Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-09-23
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creased 10 per cent and that therefore
wages should be only increased In like
ratio. will hardly settle the dispute.
Wages must keep pace with the cost Of
living or the laborers cannot partake
Of the prosperity that the trusts, COM
btnes and corporations are boasting OF
and to attempt to prevent that adjust
ment by fictitious figures is only to
incite strikes and lockouts.
Graft in the Philippines. ~
The exploitation of the Philippines
BY those OF our own trust magnates
who are interested in extending their
operations to those islands has been
quietly going on, but the big thing,
the building of system of railroads.
is now to be undertaken. Secretary
Of War Root is evidently anxious to
help his corporation friends by giving
them government aid to build the pro-
jected railroads in Luzon and the 9TH
er islands. The proposition is to guar
antee the interest on the amount of
the cost Of the roads, which would be
sufficient to induce capital to invest in
the enterprise. This of course means
that deal has been made between the
War Department and the railroad pro-
moters, for official information Is given
out that engineers have been making
surveys in the islands and railroad
men have been In consultation with
the Secretary of War on the project
and It has reached such stage that
1t is believed early action will be talk
en- looking to the building Of railroads
on an extensive SCALE"
The scheme seems to be that the gov
eminent is to give the railroads char
tiers and right of way over the gov
eminent land and guarantee the inter-
est on the cost Of building the roads.
This will be an incentive to swell the
cost Of the building Of the roads so
that the insiders can at once secure a
good rake of. The railroads will then
have to be capitalized for probably at
least double what they actually cost
and the government will have guaran-
teed interest on the watered stock.
This is nice scheme for the friends
of Secretary Root and as he is about
to retire from the cabinet. tl,ere Is no
reason why he will not himself particle
pate In the proceeds.
How the government-the people
who pay the taxes-will come out in
the deal can be readily imagined and
that freight and passenger rates will
be exhorbitant is a certainty. That
the government will be called upon to
pay the interest and eventually the
principal on the securities issued on
the railroads is the history of all like
Undertakings and that the taxpayers
OF the United States Will be the even
tual sufferers 1s almost certainty.
Graft under the present administra-
ton Is becoming epidemic.
- -
Needed at censtantinople.
Instead of cruising around summer
resorts and gambling establishments
the European sqnadron of the United
States navy ought to be stationed in
reasonable proximity to the place
where Its services are most likely to
!: be required. II that had been done.
} months ago we should have been
spared some rather embarrassing de-
Velopments.
II Rear Admiral Cotton's squadron
had peen lying within easy reach Of
Constantlnopie instead OF at Nice
there would nave been no necessity
orders dispatcbine the warshins ~
Beyroot to avense the murder =, =
gentleman Who as Il turns ont - st,lI
alive and enioyine rugged health Tho
squadron wo,,,d have Moon ~ ,,ans
ready q necessary 10 snforoo az AZ