East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-10-23
c. 0. P. MUST FACE
CORRUPTION CHARGE
BIGGER BUGABEAR
THAN THE TARIFF
After Shouting i'm Deris.on at Demo-
crats Who Started Investigations.
Republicans Now Realize Excep-
tionaI Difficulties.
(Bv CLYDE II. Travenner }

Washington, d. c., Oct. 23.-Tarlff
isn't the only thing the republicans
are afraid of in the coming campaign
There is another item that is giving
them worry. They are wondering
how they can answer the charges OF
corruption, incompetency and NAL ad-
ministration that have been brought
out and proven by the various demo-
cratic investigating committees.
Republican leaders realize that TINS
problem Is going to present excep-
tional difficulties by reason of the
fact that when the Democrats started
to investigate those same republicans
shouted in derision. declaring there
! was nothing to inve, tigate; that un-
der republican rule the affairs of the
government had been conducted in the
only perfect manner. and that the
whole purpose of the democrats was
to make political thunder.
That there was really need of some
| investigating in and around Washing
) ton was amply proven before the in
| quries in t. the re ults of republican
rule had fairly started, and despite
| all the revelations of extravaganza
and NAL administration that have
come to light, many of the investi-
! eating committees are just getting
ready TO go to work So far they have
only scratched the surface.
The Moss committee brought to
light the shameful manner in which
the plotters in the pure food bureau
| 81 nv Of al
and made farce of the law designed
to protect the public from the greed
| of unscrupulous food dopers.
The Stanley committee learned that
the steel trust for years paid tre-
| mendous profits on a capitalization
represented largely by water and thin
air, and that the tru t gObbled up the
Tennessee Coal and Iron company,
its chief rival, With the aid and CON
nivance of republican adm nistra-
ton, ostensibly to prevent panic, but
actually to stifle its main competitor.
1t was further brought out that men
wece acting a counsel for the steel
tru while receiving money from the
government as trust busters"
Tho probe of the state department
revealed that money was expended for
one thing and charged to another,
while the committee on expenditures
in the navy department discovered
that more than three million dollars
worth of supplies were taken from
the Washington navy yard without an
accounting, and that the bookkeeping
system in use there is absolutely rid
iculous
l.,,. I,
illustrations that could be gwen to
show the value Of honest investiga-
lions.
WicLcrsham Again.
u am surprised" says Attorney
General Wickersham. that the busi-
ness men of this country have not
taken more advantage of that section
of the law which permits the collec-
ton of three fold damages when they
have been injured by trust. That
section is powerful lever, and would
make those who are illegally organ
lied have more respect for the law"
Likewise, the people are surprised
that Mr. Wickersham, as attorney
does not take advantage of the law
which makes it possible to send guilty
trust magnates to Jail. They believe
, it would be an even more powerful
lever"
\ Starving Industry.
The woolen trust is the most insist
ent of all the trusts for high tariff
This trust still calls it eff an Infant
industry" and its agents told the
! ways and means committee that the
/, trust would starve to death if the tar
iff were taken from wool.
At Boston, on October 16. William
Wood, president of the wooden trust
, was a witness in a suit filed against
him by man whom he had knocked
down and run over. The judge asked
Wood how many automobiles he
owned
Il don't know" Wood replied.
How many chauffeurs do you en-
ploy," asked the court.
II never tried to keep track of
them" the wool magnate replied
Imagine a man SO rich that he can't
| keep track of the number OF automo-
biles he owns! Then reflect on how
: many of the workingmen who are
forced to purchase Mr. Woods pro-
) tected products are unable to keep
track of the number of wooden suits
: they or their children own.
) Protection Helps Foreigners.
!, The Stanley steel investigating
committee has made public the ex-
port prices of steel trust products
, This is very important piece of news
5 inasmuch as it shows great differences
l in prices in favor of foreigners. and
therefore. probably will result in a
: great reduction, if not the removal, OF
! the tariff on steel
, The figures show that the trust
charges American consumers SS2.97
? per gross ton for steel plates while
supplying the identical article to for.
eigners for S29.04. The unprotected
foreigner thus receives an advantage
= of So 80 over the protected American
consumer The advantage given tn,
y foreigner in steel rails is $S.S4 pc,
ton; in tin plate, S12.54, and il
. structural steel, $3.50.
S Query: If the steel trust sells il.
products cheaper to foreign than tC
e home consumers, who is the actua
beneficiary Of the American protec.
tive system? The foreigner or tn,
, home consumer?
| Morgan Crowd wanted Hughes.
l.. In recent speech in New York
s q. w. Perkins. former partner of J
e Z. Morgan, said that Governo
o Hughes was put forward in 1908 b,