The independent., 1903-05-21


This contrast between tho domoc
racy of the children and the snnh-
bishness of their elders recalled tbos.
immortal words Of Jesus, about the
chlldren; "Of such Is the kingdom
of heaven"
lhe other mother invited to share
my seat. At first She seemed more
astonlShed by my respect for their
rights than by the salcsmans dsre-
spect The infant she carried was
fast asleep. Now and then smile
would fit across its face, one Of those
mysterious CLEANS of sunshine, that
attend the sIumbcr Of a child. ana
which some mothers say are caused
by the WhisDerings Of the angels
The mother noticed my interest in
her babe. We exchanged smiles. That
was the only language in which we
could converse The sleeping child
was our Interpreter. think she un-
derStoOd that the love of some little
child had taught me to honor all
mothers and to wish that each child
Of the human family might have the
same freedom Of opportunity and the
same rights on the earth, that | asia
for my own.
A few days after this was riding in
Pullman car by the side of a man
whom ! took to be a strict church
man, and man Of wealth. "Pharsee
is written all over his face" said
to myself. Then | thought of the
Greek serf, and | realized that en-
tertained some of the same unbrother-
Iy feeling toward the pious rich man
that the travelling salesman had
shown towards the poor man. Com
sclous Of my guilt, | resolved to try
to be a brother to the rich as well as
to the poor. So | began to probe for
some good in this rich mans heart.
II | had once mentioned the name |
OF Henry George probably our con
ycrsatiOn would have proved frultless. |
But his suspicious were not aroused
by learning that | was a preacher. | |
had to find some theme of interest tJ |
him. So | said
Il have just been reading with con-
siderable interest Mr.. Carnegic's Lon |
don speech on Capital and Labor"
yes, said he, "Mr. Carnegie is a
great man" ! could agree to that !
with a good conscience.
1T is wonderful" said he, "hoW !
many milliOnaires in and about Pitts
burg Mr. Carnegie has made"
Yes | said, that is astonishing"
as he named over the list.
From this there was an easy tran
3itiOn to the subject of the trusts.
Il have very little sympathy with |
laws aimed to prevent large combna-
lions Of capital" I vcntured. ITS |
all tommy-rot," said he
THE chief element of danger |
see, is in some of these combinations
getting a monopoly Of raw materials
and thus killing wholesome cOmpeti-
Ion" He assented to this and | was
encouraged to cite the steel trust as
IN example with its monopoly of its
coal fields.
| took a great chance. If he had |
lad stock in that corporation | would |
nave been lost But just the reverse
was true. He had suffered by reason
If that same monopoly.
He told me that he was in the iron |
business. lie said that he had pur-
,hased his coke of the Frck company.
or nine years; that $3.50 ton had
)een the customary price; and that
he first of the year the price had
)eel forced up to S. a ton.
AS if turning the subject. | aske
lim if he could tell me how those coa'
ands were assessed for taxation. He
said that as a rule they were as
iessed as farm land, but that often
he most valuable holdings were put
IN the tax duplicate at nominal
ieure.
What do you think would be the
fleet" inquired, ''if the steel Corpo-
atoms $4,000 acres of Connelsville
0al lands we're put upon the tax
duplicate for anything like their act
la vauc?"
"Why." said he. that tax would go
long way toward absorbing the
liyidcnds Of the corporation"
"Do you think that would break up
heir monopoly Of the raw material?'
askcd
"Undoubtcd)y II would" he replied
Then he thoupht a moment and his
ace M up. and he exclaimed with
omc enthusiasm. "rhat would less
N my taxes and ,hropcn my coke,
would il uul