The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-04
KANSAS COMNENT
TO STOP sPECULATION.

&S@1AbS%z0 OV1211AH4 III
TO STOP SPECULATION.
Attorney General Wickersham is
working on the draft of a bill which
will be introduced in congress for
the purpose of stopping speculation in
futures
do not know. The subject is one of
study
| There are two sides to the case.
Salina miller whose business is
strictly legitimate. and who never spe-
culateS in grain, states that in his bust
ness it IS frequently necessary to pro-
tect ones self from loss by buying
grain for future delivery. This grain
Is held only SO long as necessary to Sc
cure the desired protection on goods
winch have been ordered, and then it
is let go. Such operations are part Of
the business affairs of the country and
can not be checked without injury.
Yet they are investment i'll futures"
From such transactions, the specula-
tive game seems to have various de-
greeS OF legitimacy, down to the hole
in-the-wall bucket shop, where market
returns are manipulated and juggled
and people are swindled out of their
money.
1t takes pretty careful watching to
prevent market juggling.
Ana1rS like that of the Rock Island
stock deal, when stock advanced so
points IN Is minutes and dropped back
again instantly, and the Columbus &
Hooking coal and iron pool which
seems to have been even more dis
graceful, do not tend to give conf
dence IN the market game. ever when
II is played under the strictest rules.
The Rock Island affair and the Column
bus & Hooking affair were both in the
New York stock market
1t is not much wonder that when
such affairs can take place on the New
York stock market there should be a
strong demand for strong legislative
restriction on all sorts of speculative
ropositions.-Salina Journal.
NEVADA'S GAMES OF CHANCE.
The license collector of Nevada re-
ports that gambling there is on the
Increase, with some 2.4T7 gambling
licenses issued in the past nine months.
And we'll may gambling thrive in Ne
vada; 1t is the last stand; the twilight
of the frontier; the only place where
the wide-open town is encouraged, and
the bad man is tolerated for the reve-
hue he brings. Also, this big state of
few people is full of mines and rumors
of mines, and the state which puts up
with such a game of chance as that
should not shy at faro and draw poker.
Some time Nevada will get over it,
when the mines have established their
value, and irrigation makes it possible
to raise something from the soil be-
sides the ante and prices of general
merchandise, but with conditions as
they are at present there is little use
to attempt to reform this common
wealth of roaring camps. And they
have one sure thing game in Nevada;
one source OF revenue which is grow
ing steadily; the divorce business. OF
course, the marriage which follows in
most cases is apt to be gambling with
the cards stacked. but that Is not Ne
yada's business. That the divorce bust
ness continue good. there must be mar
r.ages. which is reason enough for this
Tag end of a once Wild West.-Atchi-
s.on Globe.
TT MIGHT LOWER PRICES.
The need of an efficient tariff COM
mission with power to do things is
being emphasized by the high prices
of commodities.
If there was a commission with
authority to make such regulations as
are necessary, as in the case in most
other protective tariff countries, it
would be possible to determine just
high prices and to make appropriate
reductions.
on many things sold in the dry
goods and grocery stores there is no
doubt that the tariff makes mater
ial increase in price. Commodities
upon which people are obliged to pay
tariff are generally sold in this coun-
try above what is known as the
worlds level'' of prices.
What We want in this country is to
get back to tie worlds level; to fix
things so that wage earnerS and sal
aried people can continue to live on
their incomes, without sacrificing the
comforts of life to which thew have
become accustomed under the prices
which have prevailed in past years.
The tariff commission, to do the
work which should have been done
| by the las congress, might be able
| to do a good deal to bring about low
er prices, by enabling foreign goods
| to come into competition with trust
made goods in this country.-Salina
| Journal.