Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-04-15
HOW THE
sTANDPATTERs DODGE.

committee IN agreeing by a unanl-
nous vote to report favorably the
paper trust resolutions Introduced
April by Speaker Cannon. and their
subsequent passage by the house,
shows that both the speaker and his
fellow "standpatters" are becoming
thoroughly alarmed at the growing in
dignation of the country at having to
submit to the unjust extortions of
illegal combinations built up and fos-
tered by the. present Ubiquitous tariff
system.
One of the resolutions fayorably
acted upon directs the attorney gem
eral to inform the house what steps
have been taken to investigate and
prosecute the international Paper
company of New York and other cor
porations and concerns engaged in
the manufacture of print paper. and
the other directs the secretary OF
commerce and labor to inform the
house what steps have been taken
by the bureau of corporations toward
Investigating the alleged paper trust.
The introduction of these resolx
tions is but one of many shifty ex-
pedients embraced in the plan of the
speaker and his allies to deceive the
public as to the real underlying
cause responsible for the existence of
not only the paper trust. but of many
others that are robbing the people.
Discussing this phase of the ques-
ton and the motives inspiring the
speakers present activity, the Phila-
delphia Public Ledger says: Speak
er Cannon's attempt to divert the at
tention of the country from the under
lying conditions which have made
possible the great combinations and
monopolies, and particularly that
which lays an extortionate tax or pub
lie enlightenment by increasing the
price of news print paper, is too trans
parent and disingenuous to deceive
any one. His refusal to permit the
consideration of bill for the remov-
al of the duty on paper and wood pup
as recommended by the president. and
his substitution of an inquiry to as
certain whether anything has been
done to find out If the paper trust
has violated the Sherman law. is part
of the same policy Of obstruction
which has made monopoly possible
and lessened the chances of any inn
mediate and effective remedy"
Those who have closely followed
the prosecution of trusts by the fed
eral government with the view of
an intelligent conclusion as
10 results are. not much impressed
with the benefits coming from that
method of fighting monopolies. "The'
disbandment of the General Paper
company, as the result of the prose
eution under the antitrust law, was
say the Public Ledger, al
most Immediately by new alignment
of the forces of the paper manufac-
turers and by a mysterious combina-
ton which was powerful enough to
advance the price Of paper within
less than a year $12 per ton, an ad-
vance justified by no corresponding
advance in the cost of production,
and made in the face of the much
Wanted economies that were to re-
suit from the consolidation of the
paper mills and selling agencies. In
another conspicuous case where the
federal government interviewed for the
protection of the public, through
the anthracite strike commission, the
only permanent result was an enor-
nous increase of the price of coal TO
the consumers"
While the purpose of the speaker is