The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-03-13
GOVERNOR DOUGLAS A N D
THE TRUSTS.

The fundamental idea of Democracy
is equality of opportunity. Jefferson,
who was the gres test advocate Democ-
racy ever had, and was the founder of
tie Democratic Party. was the .aan
who secured the abolition of the old
laws of entail and primogeniture in
Virginia He also secured the aboli
ton of religious establishment in
that State, and caused the adoption of
the first ten amendments to the Con-
stitution of the United States He
hated special privileges, and he fought
always for equal rights.
Among present statesmen, the one
man who approaches nearest to Jetfer-
son, is William l.. Douglas, late Gov
ernor of Massachusetts. jefferson was
a member of the great middle class of
society; so is Governor Douglas. For
years he has stood for cheaper raw
materials for the manufacturing in
dustries, for higher wages and for re-
duction in the cost Of living for work
ingmen, and TO that end has advocated
lon or tariff duties as means If pro-
tecting the multitudes against the ex-
actions of the trusts, generated and
protected by the laws passed by the
Republican leaders.
Now, Governor Douglas is manu-
iacturer of shoes. his factories being
the largest IF the kind In the United
States-a fact which has compelled
him to investigate the yearly increas-
ing cost of raw aud Iartly manufac'-
ured materials, and the cause of the
increase i'll pric $.
In one of his speeches delivered
when he was running for Governor,
he gave to the people the evidence that
he had discovered OF the way that the
tariff protects the trusts, thus;
"Tne most successful, powerful and
injurious trusts are those that, having
a tariff monopoly in our home market,
have secured possession of the sources
of production of raw materials and
supplies, such ss iron, steel, coal, oil
sugar beet, lumher, lead, leather, salt,
borax, etc. By restricting the output
and controlling the prices of these raw
products, these trusts are able TO hold
both the manufacturers and consumers
at their mercy.
Careful estimates of the tariff prof
its of one of these trusts, the United
States Steel Corporation, indicates that
they amounted 10 $l62 100000 for the
years 1902 and 19O3-the total net
profits being $242, 100000. Those esti.
mates were based on the differences
between the export and home prize 4
of steel products and goods, the differ
ences being multiplied by the quantity
of each kind of product sold, as given
in the annual report of this company
for the year ending December 81, 1888
This Sl62, 900, 900 is clear tariff profit
| That 10, had there been no duties on
these ST. ell products, and had they
been sold here at tine same prices fol
which they were sold abroad, they
would have cost our consumers $751;
600, 900 less than they did. As nearly
all of these are unfinished products
it is evident that the American manu-
! facturers, TO whom steel is a raw ma
terial, have to pay nearly $50 0OC
a year mere for these materials than il
paid by their foreign competitors. even
though both buy steel of our stee
trust. This, in itself, is great hand
leap upon our manufacturers, espec
tally when attempting to sell goods il
the foreign markets. 1t is this dis
elimination in favor of the foreign
manufacturers, making it much
cheaper to produce outside rather thar
on the inside Of our tariff wal, that i
mainly responsible for the exodus o
American capital into foreign .coun
tries. Scores of "hranch" mills anC
factories, operated by Americans
have been, during the past few years
been located Abroad, in order t. escape
from the pro ectiou that means deare
raw materials and higher cost of pro
auction. Had there been no unnec
essary duties on raw materials. tn
great amount of business tran acteC
in these American-owned foreign mill
would now lie done in this country, t.
the great advantage of our own work
ingmen."