Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-02-13
STILL DO
REPUBLICANS FAIL TO PROTECT
PEOPLES INTERESTS.
And the Taxpayers, by Their Votes.
Seem to Be Willing That Truss
Monopoly Be ProIonged-The
Political Situation.

As 1t has been proved beyond con-
tention, both by evidence and adnise
sions, that the tariff has fostered
trusts and still protects them from,
competition, why should the tariff not
be reformed, so as no longer to pro-t
tect the trusts? The answer to this,
question can only be, that the ma-h
jority of the American people desire;
to prolong this trust monopoly whent
they elect representatives to congress}
and members of the state legislatures
that vote for United States senator's
to represent their states in the nation
al legislature. From various causes
the majority of the voters have de-
cided that they are willing to be. plum
dered by the, trusts, although they
were opposed to being p%lundered by
the railroads. At least, that Is where,
their preference for Republican poll
cies have brought them to. The peo-
pie have been fooled once more Lato
believing that a Republican congress
would protect their interests under the
lead of Roosevelt, the reputed trust
and corporation buster. The last con-
gress, after prolonged discussion, was
forced by public opinion to pass the
railroad rate bill, which was supposed
by many would compel the railroads
to charge reasonable rates. That was
the theory of President Roosevelt and
the Republican leaders. The Demo
cratic leaders in congress told the peo-
pie the law was entirely inadequate
to reform abuses, but Mr.. Roosevelt
turned the tide of real reform by &C.
cepting a bogus amendment to the
bill, for fear the Democrats should
have the credit of aiding the people.
The railroad rate law did do some
good things. 1t abolished the free
passes, it compels the railroads to pub
lish their rates, SO that every n can
know what the rates are and all ship
pers be on an equal footing. 1t gave
the interstate commerce commission
a little more power, but not enough
power to make unreasonable rates rea-
senable. Many of the states, mostly
Democratic ones, however, have taken
the rate question in hand and lowered
passenger rates within the state
boundaries against the protest of the
railroad managers, who declared that
to do so was virtually to conflscate
their property.
With regard to the industrial trusts
the situation is still more d~eplorable,
for the federal government has accom-
plished nothing that has reduced the
price Of one of the necessities that the
trusts produce. 1t is true President
Roosevelt has taken to himself the
title of t~rust-buster, and Senator Knox,
when attorney general, did successful
ly prosecute the combine of the North
ern Securities company, but the rail-
roads that composed that combine still
cha. ge the same unreasonable rates.
and in fact have increased some of
them, notably the rates in lumber.
A Republican congress is in session
and virtually doing nothing, and the
Republican leaders declare their inten-
ton of doing as little as possible, ex-
cept to pass the appropriation bills
and adjourn IN time to round up dele
gates to the Republican national con-
%vention, where more promises will be.
made, with no more intention of keep
ing them in the future than in the
past.
If so many eyes were not blinded by
~partisanship, and the trusts and cor
%porations did not supply campaign
funds, there would be a revolt against
this stand-pat program, but such par
ti%sanship and corruption, aided by
Democratic divisions for the control
Of the party, may again give the stand
patters another lease of power. Was
there ever such a political mess Of
fered to the American people when
such important matters for their well
fare should be demanding their at
tention?