Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-12-01
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
BY CLYDE II. TAvENNER.


Washington, D. c.. November 81, 1911.
That Morgan, Rockefeller and other trus
magnates consider themselves too sacred
to be prosecuted for violating the law has
been known for some time t...
But that they consider themselves toe
sacred to be even investigated was moi
known until the Stanley investigating com.
mittee was politely asked by the steel trust
attorneys to please abandon its inquiry
because of the Wickersham suit to dissolve
the trust.
Should this request be gratifed it would
mean that the Wickersham suit is a God
send to the trust, inasmuch as ii sidetracks
an honest and searching investigation of
a monopoly that Attorney General Wick
ersham himself claims to be illegal. That
the trust fears continuation of the inves-
tigation by committee that is not packed
with special-interest servers, more than it
does suit to dissolve" conducted by an
attorney general who was former trust
attorney, has been known for some time.
Thanks to Democratic majority on the
Stanley committee, the investigation will
proceed. But wishing to be entirely fair to
all concerned, the committee has discon-
tinued public hearings until full commit
tee can pass on the proposition. II is
already known that the committee favors
a continuation of the probe.
COMMERCE COURT ATTACKED,
Owing to the fact that nearly every time
the Interstate Commerce Commission de-
cides case favorable to the shippers and
the Taft Commerce Court reverses the de-
cision to the benefit of the railroads,
there is movement among Democratic
and progressive Republican Congressman
to legislate the Commerce Court out of ex-
istence.
Judge Thetus W. Sims, of Tennessee,
already has bill prepared for the abolition
of the court, and he will ask his Democratic
colleagues in the House to pass the measure.
WALL STREET INTERESTED.
The Clearing House Association of New
York is raising fund of $l50000, to be
contributed by bankers to aid the cam
paign in behalf of ex-senator Aldrich's
money scheme for the further concentra-
ton of the money power and control of
credit of the country
DEMOCRAT FROM New MEXICO.
Although the regular or standpat Repub-
lican organization has carried a majority
of members of the New Mexico legislature
chosen three weeks ago, indications are
that one Democrat and one progressive
Republican will be elected Senators.
DEMOCRATS FRIENDLY To LABOR.
Legislation helpful to the cause of the
workingman will be passed by the Sixty
second Congress. The labor leaders have
assurances that the Democratic majority
in the House will take up the subjects of
employers liability. extension of the eight
hour day In government work, restriction
of the power of injunction, strengthening
of the safety appliances law, and prohibit
ton of the so-called Taylor system in gov
eminent work. W. B. Wilson, of Pennsyl-
vania, chairman of the labor committee of
the House, is himself an active member of
the miners union, which is an assurance
that labor problems will receive fair
hearing before his committee.
A DEMOCRATIC WAY.
Congressman X. L. Henry, of Texas,
chairman Of the Rules Committee of the
House, will make an effort during the
coming session of Congress to amend the
Sherman antitrust law so that trust
criminals" as he terms them, may be put
in jail when they violate the law. He is
convinced there is no other remedy for the
trust evil.
Heavy fines and dissolution suits are
child's play for trust magnates, he said,
explaining the bill that he will introduce.
'Felons stripes is the only remedy for these
commercial outlaws who violate the law
My bill legislates the rule of reason out
of the Sherman law. and specifically defines
just what constitutes a trust, so that there
can be no further evasion on the ground
that the statute is ambiguous
The Henry bill will provide Imprisonment
for not less than two years for each viola
ton. The Texas member has assurances
he says, that this bill will become law
ECONOMY Or Production"
Tainted news articles are being sent out
from Washington to the effect that if the
steel trust is forced to dissolve IL will be
too bad for the poor consumers, for they
will henceforth be deprived Of the economy
Of production" resulting from the one man
management Of the steel business of the
country. The literature goes on to say
that great saving in the cost of manu-
facture has been effected by the scientific
systemizatiOn Of steel manufacture by the
trust
The fact Is, however, that the present
prices of tin plate. wire and wire products
are from 10 TO so per cent. higher than
the prices that prevailed before the fOrma-
ton Of the tin plate and wire trusts in
1898. AS result Of the economy Of
production which accompanied the birth Of
the barbwire trust. the price Of that article
jumped from $1.80 per hundred pounds in
1893 10 $4.13 In 1899. The present price
is $2.05, and the quality is much inferior
to that turned out before the trust was
formed.
The steel rail pool has maintained the
price Of steel rails rigidly at $28 a ton
every day since the steel corporation was
formed. Previously, steel rails were selling
well below $50 ton.
The rule has been that prices have nd
vanced rapidly when trusts were formed.
If, as the steel trust literature alleges,
there were great economics Of production"
the same has gone TO pay dividends Of
watered stock, 10 Offset heavy contributions
TO Republican campaign funds and 10
make up the S29, 100000 Of clear profit
that j. p. Morgan drew down for the part
he played in organizing the Illegal steel
trust.
RETAILERS ARE BAD MEN
The retailers and not the trusts nor the
tariff are responsible for the ever-increasing
cost of living in the United Statesl At
least II the semi-official statements as TO
the work Of the tariff board are TO be be-
lieved, this is the kind Of a report that is
to emanate from that body. up with the
tariff rates Down with the dry goods mer
chant and the corner grOcer% will likely
be the protecti0nist cry from now hence
forward until November. 1912. The tariff
hoard coTnn oaed of nrofectionista 81 nd neOr-
started out with the obvious
Of finding the tariff not
guilty, and they intend to return such a
verdict, even though the political heavens
fall.
Backache, Headache, Nervousness
and rheumatism, both in men and women,
mean kidney trouble Do not allow II 10