The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-09-17

Governor Cummins to our ranks, bu
say to him, II he still believes In the
platform of 1901, he owes it to himself
and to his state. and to his future to
publicly repadiate the platform 20
1903.
The great band Of tariff reformers
were proud of him once, but we wish
him to "stand pat" not to turn back
ward. I endorse every word of the
governor for revision of the tariff, but
I wish the positive declaration of 1902,
not the skim milk edition of 1908.
Private Interests Control Tariffs.
The trouble with parties today is
they are affected by private interests
Many of the Republicans of Iowa are
tariff reformers. They always have
been and always will be. The senior
senator from Iowa. was himself al
most a free trader in 1873, when he
became a member of the senate. In
keeping step to the tariff music OF the
east, touching elbows with mon who
have not one thought in sympathy
with the producing class of the west,
he lost the lesson taught by Senator
Grimes, and that class of men, and
finally he wound up in the dance hall
of high protection hope our worthy
governor is not following the same
lead. The Iowa Idea" will not down
even for the vice presidency. The he
r4,y ~
organized is not with our tariff reform
governor. Will our governor return to
the flesh pots Of Egypt, or will he re-
main true to former convictions, and
be the valiant knight to lead the
mighty hosts, out Of the protection
party into the light to tariff freedom?
There Is a little side-stepping going
ON Just now, and all are anXiously
awaiting to see what our Lochinvar
will do.
Competition must not be driven my
friends, from the markets of our coun-
try. The very moment it fails, that
moment you are serfs. See what the
railroad companies are doing to avoid
competition, not only by mergers but
by attempted pooling You know pool,
ing kills competition at competitive
points. You stand as one man against
such a proposition. Why do you not
stand as one man against the other?
Why do you not see that wherever
there Is a combination that monopo-
Lies trade, that prices are always
higher? In such instances. competl-
ton is barred. and the market is
within the control of the combination,
and prices are either increased or the
output is curtailed, and thereby con-
stancy in prices maintained. Trusts
and combinations may possibly be
formed under competition, but the
evil is greatly lessened and with
honest effort will be destroyed
| The Standard Oil Trust.
The most gigantic trust of modern
times is the Standard Oil trust. 1t
has done more to build UP other trusts
than any institution in this country,
and yet, you stand in it's presence awe
stricken. 1t is using one of the pro-
ducts of nature. The God of the Unit
verse did not intend that the Standard
Oil company should monopoli2e the
oil of the world, but it is doing it..
This company has killed all competi-
ton. but the stand patter" does moth
Ing but applaud the writhing of its
victim.
l wonder if Governor Cummins does
not believe that this tariff schedule Is
shelter to monopoly in this instance
! The Standard Oil company uses a
great deal of tin. Do you not remem-
Der the roseate view they gave you a
few years ago concerning tin? Do
you hear anything on this subject
now? The stand patters" are as 81
! lent as clam on this subject. The
Standard Oil company manufactures
| 10000 five-gallon tin cans daily for use
| ir exporting it's product, but not sin
gle piece of American tin is used. Ii
buys all its tin in Wales. There is an
| enormous duty on tin, so great in fact
TO: a long time it amounted to pro-
| utDlLiCll VI LuG lOlSlSu liSAO J" hSh
the Dingley tariff schedules were
| formed clause was inserted, prob
ably ''by stealth" saying that upon all
tin used in exporting American
products. the duty would be related
| that is, the United States would pay
back all the duty received from the
importer. The farmer who buys tin
for use on the farm for use any where
must pay the duty, Is deprived of com
| petition, and receives nothing in re
turn but the good will of the Standard
Oil company. 1t is protected by law
from competition with foreign oil from
abroad and from within it protects
itself by monopolizing the market. l
shows Its gratitude for these benefi
cent acts by erecting colleges, bu
every professors mouth is closed ant
he can only speak as it's interest dlr
tates. 1t sells it's product cheaper II
foreign countries than it does at home