The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1912-09-27

the lure Of great power. The peo-
pie must seek intelligently, or they
will in their struggles only be
plunged into deeper and deeper
darkness by the carefully laid plans
and schemes of the very brightest
intellects of the time, and all In
the name Of ''big business"
Behind all the turmoil of poll
tics today lies some big reason. The
great business of the people, the
most vital business that has ever
confronted the people Of the coun-
try, is to find out this reason. MIL
lions and millions of dollars are
being spent In the present CAM
paign. And It is not to elect this
man or that-the reason lies deep
er.
In order to arrive at some intel
ligent discussion of the matter, one
may with benefit consider the steel
and harvester trusts, the latter one
Of those to which Mr.. Roosevelt re-
ferred to as "Good" trusts, and
which Is now undergoing q very
searching Investigation at the behest
of President Taft, with results pat
emit to all who read the daily press.
Waving the charges of undue
friendships with these trusts on the
part Of Mr.. Roosevelt. 1t will be
admitted by everyone that they
were at least not seriously ham
pered during his incumbency.
Under President Taft these trusts,
with many others, were and are
being subjected to federal and state
Investigation and prosecution In the
state Of Texas today there II not q
single foreign corporation doing
business ALI have been driven out
and forced to incorporate under. the
Jaws OF Texas. where they are sub
jected to state regulation and su-
pervision. In Oklahoma, Kansas
and Missouri they have been Sc
verely dealt with, and other states
are about to follow the same line.
Thus has occurred under Mr.. Taft
q series OF legal battles very dis-
tressing to the financial octopuses,
,hampering their mushroom develops
'ment and threatening to seriously
impair their dividends. It I IL but
natural that these trusts win make
some effort to relieve themselves Of
conditions SO embarrassing. Hav-
ing great wealth and power these
trusts are able to attract some of
the keenest intellects, and these
men are assuredly planning some
such move.
Among the myriad propositions
that are before the people there is
but one which would relieve these
trusts from this state "molestation"
Federal control Of corporations,
advocated by Mr.. Roosevelt.
Federal control would take the
matter entirely out Of the hands OF
the people and render the trusts
amenable to the government at
Washington alone. Instead Of hav-
ing to night the government and 4S
states, they would only have to fight
the government--they would have
to deal with but one board-the
Board Of Control, situated at Wash
ington.
It will be admitted that the steel
and harvester trusts have eliminated
practically all competition in the
United States, The business of these
trusts has grown to such an extent
that the market afforded in this
country Is utterly inadequate to
their output. 1t has become neces-
sary to enter the foreign market on
q very extended scale. This means
that they have to compete with for
eign labor while paying a much
higher wage scale, which taxes the
ingenuity Of even q trust. There IL
but one answer to the problem for
the steel. and harvester trusts: the
wages must be reduced.
But 1t has been clearly evidenced
by recent investigations In the stee
mills that the men are now
working vt wage lower than which
they cannot subsist. To lower the
wage scale. the cost of living mus,
be lowered Is no other way,
Hence It Is to the interests Of
the steel and harvester trusts tC
lower the cost of living, that the
wage scale may be lowered accord
ingly. It will be remembered that
twice has Mr.. Carnegie asked that
the tariff be taken on steel.
With federal control assured, re
lieving them of incessant "mo-
lestation" by individual states, will
sweeping reduction of the tarif
along the line of food stuffs that
they might lower the wage scale, thu
steel and harvester trusts would
have accomplished their purpose and
be enabled to compete with foreign
labor, at the same time not impair.
ing their dividends of 20 per cent
on the immense issues of watered
stock.
But who would have to pay the
bill? The answer IL apparent: The
farmer. He It Is who produces thu
foodstuffs, he It 10 who must sui.
fer II the tariff be removed blindly
And the only ones who profit are
the steel and harvester trusts.
Many producers and many con.
sumers would welcome solution O
the ever-recurring tariff question OF
basis that would be permanent
Such settlement IL possible, To-
even the office-hungry Democrat
would not dare oppose openly al
adjustment Of tariff rates that wouls
az duties equalizing the cost OF pro
duction at home and abroad. II
effect this. facts must be collected
AZ to the cost of production a
home and abroad that would satisf,
every citizen in the country, excep
the Democrats. who would thus b,
deprived Of their sole remaining
political issue.