The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-06-06
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

| washington, June IA thousand
million dollars a year!
This is the amount that the pro-
tected industries wiring from the
American people annually, over and
above fair profit of capital actually
invested, according to statement
of Senator Gilbert M: Hitchcock OF
Nebraska. And Senator Hitchcock
is not given to making wild or eX-
trcvagant statements.
81 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 this country
would reveal that the protected in
dustries exact from the people APP
proximately a thousand million dol
lars year, over and above fair
profit. The fact that these indus
tries have monopoly enables them
to do this
: Senator Hitchcock's speech fairly
bristled with figures, taken from the
most reliable and authentic sources,
to back up each of his facts.
The steel trust alone gets $780,
100000 annually in excess of fair
profit This monopoly does an an
nual business of three thousand mil
lion dollars year, and it is estimat-
ed that without the tariff, the steel
trust would have to sell its products
for 10 per cent less than it now sells
them, and ten per cent Of three
thousand million is three hundred
thousand. Every man, woman and
child of the 100000 in this coun-
try, then, pays an annual tribute OF
$3.50 each to this trust, over and
above what they would have to pay
, if the tariff were taken from steel.
What is the effect Of this eXtor-
ton? One effect has been to create
horde CT mushroom millionaires.
Another effect has been gradual
naturalization of the nations wealth
into few hands, with a consequent
intensifying of the struggle for exist
ence among the masses. Still an
other effect is seen in the vast num-
Der of strikes. Within the last 25
years 36,756 strikes have been de-
clared in this country, most of them
for higher wages. These strikes
have involved a total Of 100000
workers, who, with their families,
were driven to hunger and suffering.
| While the steel trust enjoys COM
plete monopoly due to the tariff, it
finds times to compete with other ma
tons for steel trade outside of the
United States. Last year the steel
makers of this country sold $780,
100000 worth of steel abroad in
direct competition with the steel
makers of Europe, thus proving con-
tbat toriff m &c mot
needed to "protect American work.
men," since American Workmen do
not get any more than their fellows
abroad The tariff is simply a bar
rier put up to enable the steel trust
to gouge millions out of the home
consumer.
And in the meantime, the demo-
cratic bill to lower the tariff on steel
having passed the house, lies in the
republican senate, still Enacted upon
Still Embalming Beef.
| Almost simultaneously with the
Icharges made in congress by Con.
gresham Nelson that the Depart
ment of Agriculture was letting up
in the meat inspection standard
comes the discovery, at Philadelphia
that $4,000 pounds of "embalmed'
beef had been put aboard the United
States cruiser Prairie which was
about to proceed to Cuba to help
country.
This tainted food was detected
not by the regular meat inspectors
but by special inspectors assigned by
the Navy Department to test that
particular consignment of meat. The
naval inspectors described this meat
which was intended for the American
soldiers and sailors as filthy ano
diseased"
Solicitor George P. McCabe, the
Wilson underling who drove DR.
Wiley out of the government service
grew very indignant when Congress
man Nelson first asserted that the
meat inspectors of the agricultural
department were not doing thei1
duty by the public.
But the Philadelphia discover!
shows that Nelson knew what hi
was talking about.
} Senator Lorimer-Patriot.
Senator Lorimer, in announcing
that he would not resign, has done
this country a great service, and i
he clings to that intention until the
question of his retention can be de-
cided by vote in the senate he viii
have performed a really great SER
vice.
There are something over forty
senators who will vote to keep Lor.
inner in his tainted seat. If Lorimer
had resigned, they would have escap-
ed record vote. Now that he has an
nounced 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 be 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.
Old Doctor Gallinger.
Among the United States Senators
who will vote to retain Lorimer in
H. ~