The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1908-10-22
A SINISTER ALLIANCE.

I've larlH lutTlSuts hbu ''iN'' N
when Senator Culberson took his pen IN
hand the other day and animadverted
on the subject in the columns of the
New York Herald he simply punctured
them with neatnesl and dispatch-al
most with a sort of refined cruelty. lie
smote them in the midriff. He smashed
them in their very vitals. AT that, II
was very short letter that the gentle
man from Texas wrote and he dealt
with only one item of the tariff but
even brevity may be powerful ana
single item may be conclusively lncrim'
mating. When the one care used is
that of steel little argument can carry
far.
One of the most familiar national
scandals il the habit of the tariff shell
tered trusts of selling abroad-and az
a proft-at lower prices than are charg-
ed American consumers. The list OF
the concerns that indulge in this WICK
edness is long, but one Of the worst OF
the offenders is the Steel Trust How
this gigantic industrial trust operates
under the Dingley law and the extent TO
which American consumers are mulcted
by it are impressively shown by Mr.,
Culberson.
The products of the Steel Trust,
which enter the daily life of every citi-
zen" writes he, ARE highly protected
by the tariff schedules, ranging from
q. OS per cent. on some articles TO 10 %
per cent. ad valorem on others. This
duty, together with the substantial de-
struction of competition, which the for
nation of the Steel Trust and its allies
has accomplished, enables the combina'
ton to sell steel rails, which, according
70 Mr. Scbwab, can be made for 81
ton, at S2s a ton in the United States,
while they are sold abroad for $50 to F23
a ton. The tariff profits of the steel
Trust-that IT, the profits arising entire
" from the operation Of the tarlii-I
has been estimated exceed $50, OOO 600
annually, about 81 on every man, woman
and child in the United States.
Peruse the above carefully, for it is
important to observe the combination
of advantages which the Steel Trust
enjoys as indicated by Mr.. Cnlberson.
First. take notice, ii il a practical mon
opolv That in itself IL u circumstance
which enables it TO be commercial
despot, with all the powers over small
manufacturers and buyers which any
concern might desire--and especially
the power to fix prices. Second, 1t Is
protected by the sky high duty on for
eign steel and iron which gives 1t the
entire American field to plumber in its
own way without moestatiOn. A 81
gautic concern ought to be happy with
either advantage One that has both
has every reason to fawn upon the party
that tolerated permitted and approved
and to purchase with golden cam
paign gifts the perpetuation of such a
wonderful state of affairs.
IL the duty on steel to be eternal;
IL the steel monopoly to be permanent
Is the royal dispensation Of immunity
to be unalterable? And, II so, why 7
Well, the people know that In times
past the Republican campaign treasury
has overlooked with funds contributed
bv the beneticarieb of the tariff, and, rs
a result the tariff whatever might be
the sound economy Of reduction or
the popular demand for it, has remained
intact They know that Mr.. Carnegie,
Of the Steel Trust, has Just given $50,
600 to the Republican campaign fund
They know that Mr.. Corey, Mr.. Frick,
Mr. Schwab and the other steel million.
aires are shouting for Taft. There is no
such thing ~ publicity OF contribu-
tions on the Republican side, The sums
Of their gifts this year are, therefore,
unknown In short the contract be-
tween the Republican forces and the
steel lords in the past is demonstrated
by history. Its continuance established
10y circumstantial evidence. Such con
tract between political powers and one
Of the giants of the industrial world is
aimed at the general population, which
must necessarily act rs customer of the
trust. A government, through the in
strumentality of apolitical organization,
in league with an industrial monster Is
Il sinister spectacle
No wonder Mr. Carnegie Mr.. Corey,
Mr.. Frick and the other steel barons are
for the Republican ticket