Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-09-21


their lives in at least rs districts that
they hold now, If not more. To a dis
interested spectator it would appear
that they are in for a good trouncing,
which they have deserved for a long
time.
"AlI this talk Of putting Uncle Joe
out Of the running for speaker and get
ting him to announce that he Is not
going to run may look very we'll to a
man who doesn't know anything about
him. The language that Uncle Joe
would use to gentleman suggesting to
him not to run for speaker would be
something not At for polite ears It is
the old story of belling the cat. 1t
was said at one time that Hon. viii.
liam Mckinley was the man selected
to break the news to Uncle Joe, but the
Hon. William B. declined. l don't blame
him. If the insurgents really want the
thing done, they will do well to vote
the democratic ticket"
People Are Not Represented.
An increased annual tax of more
than S10O,000,000 has been saddled
upon the American people through in
creased freight rates within the last
few years without opposition by the
government. But this is not enough.
The railroads want still more revenue,
and as soon as the November cleo
tons are over 1t is believed they will
be allowed to boost their rates a cou-
pie of-notches higher.
The interstate commerce commission
is now going through the formal pro-
cedure of taking testimony as to thu
reasonableness of the new increases
which, according to the estimates of
the commission, will swell the annual
profits Of the railroads $500, 000, 900.
There are high-priced lawyers for the
railroads at the hearings, and also an
imposing array of legal talent for the
big shippers. The public alone is I'M
represented.
One fact that has cropped out at the
hearings is that the railroads seem to
have unanimously agreed that the in
creased rates shall apply where they
will be the least annoyance to the
trusts and big combinations of manu-
facturers. The added burden is to be
laid on the little fellow-the merchant,
the householder, the fathers and moth
ers of the families, the country store
keeper and the farmer. Products of
the trusts enjoy a striking immunity
from increases. This is not hard to
understand. 1t is not easy for the
railroads to put on an increased rate
over on the sugar or the steel trust.
Such increases would be fought tooth
and nail and probably defeated by
counsel for the combines who gathes'
like flies about the room in which the
commission meets. But II is easy
money to put an increased rate over on
the general consumer, because he isn't
TAV-galley two o
present to enter objection, nor is any
one there to enter objection for him.
The interstate commerce commission
declares it represents no one in par
ticular, but sits as a judicial body
wholly. The result is that in many,
many instances the case goes against
the consumer by default.
When the results of the Vermont
election showed 81 per cent slump in
the republican vote, the Vermont lead
ers in Washington declared the phe-
nomenon was due to rainy weather.
Then came the sweeping democratic
victories in Maine. AS the election
took place on clear day, it would in
dictate the change in sentiment going
all over the country bears no relation
ship whatever to atmospheric condf-
lions. II the election OF the democratic
candidate for governor, Plaisted, by a
plurality of 8,732, is not sufficient to
discredit the weather theory. here are
results of other elections held on pleas
ant days which tell their own stories:
Eugene n. Foss, democrat, elected
to congress from Massachusetts March
% by plurality of 5,640.
James 8. Ravens, democrat. elected
to congress from New York by plu.
rality of 1891.
c. c. Atkinson, democrat, elected to
congress from Missouri on Feb. l by
a plurality of 3,77s. the democratic ma
jority In 1908 being only 1895.
Taft Repudiafed.
The recent overwhelming victory OF
Senator La Toilette was q clearcut and
direct rephdiation of President Taft by
the people Of Wisconsin.
Your complexion as well as your tenn
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dered liver. By taking Chamberlain
Stomach and Liver Tablets you can
improve both, Sold by all druggists