Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-10-22
SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS.
Places Where the ~spelIbind-
ers Are nt Work.

OnlO anu UlS Culel OndW ID preparing
his feather headgear and coloring up
his lineaments to strike terror into the
hearts of the Ohio democrats. The
stress to which Senator Hanna and his
cohorts are put must be extraordinary,
for the republican state committee has
engaged. it is said, 1900 spellbinders
to withstand the onslaught of the
democrats, and yet there seems to be
but two champions Of democracy to
meet them on the ~oratorical field. II
is like David with his sling, and his
combat with the brass protected> Go-
liah, and the result may be as disas-
trous to the stronger side. 1t will be
If right and justice prevail.
There is much questioning OF the
candidates and speakers at the meet
ings in Ohio. Many of the voters are
striving to arrive at a just conclusion
of the contention of the two parties in
this strenuous campaign. AS the re-
publicans are ~endeavoring to contine
the issues to national affairs, and as
President Roosevelt's secretary of the
treasury will doubtless confine his re-
marks to the great affairs of state, of
finance and taxation, perhaps some
democrat OF independent republican
may wish to question Mr.. Shaw, or, as
the New York World suggests:
IF Mr.. Shaw is short of texts for
his speeches, or if he really desires to
enlighten the voters upon the sub
iects of most vita. interest to them, he
might be respectfully invited to an
swer these questions:
rs it just to continue taxing the
people $4,000, 900 a year in excess of
the needs of the governments
Would it not be better, as well as
more equitable, to leave the money not
required for the expenses of the gov
who earn it, rather than to deposit it
in favored banks without interest?
why should not congress at the
coming session repeal or reduce the
duties On steel and other trust-made
products that are manufactured cheap
err here than they can be abroad, and
are actually sold in foreign markets at
prices lower than to our own consum-
ers?
when will the republican party re-
peal Or reduce duties that are no
longer needed for either revenue or
protection, but that, in the language
Of the Iowa republicans, shelter mo-
nopoly" Does the secretary think
the day after never a satisfactory
date? Or is it his opinion that the time
and the character of tariff revision
should be fixed by the m%onopolies that
benefit by the duties?"
To answer these questions in a can
did manner, without the quibbling and
shutting that the secretary has used
on other occasions will open the eyes
of thousands of voters to the iniqui-
ties of the republican system of
finance and taxation that are robbing
the masses to enrich the few. 1t may
be unpleasant for the secretary of the
treasury to own up that he has
strained the law to the breaking point,
to help his friends, the Wall street and
other gamblers, tide over their difficult
ties and to try to prevent the stock
gamblers from suffering a greater re-
verse than has already overtaken
them, but there is only one answer to
the question, if honestly given.
Secretary Shaw may answer another
of the questions by saying that the
sale Of trust products to foreigners at
a lower rate than to our own people
keeps the mills running and gives en-
ployment to workingmen that would
otherwise be idle. But what satisfac-
tory answer can he give to the voters
that are taxed by the tariff and the
trusts with high prices while the I'M
taxed foreigners get the advantage. If
there are any favoEs to be shown,
should not our own people be the re-
cipients. Secretary Shaw will also
have to explain to the workingmen
how it is that during the past month
a number of Ohio furnaces and other
factories have shut down or are run
ming on short time. The Iron Age for
October s, gives a list of a large
number of iron mills that have shut
down. Amongst them there are in Ohio.
The Allentown Rolling mill, both of
it's furnaces; the furnace of the Allen
town Iron works, and two furnaces
controlled by the Empire Iron and
Steel company and the Macunnie fur
mace has also ceased work. Other shut
downs have been reported during the
present month, amongst them the
large furnace controlled by the Ameri-
can Steel company at Columbus, en-
ploying over 1000 men. The Hooking
Valley miners also are only employed
one-third of their time. How can Sec
rotary Shaw answer these men and the
others thrown out of employment
when the protective tariff, that the
secretary so ardently believes in, does
not protect them, and the boosted high
wages that they have no chance to
earn cannot pay the vastly increased
cost of living which the republican
system entails?
1t is announced that the other talk
ing members of the cabinet have been
ordered to take the stump to save
Hanna and try to induce the voters of
Ohio that prosperity is rampant and
that the usual republican majority
must not fail or disaster will follow.
Those and other orators might be
questioned in like manne and asked
If the advice to stand pat and 'let
well enough alone" is sound, or If the
time has not arrived for reform. Re-
form of the tariff; reform of the treas
ury system; reform of the post Office
department; reform of the land office