Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-04-16
Mr.. ALDRICH REFUTED.
Claim That the Tariff Doesn't
Create Trusts Knocked Out.
WHAT IS THE TARIFF REALLY FOR

| SaVOyard Proves That the Steel Trust
Is n Tariff Protected MOnOpOly-A
Party of Words. but Not Deeds
How the Attorney General Discrim-
mates.
Senator Aldrich in speech at Provi-
| dence, r. l.. on March 23 said:
eve believe that these duties levied
do not encourage or create monopolies
or trusts or combinations, which are an
incident of our Industrial development
and in nowiSe affected by the imposi-
ton of tariff duties"
Commenting upon this foolish and
absurd statement of Senator Aldrich.
Savoyard says in the Washington Post
of March %:
What is the tariff for if it be not to-
curtail or destroy competition? Can
trust exist as long as there is competi-
ton? What is Il trust but the absence
of competition? l believe that rea-
sonable tariff on trust made goods or
free trade in them would do more to
than all the demagogues in the Union
will ever do or all the Sherman laws
you could write on n scroll as vast as
the sky.
Here is the steel trust. that will sell
the Canadian Pacific railroad, foreign
corporation, steel rails cheaper than it
will sell them to the Northern Pacific
railroad, domestic corporation. That
may be expansion of foreign trade, but
it is restraint of domestic trade. IL
there ever was an occasion for an at
torney general to run amuck, here it is,
but it seems that the present attorney
general reserves his muck running for
beneficent trusts that expand trade and
cheaper rates and has nothing but en-
enlargement for vicious trusts that
sell to American consumers at mOnOp-
oily prices and foreign consumers at
competition prices. For example, n
railroad corporation in the state OF
Washington wanted some steel rails
Instead of ordering them directly from
the trusts it ran amuck and got a firm
in Vancouver to order them and there
by saved lot OF money All this hap
pcned under the eyes of the attorney
general and Senator Aldrich. Free
trade in iron and steel would not de-
stroy the steel trust, and indeed 1t is
not desirable to destroy it, but it would
change the nature of the thing. and
after the surplus water had been
squeezed out of its stock il would make
a respectable and a beneficent trust OF
it"
Republicans oppose the removal OF
duties on coal, hides. wool, pulp, etc.
No one who understands the relation
of the Republican party to trusts. the
business connections through campaign
funds ana tariff duties, will for IL mo-
ment suppose that the Republicans in
congress intend TO do anything to harm
the trusts. The Republican congress-
men owe their political existence TO the
trusts. and they lose no opportunity to
show their gratcfulness. although they
often indulge in harmless talk against
the trusts. In theory the Republicans
are most bitterly opposed TO the trust
rormorants; in practice they never vote
for any measure that will curtail trust
profits. AS President Roosevelt has
told us, Words are good when backed
Dy ueeuS, ana only so. Republican,
words as to trusts are not backed by
leeds. This fact was demonstrated
most conspicuousIy on March % when,
~ n party vote, the house committee
)n ways and means voted down mo-
ions made by the Democratic leader,
IOhn Sharp Williams, and by Champ
lark of Missouri to favorably report
bills placing salt. coal, Irvine, hides,
wool. pulp, agricultural implements
md other articles on the free list The
Democrats all voted in favor of taking
action to put these trust made goods on
he free list and thus to take the quick
st and most certain way of curtailing
he excessive profits Of the trusts The
republicans all voted to stand pat''
IN their trust protecting tariff measure.
II should be easy for the voters to de-
ide this year between the party that
Jacks its words with its deeds and the
'arty that talks one way and votes the
thcr.