Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-05-17

sent. of water may have been c
into the stock, as appears t
% have been done in the case of s
The steel trust, but still, according {
To the platform promise, the CON
Germ is entitled to reasonable
profit, and the interested parties {
are to decide what constitutes n k
profit.
ut is said when the ga directors
Of the steel trust sit down to their
table the owners of one-twe!fth CT
the wealth of the United STATES is
represented in their chairs. This is
further Illustrated by the fact that
1 Per cent. of the American people
own more property than the other
80 per cent.
"Of all those who have suffered
from tariff exactions none have SUI
fered more than the farmers. Ncle.
have given more or gotten less
through protection than they have.
1t is said by protectionists that
putting agricultural implements uron
the free list will not give them
any relief; that they can now buy
agricultural implements cheaper than
they can be bought in any other
country. Then what objection can
there be to putting agricultural i'm
plements on the free list?"
In six weeks the democratic House
of Repres entatives has passed more
progressive and antitrust leg
islation than the republicans pass
ed In fourteen years administration
OF that branch Of congress.
The achievement up-to-date In
cludes the passage of bill provid-
Ing fer the publicity of campaign con-
tributions before instead Of after
elections; the election of United
States senators by direct vote Of the
u people; reciprocity with Canada AID
the farmers free list bill, with oth-
ar legislation to follow promptly.
Il Agitation for much of this legisla-
ton has been going on fer years. The
republicans heard the demand of the
people for relief, but could not enact
such legislation as has been passed
by the Democratic House be-
cause they for years had
been receiving enormous cam
; paign contributions from the tarii
. trusts and other interests which are
opposed to progressive legislation o.
5 1.-THE character passed by the demo
j Gratis.
The republicans have not onl!
!. been obliged not to interfere witt
the monoplies and profits Of the tar
If trusts, but because of having ac
cepted campaign funds from the grea
corporations they have been practical
ly compelled to extend to them i'm
immunity from investigation as we!
as prosecution.
VI More than score of resolution.
providing for the investigation of tn,
steel trust, the sugar trust ant
e other big industrial combines were
introduced in every session of Con
sress while the republicans were il
e power. These resolutions, one ant
d all, were referred to committee
that had been especially packed b.
Speaker Cannon with men friendl
i to special privilege, with the rssul
that all such resolutions died IN CON
mittee.
III Now it is different. For the firs
a time since the trust question has bee
acute, the House of Representative
has an antitrust majority.
The result is that the big com
mittees are manned by men who ar
d free to go ahead and investigate
and IL the evidence warrants, t
n take the proper sters toward bring
ing about the prosecution of illega
combinations in existence in re
q straint Of trade.
III For the first time in a goo
many years the Capitol Of the Unit
ed States will soon be the scene o
honest Investigations of the indus
trial trusts Of the country
Heretofore it has been impossible
for the government to control tn,
trusts because the trusts conroale,
the government. Now it is to b
! determined whether the govern
ment Of the people or special priv
lege shall occupy the saddle.
What Free List Bill Is.
{ Upon close investigation tn,
farmers free list" bill becomes
] mighty interesting measure. 1t III
taxes many articles the farmers use
" but it means about as much to al
e other consumers. 1t puts 100 art
E cles of common use on the free lis
ind it Is estimated that it viii
save the public some 5000, 900, 900.
The measure won't hit the revenue
hard. either. The tariff is nearl.
! prohibitive on the 100 articles con
,erned, SO that, the custom ge.
only $1,000, 900 from this source.
Republicans Forlorn.
IL Dislnayed at the reverses sustain
q ed in the last election, discourage.
! over the outlook for the future, an,
: realizing that they cam take no stan.
, against the progressive democrat
, legislation that will be backed W
/ by popular sentiment, the republican
minority In the House of Represen
, tatives presents a sorry spectacle.
Minority Leader Mann seems to b,
. following no set policy, except one O