The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-13
THOSE WHO ARE PUSHING.


The numerous paragraphs that
come drifting eastward from in and
beyond the Mississippi valley cannot
be passed by with a mere sneer. Tt is
perfectly plain that already a very'
large element in our self government
population are seeking as a remedy
for monopolistic dictation the refuge
that first suggests itself; they are
turning to the state. They propose To
do the thing themselves
This is socialistic, and they are be
ing driven that way not by any natural
desire for such communism but Ue-
cause their spirit of independence re-
volts at the arbitrary methods of cor
porate monopoly. What we have
often pointed out is proving its COR
rectness as days go by. that the ele-
ment which is responsible for the So
cialistic turn is the rich and avaricious
who seem blind to the fact that there
is a limit to the strain that the social
system will bear and who go on kill
ing competition, buying legislation,
watering stocks, and piling up mill
lions on the assumption that they can
play the game undisturbed so long as
shrewd lawyers can show them how 70
steer clear of the clutches of the law
They leave the people themselves
ont of consideration; but that IS
short sighted policy Everybody is
greater than anybody, and viii prove
so when the test comes. Railroad
mismanagement is at the bottom of
much Of the existing trouble. for its
determinations and rebates have built
up interests so great that in turn they
dictate to the railroads. The Standard
Oil and the beef trust are two typical
I -s..1,I
has been exposed by the interstate
commission, is another case. 1t is |
generally understood that the commits |
sion opened Up this business at the re-
quest of the railroads which find
themselves powerless. though they |
created the very thing that now die |
tates to them.
One of the most interesting and I'M |
fortunately most futile flights the i'm
agination can take is to consider what
would have been the commercial con- |
ditions in this country if only it's rail-
roads had been built and managed
according to the rules of common |
honesty. Imagine what would have
been our development without watered |
capital, without favoritism. with no
determinations, with no inside cabals
Of managers to secure special privi- |
eges at the expense of the real owners
and the shippers. What wages could
be paid, what rates could be made, |
and how much cheaper everything
would be!
When the cattle growers of the west
say they cannot afford to raise steers
because the price the beef trust agrees
on for the product is too low to make
any profit in the business. and when !
the eastern housekeeper cannot afford /
10 buy beef because the price set on
Il by the beef trust is so high as to |
put it out of reach. and at the same |
time the government investigator pro-
aounces the trust itself a small con- |
Germ running on a slender margin of |
profit. it is natural that bewilderment /
should follow. Already they are talk.
ing of state packing houses. OF course,
to get the product of such houses to
market it would be necessary to have
state railroads, for otherwise the re-
bates would prevent competition; and
so it goes. The spirit of opposition is !
growing daily, and it should be un-
serstood who are doing the pushing.
So far as the people are concerned,
heirs is an attitude of self defense
lowever mistaken it may be.