Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-08


he turned over to Strong & Cadwal-
lader, and the last thing Mr. Wicker
sham did before starting in to repre-
sent the people was to draw down and
pocket his share of the sugar trust
fee.
Nine resolutions providing for an in
vestigation of the sugar trust were in
troduced in the last session of con-
gress. But the sugar trust happens
to be a friend and ally (also a star
campaign fund contributor) Of the re-
publican party, and therefore it isl
needless to record that each of the
resolutions were smothered to death
in committee.
WastefuIness of Protection.
The wastefulness of taxes collected
from the people under the tariff laws
is not one of the least vicious features
of protection.
American customs duties have ne
cessitated a gigantic army of officials,
have increased the price of everything
and have added enormously to the ex-
penses of the government.
The country is divided into 100 dis
tricts and ports for the collection of
duties. OF these the expenses in 40
are greater than the receipts, the cost
of collection ranging for every dollar
collected, from $1.5S to $309.41.
In the Alexandria, Va, district, the
government spent 81, 224 to collect SO,
In the Annapolis, Md, district, it
cost $3.50 to collect So.
In the ST Mary's, Ga, district, it
cost $693 to collect $15.25.
In the Coos Bay, Ore, district, it
cost $1,464 to collect $79.S1.
And this years report of the secre-
tary of the treasury is not as bad as
| last years, which showed that in one
instance the government had paid two
men S1,1O0 to collect so cents.
The President is Slightly I'm Error.
In his speech at the Republican Ma
tionaI League dinner in New York,
President Taft said: "Our democratic
friends are saying that if the demo
cratic party came into power it would
reduce the expenses of this govern
ment OO,OOO.OOO."
It would seem that Mr. Taft's
Gratis, but with Nelson w. Aldrich, the
republican chairman of the finance
committee Of the republican senate.
/ 1t was Senator Aldrich who stated on
the floor of the senate that a business
man could run the government $500,
100000 cheaper than it is now being
run.
Railroads Are Greedy.
! The railroads of the country, acting
! together, are contending before the in
terstate commerce commission that
they should be allowed to raise their
/ freight rates so that they may collect
an additional $5O0,000,00O from the
public each year.
| The railroads aver the advanced
rates are necessary because of increas-
ed wages being paid trainmen and 9th
/ er increases in operating costs. This
contention is not borne out, however,
in the report on railroad earnings just
| issued by the interstate commerce COM
mission, which shows:
First, that the profits of the rail-
roads for the last fiscal year were $110,-
100000 more than in the previous fiscal
year
Second, that the rate of increase in
railroad profits was 10 1-3 per cent,
while increased operating costs, with
the much-boasted increase in wages in
eluded, amounted to only 2.3S per cent.
Democratic Text Book.
! Judging by the number of requests
that have reached democratic head
nuarters for the democratic textbook
for 1910, this publication has fond
great favor with democratic workers.
Authorities have pronounced the book
to be the best work on the tariff now
in print Those who desire a copy
of the textbook should write immedi
ately. before the supply is exhausted
to Mr. F. F. Garrett, treasurer M,
tional Democratic Committee, Wash
ingtOn, D. c.