The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-05-30

country, with the exception OF agfi-
culture Is being fast centered 10 a
small but powerful group OF tremen-
douslv wealthy men. After all the
threats of the present administra'
ton Of xhat was to be done to the
trusts and corporations which are
organized In the restraint OF trade
what has been done?
~
To what extent has the beef trust
been controlled? No one can deny
the fact that they still control
both the price of the cattle on the
hoof and the finished product just
as much as they did before Garfield
made his trip OF investigation To
Chicago. 1t is true the Standard OH
monopoly has been fined on few
occasions, but these cases have &C.
CURED under state laws. They DC
not care for the fines because they
can raise the price of petroleum a
quarter of a cent and make up these
fines In few days time. NO one
has heard of any of the oil magnates
going to jail as result OF convic-
tion. We have been having period
OF investigation and nothing else,
but it will occur to the most OF US
that it is about time that we have
period of enforcement OF law. Ii
is claimed the Sherman anti trust
law is adequate to force these finan-
cial pirates to obey the provisions OF
the law, and that 1T is time for less
buster and more actual enforcement
of the law. 1t Is safe to say without
pessimism that unless these rapaci-
GUS pirates are held in restraint we
will reach con 1ition OF industrial
slavery which will be as bad for our
civilization and advancement as po'
litical slavery. The only difference
In the two terms is, that in political
slavery the master owns the slaves
body while in industrial slavery he
owns the necessities OIL which and
by which the slave must live.
~
If the president of the United
States Is so much In favor OF the re-
forms demanded by the people he has
an opportunity to show it by not
placing impediments in the way of
admission of Oklahoma. The new
constitution adopted by the constitu-
tional convention is most remark
able instrument, and will strike act
ual reformers, as coming near to the
ideal in legislation. 1t places GER
tain restrictions upon the rapacity
Of the railroads as well as other cor.
porationes, which makes 1t very dis
tasteful. or course these corporate
interests have appealed to the presi-
dent desiring him to concoct some
scheme whereby the admission of tine
state would be impossible under the
present conditions. 1t would be sur
prising, in the face OF what the pres
ident has said about reforms and a
fair deal II he should stand In the
way, even though the new state
would cast seven ELECTORAL votes
against his beloved party. There is
no question but what the people of
Oklahoma are entitled to come into
the union under any kind of con-
stitution they want, provided only it
does not conflict with the constitu-
tion Of the United States, and that
1t does not provide for republican
form Of government. On the provi.
sions of the constitution the dele
gates to that convention made it I'M
possible for the politicians and cor
porations to control the policies OF
the state hence the objections.
There will be feeling, however,
should Roosevelt refuse to grant
statehood under the provisions of the
that be Is seeking a
party advantage in trying to elemin-
ate seven possible ELECTORAL votes.
1t Is very plain that 1t makes little
difference how many scholars and
statesmen espouse the initiative and
nor how eminent they
are. The principle Is doomed to be a
fad" and "vagary" until some
practical man" like Pierpont Nor.
gan or henry Fl. Rogers Endorses it.
1t must have the hallmark OF Wall
street approval, In other words, be-
lore IL can become respectable ),
And since Wall street will never an.
prove so long as Wall street is the
,emple of American greed and Chi
'anery, the principle OF direct legis-
ation-otherwise government of. for
md ny the peoples evidently des-
lined always to be just a fad not
worthy serious discussion In polite
ociety. In the meantime, though,
banks to strange freak of natures.
he initiative and referendum are
'rowing In popularity in every sec.
ion of the United States. Several
tates have already made il a part OF
heir governing system, and others
including staid and conservative
'iaine, are soon to vote upon IL.