The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-08-24
THE LEON REPORTER THURSDAY, AUGUST "a, 1911

by paying no attention to the anti
trust laws, and then escape punish
ment by paying few thousands IN
fines.
Considered together, the four
bills already passed by the Democrat
ic house-reciprocity. free list, wool
and cotton-constitute most COM
prehensive beginning of the Payne
Aldrich law. The revision accom-
plished by the House means enor-
nous relief to the public, partly
through the reduction of duties and
partly through the elimination of
jokers and special-privilege pro-
visions.
WASHINGTON, August 19.--Are the
American people competent to rule?
And if they are competent, have they
the right under the constitution to
do so?
Here are two vital questions d.
rectly involved in a veto by President
Taft of the Flood Resolution grant
ing statehood to Arizona and New
Mexico-territori which have these
many years been eligible to admission
as states, but have been barred out,
first, because certain big interests in
the territories desired it, and second
because the republicans feared Arl-
iona would send democratic senators
to congress.
The impression that the White
House press bureau (Secretary Hill
les, manager) is trying to put out to
the country is that the veto was made
Ix,1 T..
IONA constitution which established
the recall. This view is erroneous.
! The fact is, both branches OF con-
gress were careful not to go onrecord
either for or against the recall. The
resolution simply gives the people OF
Arizona the right of local self gov
eminent; the right to vote on the
question of recall, and to themselves
I determine whether they desire the
recall.
| So the President is not vetoing the
recall of judges when he vetoes state
! hood. What he really is vetoing is
the right of the people of Arizona to
decide for themselves the form of re-
publican government under which
they wish to live.
"You folks in Arizona are not in
.telligent enough to select the form
of government under which you are
to live,' is the ultimatum the presl-
! detn lays down by vetoing the state
hood resolution. Mr.. Taft would
have his will prevail instead of the
will of two-thirds of the people OF
Arizona.
A White House Influence.
IF hangs
over the Taft administration the
form of Charles P. Taft, capitalist,
busy multiplying his dollars, is plain
ly discernable. AS the curtain IS
lifted on each succeeding scene OF
scandal the president is in evidence
and around him, shaping his course,
are men who are the acknowledged
agents of those forces that are trying
to shape humanity to the dollar.
When he was elected he inspired
in many who are known as progress
i've republicans" the belief that he
had made his choice between the
public and private interests. Per-
haps he had. But always before
him he must quite naturally see his
brother and his brothers wealth.
From his nativity, wealth, and its
emblems have been the be-all and
and-all of the son of plutocracy
Yet he means we'll. He has a good
heart His great handicap is that he
has so many around him who know
exactly what they want, and to whom
the public good is the last consldera'
ton. :,
Therefore it would seem that II
matters little what large schemes
are promised or prophesied, so long
as Mr.. Taft sits in the executive
chair. The president has as little
chance to succeed as the executive o.
the nation, as a man In any otne'
walk of life might have II he tried Il
serve two masters.
Canadians are Wary.
The republican argument that
high tariff is needed in this country
to maintain ''the high American
wage" is shown up as farce, pure
and simple, by the presence in sever
al American manufacturing commun
tiles of agents of Canadian manufac
turers, who are gathering figures tt
show that Canada cannot afford tt
have reciprocity with us for the rea
son that Canada cannot compete
against American wages.
The Canadians are beginning tt
> understand how it is that the stee
trust can sell steel in Canada fo1
about half the prices charged thu
American consumer, and still make
profit. They are learning that me1
work in the steel mills twelve hours
day, and seven days week for
dollar and a half day, and 1t Is fol
this reason that they do not wish tt
; compete against the cheap foreign
immigrant and negro labor employed
} by American trusts that some OF tht
" Canadians are urging the defeat O
|. reciprocity.
: And yet, the republican protection
lists have argued all these years tha
the great danger to American labor
, was the possibility that it might have
to enter into competition with thu
"cheap" labor of other countries
This latest action of the Canadian
knocks the last legs from under tina
ancient contention.