The Saint Paul globe., 1905-02-19

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last summer one of the Mesabi mines
loaded 440 cars with $4,000 long tons. or
ten. train loads of forty -four cars TO the
mined as easily and cheapIy as sand. The
labor cost is about 10 cents per ton: while
the great steel trust which operates the
mines is protected by a tariff Of 25 cents
rope"
And the Steel Trust
But the steel trust owns the two prin-
cipai ore carrying roads, and the rate
for hauling the ore seventy-five miles to
the lake for shipment TO Eastern fur
naces has been fixed so high that the in
dependent mine owner is either robbed OF
the profits OF mining or compelled to sell
his mine to the hungry syndicate which
controls both the mining industry and
transportation. One Of these iron range
roads, which operates only 2i0 miles OF
track. voted itself last year a dividend
OF S4.5O0000, or over $50 per cent upon
It's common stock; and the other. operat-
ing 169 miles of track. distributed dfyf-
idend Of SO, $50, or 149 per cent upon its
stock outstanding. The two noncompet-
ing parallel roads, operating an aggregate
of thirty-seven miles of track. issued q
dividend total of more than $S.000.000, or
upwards of $4,000 per mile, which is
more than twice the gross earnings, near
ly eight times the net earnings. and close
of the average American railroad. And
yet this same billion dollar corporation.
with all its extortionate charges, with its
dividends upon an ocean Of watered stock,
and its control of the iron and steel in
dustry of the nation. adds insult to in
jury by demanding national bounty and
protection. and has actually secured at
the hands of congress for the protection
or its practices more pages of American
tariff schedules than perhaps all the in
fant industries of the United States COM
bined.
Is 1t not true that the law of the land
was invoked for the protection of the
ration and such practices? Is IL not time
that the functions of government were en-
ployed for more legitimate uses? Is il not
time the authority of the nation is ex-
ercised to prevent. instead of to protect
such discrimination and special privilege?
Rate discrimination, monopoly of natural
tariff boanties and transportation rebates
have been promoted under the cloak of
law until the public conscience is in re-
volt Surrender Of government functions
to private corporations under guise of
protecting the national welfare canrot
much longer receive the sanction of an
intelligent people who believe the govern
ment was instituted for the protection of
life. liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Public Servants Private Agents
AS long as government is the fountain
OF special privileges. powerful interests
viii dominate legislation. law will be
dictated by the corrupt lobby, corpora
tions viii control Legislators and even
trusts. AS long as the law of the land
is made the source of corporate dividends
the campaign contributions of corporate
interests will contrcl political conventions
and the party machine for the nomina-
tion and election of its candidates. and
our so-called public servants" will be
private agents for the public undoing:
There is just one remedy for official
bribery and campaign corruption. and that
Is TO remove the motive by cutting off
all government grants of special priv
anfn a.,sxr -
rights to all will free the party organ
izaton from corporate grasp and restore
1t TO the common people.
The Republican is no more and no less
to blame than the Democrat. Francis of
Assist was as honest and as reliable as
Luther The Bernardine monk was as
sincere as Knox. The hope is not in the
Democrat or Republican as a follower of
the party of his choice. but I'm the man
who believes his country is greater than
his party and is not afraid of the charge
of heresy-the man in the Office shop
and field, whose patriotism and moral fiber
respond to the nations need. The repub-
lie is in no danger from the man who. fol-
lowing the plow, huns. MY Country. 'Tis
or Thee. He does not understand the
awful harmony of Wagner but he knows
and feels the melody of the folk k-song. the
tunes which soften the heart and make
men good and great. This man may be
slow. but lion when aroused. Today he
is enlisting in the nations struggle for
honest government, and he will win. The
The tax dodger. the boodler, the assassin
OF state and national honor may strike at
the public welfare; the nation will grow in
glory and power because of the manhood
OF its common citizenship. The country
will survive. through the courage and 10y
atty of voters regardless of party, who
VIII uplift the hands of a president in
his desire to do right and uphold the ma
1esty of the law. Through the very rob-
berry of the citizen by the corporate trust
the nation may be aroused and clothed
with The pfai
send an eagle fluttering down the crags
but the nesting brood in the eerie will
rise TO greater heights. The bounding
doe may be arrested in her race for life.
but the Matterhorn will still lift it's cap of
snow TO peace beyond the clouds.
Relations With Canada
We are confronted with vast opportuni-
ties and responsibilities. and with lost
ground to recover. A bad economic policy
and political treachery cost us the benefits
of commercial freedom with Canada Had
We been fair and decent with our sister
country across the boundary, the trade of
Canada would have been ours and COM
mercially., if not politically. the two coun-
tries would have been one. We are told
II is now too late. Canada has grown
away from us, instead of toward us A
false policy has robbed us of our own.
congressman elected to represent our in
terests in reciprocity with Canada have
gone TO Washington in the interests of a
pine land combine and worked to make
ieCipIOCity lDlpOSSlDle. Inc American flag
ought now to float over all North America:
but that union, either politically or COM
mercially, can never take place until
larger patriotism can rise above political
cant and private greed.
Forsaking the old ideals, we are con-
fronted with a centralized commercialism
more than feudal in its power. The prin-
clples of Washington. Jefferson and Lin
coin are supplanted by the influences Of
Hartman Armour and Rockefeller The
constitution no longer goes with the flag;
the declaration of independence is pic
tured as relic of the past. The great
commoner from the Sangamon broke the
chain of the millions and released them
from slavery to grow into a condition of
humiliation. Washington founded a ma
ton. and his people submit to CONNER
cial serfdom. Our republic rests on the
freedom and purity of the ballot: and
Montana boasts the election of a dele
gate TO national convention at the cost
OF 100000. The governor of Wisconsin
declares that corporate wealth owned his
state: and Standard Oil appears in the
troubled waters of Chicago. In the krem-
lin, fear of revolution blanches the cheek
of the car; in our country. there Is a
smoke that might be famed into fame.