
competition with the workingEnen of any
other nation in the world a tariff for
revenue only, which is based on the JET
fersonian maxim of equal and exact JUS
tioe to all men, special privileges TO none,
will bring about that extension Of trade
which will whiten the seas with the sails
of our comemrce, multiply American fac
tories, solve the problem of surplus pop
ulation, maintain the equilibrium of trade
balances and be a long step in the direc-
ton of genuine and healthy prosperity.
For a third of a century there has been
| constant dispute between the two great
parties to what would be the result OF
| the enactment of a practically prohibitive
| tariff. The Democratic leaders always IN
| sisted that In such event, with foreign COM
| petition excluded, selfshness would prompt
| the American manufacturers to form COM
| competition, leaving consumers at their
/ mercy.
on the other hand, the republican posi-
ton was that as q result OF such leglsla-
| ton our manufacturing interests thus pro-
| tected from outside competition. would be
| so stimulated that factories would multi
| the consumer would necessarily always
| have the benefit of low prices.
The opportunity for test came with the
| passage of the prohibitory tariff law,
| known as the Dingley bill.
| Within a few months after its passage
the Democratic policy was fulfilled. In
| trenched behind this towering tariff wall,
| now secure from foreign competition, hui
man nature asserted itself and the Ameri-
! can manufacturers began the work of con-
| Solidation and combination In earnest
| Great trusts were organized on every hand,
| in every department of industry and trade,
| multiplying so that within nine months
| from the taking effect Of the provisions
| of the law whereby outside competition
| was excluded, more of these institutions
were formed in this country than in the
! century preceding throughout the world.
| These trusts were the legitimate and
| necessary result of the tariff. They fol-
| lowed the enactment of the law as log
| ically and inevitably as the ebb of the tide
! follows its flow
1t is not necessary in this presence to dis
| cuss the trust evil. 1t has been so uni
| versally felt by the people that all parties
| feel called upon TO denounce it,
| The dangers of these combinations were
apparent from the very first. They were
/
been prevented in the beginning. But the
| trust magnates were Republican magnateS
who controlled the destnies of that party.
| and a Republican administration in both
| Nation and State stood by and witnessed
| their formation. 1t saw the farmer plum
| dered by the steel trust. the lumber trust.
| the salt trust the glass trust and a score
| or more of MISUNDERSTANDING trusts,
| and no wheel of the judicial machinery of
| the government was permitted to move
| against them.
They multiplied and extended their op-
| erations until most of the great manufac-
turing establishments of the country rIssed
| under their control without word of pro-
| test from those in authority until today
| these unlawful combinations nave so in
terwoven themselves into the great INDUS
| tries of the Nation that the beneficiaries
| laugh to scorn at all propositions to con-
| troll check them. claiming with much
plausibility that to strike them row would
| disarrange business and bring about an
industrial and financial disaster.
A GRAVE PROBLEM.
1t is indeed the gravest problem If mod
ern times how the monopoly may be de-
stroyed and competition restored without
injuriously affecting the industries involved
and the workingmen whose daily bread de-
ponds upon their successful operation
One of the great crimes with which the
Republican party is charageable is with
guilty knowledge standing by and witness
ing the multiplication of these r3enacing
commercial monsters, in violation OF law.
without raising an arm in defense OF the
rights of the people, until they have be-
come so engrafted upon the commercial
body polite that their extirpation threatens
the direst evil.
1t was not until, by the operations of the
beef trust, the price of nea- was so in
creased that the ordinary iaborer could not
afford to purchase it-not until a grovl OF
discomfort came from hungry men and
women all over the land, that threatened
bad results at the election that the Re-
| publican administration took a single step
toward the relief of the people. ard then
| an injunction suit was commenced against
this one trust that cuts off the rceat sIIp-
ply, leaving all the rest to prey ct will
upon the people.
1t is doubtless a matter of comfort to the
farmers of America that while they are be-
ing robbed daily by the steel trust when
they purchase wire or nails; by the lumber
trust, and the oil trust. and sugar trust
| and lead trust, and all the other trusts the
only trust that has appeared which prom
Uses TO raise the prices of anything the
farmer has 10 sell is assailed by the strong
arm of the government, and If necessary for
election purposes. is to be stricken down
| 1t must be quite apparent TO the voters OF
| this country that the Republican party will
not cannot dare not deal with trusts
| While their platform of 1902 denOunces
| trusts, the denunciation is no more earnest
| or violent tnan tndl OF FOUR ana SIX years
| ago. and the Republican party has been in
| complete control of every department OF
government national and State, ever since
| The only effective legislation proposed to
| the General Assembly of Indiana during al
these years Of Republican ascendancy was
| the measure known as the Agnew bill, in
| troduced during the last session. but not
withstanding platform pledges, a Repub-
lican majority failed 10 enact ii or any
| other.
The people are beginning now to investi.
gate the trust question for themselves
Their attention was doubtless attracted &c
| the general subject by the scores of prize
recipes recently published In one of the Re
publican organs of this city, which gave in
formation to what substitutes for meal
American workingmen might safely use.
| There are many who have doubtless read
these scientific editorials In the IndianapOli:
Journal wherein IL is shown conClusively
that wOrkingmen are prone 10 eat too much
meat. and urging them for strictly hygieniC
| to void rife inc IN hat