The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-01-04
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


fooled by the old bugaboo about
democratic success meaning bust
ness depression l am familiar with
how the democratic' leaders feel
about this, and the leaders and the
majority of the party are conserva-
tive. The tariff will be revised
downward, but it will be done con-
servatively, and without disturbing
business conditions unnecessarily.
Democrats realize that business men
have rights which must be protect
ed"
This statement by Congressman
John H. Rothermel, of Pennsylvania,
chairman of the committee on eX-
penditures in the department or
commerce and labor, is endorsed by
all the democrats in congress. Mr..
Rothermel's home is in Reading,
PENNSYLVANIA, which is in the heart
of the Pennsylvania manufacturing
section.
Evidence is multiplying that bus
mess men do not fear democratic
success in 1912, and that, on the con-
trary, they will welcome it. This is
due almost wholly, the house leaders
say, to the business like way IN
which the democrats have handled
affairs since they were placed in con-
troll of the lower house of congress
a year ago. The steel trust, which
would have more reason than any
other trust to be suspicious OF demo-
cratic success, is thriving as never
before at this season of the year, and
the customary holiday let up of
twelve days was reduced to two.
Early in January. it is said, the steel
mills all over the country will be
working up to 80 per cent of capacity.
Blast furnaces, long idle, have re-
sumed operations, and the steel cor
porations confidently expects 1912 to
be the banner year of it's history.
The same story of increased activ-
ity is told by the railroads. The New
York, New Haven and Hartford,
which last spring laid off several
thousand men, lately has taken them
all back, and many more besides.
The shops at Hartford, the company
officials say, will be buster during
the coming year than they have been
for four years back. All the big
railroads have placed large orders
for new equipment, a recent order OF
the New York Central alone calling
for an expenditure of $23,0O0,O00.
All of them are working their men to
capacity.
Republican orators who expect to
fool the voters with the old scare
about democratic success meaning
business depression are going to have
both hands full from now on.
What Tariff Board Proves.
The Taft tariff board exOnerates
wooden manufacturers of anything
like taking advantage of high tariff
rates to advance prices. The boards
report would make it appear that
the wooden trust wouldn't do such a
thing.
But the report isn't altogether
useless, because it proves beyond
successful contradiction:
First-That Schedule "K' is in
defensible; it proves this conclusive
ly and for all time.
Second-lt confirms practically
every charge made against the wool
en- schedule by democrats and pro-
gressive republicans.
Third-It proves that the Ameri-
can people are victims of extortion
from wool manufacturers.
Fourth-And that President Taft S
veto of the Observation-Disclosures
bill was against the interests of
10000, 900 consumers of woolens;
that it was absolutely unjustified;
unnecessary. and therefore unforgiy-
able.
Tariff Protects Trusts Only.
Louis D. Brandeis, the famous
Boston lawyer, who looks, acts
walks, and talks like Abraham Lin
coin, while testifying before the SEN
ate trust investigating committee,
showed how the trusts receiving the
greatest protection have destroyed
trades unionism, reduced wages, in
creased working hours, and driven
Americans out and brought foreign
immigrant labor into their mills.
He exposed the injustice and fu-
tility of the tobacco trust settlement,
effected by the United States SUI
preme court, and said the rule laid
down amounted to this: What
man has illegally joined togther, let
no court put asunder.
In contrast with the record of the
tariff protected trusts, Br. Brandeis
presented instances where prices
have been reduced, and wages raised,
in industries operated under free
competition. Yet the standpatters
would have the working men believe
that the Payne-Aldrich high protec-
ton wall was put up exclusively for
their benefit.
Will Gather the Coin.
The republicans have selected the
man who is to be in charge of the
filling of the republican campaign
barrel for the 1912 contest. He is
Fred U. Upham, who was assistant
trust contribution grabber in 1908.
Between presidential campaigns Mr..
Upham trains with the Busse ma
chine in Chicago. runs coal mon
opoly during the winter and an ice
trust during the summer, and also
has a lumber company, railroad,
and a few banks and trust concerns.
An ideal se1ection!
The Laws Reward.
United States circuit court judge
Peter S. Grosscup, of Chicago. has
managed to make. millionaire out