The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-07-16


Of the state government in all their rights
as the most competent administration for
our domestic concerns and the surest bull
wark against anti-republican tendencies,
and IN 1.-THE preservation of the general
government in its whole constitutional
lvlgor as the sheet anchor OF our peace at
home and safety abroad" we are opposed
to the Capitalization implied In the sug-
gestions, now frequently made. that the
powers OF the general government SHOULD
De extended by executive and legislative
action and by judicial construction. There
Is no twilight zone between the nation
and the state in which exploiting inter
ests can a X refuge from both, and 1t is
as necessary that the, federal government
shall exercise the powers delegated to II
as II IS that the state, governments shall
use the authority reserved to them, but
we insist that the federal remedies for the
regulation OF interstate and for
the prevention of private monopoly shall
De ADDED to, not substituted for, state
The Tariff.
We welcome the belated promise OF tar
if reform, now offered by the republican
party In tardy recognition Of the right
eousness OF the democratic position on this
question. But the people cannot safely
entrust the execution OF this important
work to a party which Is so deeply OBJ
ltgated to the highly protected interests
Is rs the republican party. We call at
tention 10 the significant fact that the
promised relief was postponed until after
A SANSIiOh ~ P1N-
coed IN which the republican party must
nave that same support from the benefi-
Charles of the high protective tariff as it
them; and to the further fact that dur
ing years of uninterrupted power no ac-
ton whatever has been taken by the re-
publican congress to correct the admitted
~ existing tariff iniquities.
w favor immediate revision of the tar
if by the reduction Of import duties. Ar
ticles entering into competition with trust
II COntrOilad nF0dlIOfS GhnIlId he fllanad rIrau
the free list, and material reductions
should be made in the tariff upon the
necessaries of life, especially upon articles
competing with such American manu-
features as are sold abroad more cheaply
than at home: and gradual reductions
should be made In such other schedules as
o revenue basis.
Existing duties have given to. the manu-
facturers of paper a shelter behind which
they have organized combinations to raise
the price of pulp n Of paper, thus i'm
posing q tax upon the spread of knowl!
edge. We demand the immediate repeal
lumber, timber and logs. and that these
articles be placed upon the free list.
Trusts.
A private monopoly is indefensible and
into1erable. We therefore favor the Wig
orous enforcement of the criminal law
Gals, and demand the enactment of such
additional legislation as may be necessary
to make 1t impossible for a private mo-
nopoly to exist in the United States.
Among the additional remedies we specify
three: OLA law preventing a duplication
OF directors among competing corpora
without abridging the right OF each state
Ito create corporations, or Its right to reg
ulate as II will foreign corporations doing
business within its limits, make It nee
essary for a manufacturing or trading
corporations engaged in interstate com
morce to take out a federal license before
as Is per cent of the produce in which It
deals, the license to protect the public
from watered stock and to prohibit the
control by such corporation of more than
so per cent of the total amount OF any pro-
duce consumed in the United States, and
90 q law compelling such licensed corpor-
atoms TO sell to all purchaser in all parts
of the country on the same terms, after
making due allowance for cost of rams
portation.
Railroad Regulation.
We assert the right of congress to ex-
ercise complete control over interstate
and the right Of each state to
exercise like control over within
its borders.
We demand such enlargement of the
powers of the Interstate Commerce COM
mission as may be necessary to compel the
railroads to perform their duties as COM
mon carriers n prevent discrimination
and restore confidence.
We favor the efficient supervision and
regulation of railroads engaged in inter-
state To this end We recon-
mend the valuation OF railroads by the
| valuation to take into consideration the
| physical value of the property, the origi-
nay cost and the cost of reproduction and
elements of value that will rende the
valuation fair and just. ~
We favor such legislation as will pre-
vent the railroads from engaging in bust
ness which brings them into competition
with their shippers, also legislation which
will assure such reduction in t~ransporta-
ton rates as conditions will permit, care
being taken to avoid reduction hat would
compel a reduction OF wages, prevent ade-
quate service or do injustice to legitimate
investments.
We heartily approve the laws prohibit
ing the pass and the rebate, and we fa-
vor any further legislation necessary to
restrain, correct and prevent such abuses.
We favor such legislation as will in
crease the power Of the Interstate Com
merce commission, giving to 1t the init
alive with reference to rates and trans
portation charges put into effect by the
railroad companies, and permitting the
initiative to declare q rate illegal
n as being more than should be charged
for such service. The present law relating
thereto is Inadequate by reason of the fact
is without power to fix or investigate q
rate until complaint has been made to 1t
by the shipper.
We further declare that all agreements
of traffic or other associations of. railway
Lagents affecting interstate rates should
be unlawful unless filed with and ap-
proved by the Interstate Commerce com
mission.
We favor the enactment of a law CIV
ing to the Interstate Commerce commits
sion the power to inspect proposed rail-
road tariff rates or schedules before they
shall take effect. and, II they be found
TO be unreasonable, to initiate an adjust
ment thereof. TO
Banking and Currency.
The panic of 1907, coming without any
legitimate excuse, when the republican
party had for q decade been I'm complete
control of the federal government, fur
nishes additional proof that IL is either I'M
willing Sor incompetent to protect the in
t~erests of the general public. 1t has 50
linked the country to Wall street that
the sins of the spectators are visited up
On the whole people. While refusing to
rescue the wealth producers from spolia-
alton at the hands of the stock gamblers
and spectators In farm products 1t has
deposited treasury funds, without interest
and without competition, in favorite
banks. 1t has used an emergency for
which 1t Is largely responsible to force
through congress a bill changing the basis