Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1912-06-06
VITAL WASHINGTON NEWS


this newspaper
A thousand million dollars a year!
This is the amount that the protected
industries wiring from the American
people over and above a fair profit on
money actually invested according to
an estimate made by United States
Senator Gilbert M. Hitchcock, of Me-
braska. And Senator Hitchcock has
never been charged with making wild
statements impossible to substantial
ton.
Il believe it is within reason to
say, said Senator Hitchcock, at the
conclusion of speech he made on
the subject, that a careful examina-
ton of the profits from all classes Of
privileged wealth in the United States
would reveal that the protected In
dustries of this country exact from
the people over and above fair pro-
fit, approximates thousand millions
of dollars a year. The fact that
these industries have monopoly,
granted them through our laws, en-
ables them to do this.
Senator Hitchcock's speech fairly
abristled with figures, taken from the
most reliable and authentic sources,
to back each of his detailed state
ments.
The steel trust alone gets 100000
900 annually in excess of a fair pro-
business of three thousand million
dollars, and it is admitted that with
out the tariff on steel that trust
would have to sell it's products at ten
per cent less than it now charges,
and ten per cent of three thousand
million dollars is three hundred mill
ion. Every man, woman and child
of the ninety-two millions in this
country, then, pays an annual tribute
of $3.50 to the steel trust, over and
above what they would have to pay if
there were no tariff on steel.
What is the effect of this extortion?
One effect has been to create horde
of mushroom millionaires. Another
effect has been a gradual centraliza-
ton of the wealth of the nation in the
hands of few, with a corresponding
intensity in the struggle for existence
among the masses. Still another eff
feet is seen in the constantly increas-
ing number of strikes. Within the
last 25 years there have been 36,756
strikers in this country most of them
for higher wages. These strikes have
involved total of 100000 workers,
who, with their wives and children,
were driven to suffering and despera-s
Gion.
While the steel trust of this country
enjoys a complete monopoly, due to
the tariff, it finds time to compete
with other nations for steel trade.
Last year the steel makers of this
country sold $3.50, 100000 worth of
steel abroad, which proves concIu-
sfvely that the tariff on steel is not
needed, and that it is simply an arti-
fetal barrier put up to enable the
trust to gouge profibs out of the Amer
lean consumer.
And in the meantime, the Demo-
cratic bill to lower the steel tariff,
having passed the House, lies in the
Republican Senate, still Enacted upon.
Still In the Embalming Business.
Almost simultaneous with the
charges made in Congress by Con-
gresham Nelson that the Department
of Agriculture was letting up in the
meat inspection standard, came the
discovery, at PhiIad elphia, that $4,000
pounds of embalmed beef had been
put aboard the United States Cruiser
Prairie, which was about to proceed
to Cuban waters to help quen the new
revolution in THAT country.
This tainted food was detected, not
by the regular meat inspectors, but
by special inspectors assigned by the
navy department to test that parti-
cuIar consignment of meat. The naval
inspectors described this meat as
filthy and diseased. !"
Solicitor George P. McCabe, the
Wilson underling, who drove DR.. Will
ey out of the government service,
grew very indignant over the Nelson
charge. He called Mr.. Nelson
Liar" and by-standers had to use
force to restrain him from leaping at
the Congressman's throat during one
of the hearings.
The Philadelphia discovery shows
who was telling the truth.
Senator sL0rimer-Patri0t.
Senator Lorimer, in announcing
that he would not resign, has done
this country a real service, and if he
clings to that intention until the ques
ton of his retention can be decided
by vote in the Senate, he will have
performed a really great service.
There are something over forty
Senators who will vote to keep Lori
mer in his tainted seat. If Lorimer
had resigned, they would have es-
capped record vote. Now that he
has announced his intention to stick,
they will be brought fairly to the
scratch and forced to go squarely on
record.
And after they vote for Lorimer
they will he retired just as soon as
the people can get at them. This
will be a mighty good thing for the
country-for which Mr.. Lorimer is
entitled to credit.