Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1907-12-06
FEARFUL SLAUGHTER.

There was a series Of great battles last |
year between the railroads and the people,
and the defeat of the people was accom-
plished with horrible slaughter, an 5.99e !
dead were found on the battle feel and
also 76,2S6 MANNED and wounded. : 70 In. /
terstate Commerce Commission bul 10 on
railroad accidents during the year ending
June 3Oth last gives this alarming 81 Of {
casualties, which are vastly more I 40 Tor
the previous year. Can nothing be opa 70
prevent this appalling loss of life limit
py the railroads. Defective rails art se.5 70
DC responsible for much of the slnughsei
and the Steel Trust In its anxiety l. mas
Dig profits is selling defective steel ralle ~
Is, therefore, to blame as much as tue rai
roads which accept these defective rails
The Republican tariff which protuuis
Steel Trust virtually offers a prerniou G
defective rails by preventing comueiiu5
The tariff on steel rails is $7.S4 per toa,
on the small quantity imported lest ys
which cost $23.53 per ton in the ooonleg
where manufactured, was equal t. Ga 81
Valorem tariff tax of 33.44 per cent. VIII IRE
tariff tax added to the cost, leaving %.
the freight and other expenses OF imports
ton, the cost was $31.38 per ton Oh I'm
ported rails. At the same time the price tbs
Steel Trust charged was $2S pc -
Pittsburg. The difference OF $40 -
between the price of steel rail abroad and
here represents the extra tax the tsrif pro.
tects the trust In collecting over and shove
the good round profit the trust would nske
without the tariff protection. There is ne
complaint that English and Belgium stea
rails are defective; and the fact thai con
paratively no accidents occur from aafec-
tive rails abroad, shows the criminal rs
pacity oil the Steel Trust here, although
President Roosevelt views that corporation
as good trust" and takes counsa Of t1a
Steel Trust magnates, Gary, Prick snd Cal
negie.
That there is bond of sympathy iu-
terlocking directory-between the railroads
and the Steel Trust that leads to TIE pur
chase of these imperfectly construct ials
is Indicated by the railroad manage psyiB.,
the trust price without murmur thg
tariff tax was abolished on steel rails HLs.
would be the incentive offered TO sac s
roads Of buying better rails at mucl Il
duced price. Probably not anothet Ion Q
foreign rails would be imported under ffa
trade In rails, for the trust would either hsve
to greatly improve the quality an 6uos
the price OF the rails 1t manufac,ufes r.
meet the foreign competition or lose tue o.
ormous rail business. As 1t is Off, lally re.
corded that the trust could produce steel
rails Tor $12 ton when labor and raw ma
terial we've perhaps 33 per cent less than
now, 1t will be seen that the present cost
does not exceed $40, or it may be $18 q
ton. The present price being $28 ton.
AS some people may urge that the price
OF rails hardly affects the price of travel or
goods, although in the end the people pay
the cost whatever 1t is, 1t may be we'll to
remember that all steel products are pro-
tected by the tariff and the tariff tax on
most steel products greatly exceeds 80 per
cent on rails, and on some steel articles ex.
ceeds 30 per cent. And yet the Republi
cans have determined to stand pat on the
tariff until alter the next election, and then
we may expect them to continue to stand
pat 1t that party succeeds, as such success
will be considered an endorsement of the
policy of protecting the trusts, with no pro-
test against the slaughter of the unprotected
people.