Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1906-10-11

refer to the notorious mileage grab.
perpetrated with but few dissenting
votes; defeated only by the refusal Of
the senate to he party to such dis
graceful attempt at loot upon the pub
lie treasury
In December of last year and be-
tween two raps Of the speakers gavel,
adjourning the special session and con-
vening the regular session, the lower
House passed an appropriation ILL
reaching nearly S20O,OO0 for the pur-
pose OF paying extra mileage to it's
members, representing the cost Of a
journey home and return to attend the
regular session. though it was scarcely
possible for the members to have more
than passed to the cloak rooms and re-
turn to the hall, in the time elapsing
between the two sessions.
The moral standard of congress will
surely not be elevated unless this re-
prehensible conduct is most emphatic
ally rebuked at the polls
In view of the growing Importance of
the sale of American manufactured
products in foreign markets, which it
is confessed are sold at the prices ruling
i'm the worlds markets, figure consid-
erably below that demanded from
American patrons, the public received
w tn the heartiest satisfaction the de-
claration of President Roosevelt to
purchase supplies for the Panama canal
inthe world S markets The power of
the corporations over the administra-
ton was shown to an astounding de-
gree when it was announced later that
the President had receded from his
stand on this question. The sequel to
this incident is to be found in the tele-
graphic reports that the American steel
trust had de:ided upon the price at
which steel should be sold to the gov
eminent for use at Panama, a figure
seven dollars per ton higher than the
same goods are sold to other nations
with the cost of transportation prepaid.
The boldness and audacity of this
proceeding is scarcely to be conceived
at single thought, but it serves to
illustrate the tremendous power WELD
ed by gigantic corporations over our
most important officials, heretofore ac-
credited with the courage and spirit of
independence.
During the year great disaster has
visited the city of San Francisco. So
serious has been the impairment of
financial resources that in spite OF the
generous and almost universal response
to the needs Of the people of that city,
tie cost of building material has been a
far-rcaching h:ndrancc to the work OF
reconstruction. Yet Congress, viii c
appropriating money for relief with
approved liberality. did not dare to Of
fend corporate influence by removing
the duties on all necessary articles re-
ceivcd at the port of San Francisco
The reason is plain. The difference
in the worlds price and the American
price upon needed articles would be
such an object lesson in the unfairness
of the tariff and the profits accruing to
its benefciaries, that the whole system
would be in danger of reformation.
The question naturally arises that if
the world can have the benefit of
American manufactures at the world S
price, why portion of our citizens
should be denied the same privilege in
time Of great need9
Is it not true that "the interests" OPP
posed the letting down of the bars in
this and other instances for the very
good reason to them, that once down,
the voter might refuse to allow them
to be put up again!
With best wishes for the extension OF
the principles of Democracy every
Cordially yours,
W. c. Campbell.
Harlan, Iowa, Sept. 81, 1906.