Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-09-13
!: LOOKER-ON IN IOWA :

| The order Of President Roosevelt
which made it possible for those VINO
think spelling reform necessary to gain
quite a decided advance, has received
much commentator, but more con-
demnation. We can let the lingulsts
| fight it out. What is suggestive is the
way the proposed reform was received.
Everywhere the conservative element
| was in arms. Stapdpatters there were
lin phonetic ranksd and progresslVes
outside of Iowa. Some of us can re-
member when Lincoln's proclamation
freed the slaves. Wise men said 1t was
of no account. ut was unconstitu-
tional." MEN were deprived of prop
erty without due process of law And
a few years later, on a certain day, a
gold dollar was to be worth only ope
dollar, and again, this time, able tinan-
ciers assured us that we might pass
all the laws we pleased, we could not
change the market value of five dol
lar gold piece. But the slaves have re-
NAMED freedmen, and gold has re-
manned at par. Can it be that Roose-
welt, by one simple order, has changed
and fixed the spelling of 800 words Of
the English language?
Only few days ago an official of the
city of Chicago commenced legal ac-
ton against the big packing house Of
Armour & Co, as we'll as several other
firms, because he found out they We're
selling fifteen ounces Of lard for a
pound. In other words, the big
gest packing houses in the
cal1ipr ,,,o;erb+
goods And right here Is a
whole sermon on national dishon-
esty and graft. Such thing, the dis
covery OF such practices did not even
shock U.S. Business wise and other
wise Mr.. Armour and his partners are
not lowered in public esteem. Suppos-
ing an innocent purchaser does pay for
four pounds Of lard and only get three
and three-quarter pounds. It's moth
ing but custom, business custom to
take out of pound of lard enough to
pay for the package containing it, But
just the same such practices are wrong
in principle. From shortweights to
adulteration is only short step. Given
short weight and adulteration the same
business conscience can sell the gov
eminent, embalmed beef But worse
than all is the public acquescence in
all this Just now there is spasm of
reform But is it final, this revival of
legal actions to make men honest Will
future generations get 16 ounces to
the pound?
In the same line exactly is the public
somnolence concerning little things.
Ia Of fr,1c &c hot
deal in the big things. The sugar COM
bile, the steel trust, the railroad re-
bate system, the packing houses, the
ice swindles. the hard coal combina-
tion, even the Standard Oil Company,
all Of these are receiving needed atten-
ton from congress. the legislatures
and the courts. But what about the
cracker trust? What about the match
combine? Flour is worth say cents
pound. What are you paying for
crackers composed of flour, salt, water
and labor. Matches, you get more
and better matches for five cents than
you did twenty years ago.. why should
YOU kick. even If it's trust. the most
successful in business circles. AS well
raise a hue and cry because there Is
chewing gum combine And yet these
little things which only take a nickle
Of our money at one time, are today
business enterprises fully as much in
the line of restraint of trade, as the So
called packing house combination. To
start cracker factory today in this
country one invites the loss of money.
Tie combination will close you up in
side of year. Perhaps they will buy
YOU out and close your esta blishment
that way, but sure it is We are not