The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-12-13
Washington Letter
BY OLSON GARbNER

NASftiNolO.~,I Ice. IL mere are
two remedies which may be applied "a
trusts. One Is to attack the special
privilege Oh which they rest: the
other is to define certain practices
which tend To suppress competition
and 10 attempt by law to eradicate
these practices. President Wilson Is
being urged by some of his cabinet
associates to adopt the former method.
IL is probable. however. that he will
make recommendations along the
lines OF the latter. This Is what he
did as governor OF New Jersey. and
il Is what he orally approved during
the campaign when he accepted the
recommendations OF Mr. Brandeis on
this subject.
In the absence OF a famous hunter
and faunal naturalist, now reported
to be travelling abroad. Senator Elihu
Root IL trying TO sneak few political
properties. such as presidential pri'
maries. short ballot, etc. With the
kind assistance of Mr.. Barnes, Mr..
Borah and Mr.. Cummins. he hopes TO
enable the Republican party to RE-
form itself" business OF beating
the bass drum and blowing discordant
notes on the trombone.l
William j. Bryan as secretary or
state Is not the courageous Bryan we
remember listening TO In 1896 at the
Chicago convention. When heckled at
the National Popular Government
| league convention, last week. by wo'
man suffragist who asked him plainly
/ but respectfully whether he believed
women should be allowed to vote. Col
Bryan weakly sidestepped by answer
ing. In substance. II am sincere
| In the Philippine Islands there Is
prison colony where 1900 convicts
live, work and drill under government
supervisors without bar or bolt te
keep them or gun or armed guart
to restrain them. In this far-off coun
try our people have learned that crime
Is economic in its origin and that the
cure is likewise largely economic
These alleged criminals are called
"colonists. and are given chance
| to work In retaining and cultivatini
the soil. and after a period OF good be
havior are given land for themselves
to own and cultivate. and after
further period of time can bring thei
| wives and children and are to all In
tents free. BY thus treating convicti
as human beings II Is found they &C
like human beings and are just al
good citizens az the judges and ON
cials who condemn them.
| Through the sheaves OF statistics
hurled at the interstate commerce
commission by the railroad experts
now arguing IN favor OF increased
freight rates, there stands out one
fact and one alone. In order TO pay
interest charges on bonds and divi
dend payments on stock. the railroads
need the Ave per cent increase u
! freight rates. But the stock and bonds
tare largely water. The public Is ask
ed to submit to an added FIVE per cent
| tax on all freight transportation
! which means Ave per cent tax or
practically everything consumed
| whuch means that much added to tn
! cost OF living. Why? In order tina
the railroads may pay the dividend or
stocks which they have issued. to q
large extent for speculative purposes
The railroads aresin exactly the posi-
ton of man who comes around or
Monday morning after a Saturday
night spree. He has spent his money
and is touching his friends for the
price of his next weeks meals. The
railroads have rioted away the money
that should have gone into tracks, 10
comotives and ether betterments, and
now they are touching the general
public for a Ave per cent advance.
II the public responds 10 this touch,
will II solve the problem? The rail
roads say they need this increase to
restore their credit and increase
their borrowing power. That means
that they would at once go OF and
issue new securities, which means
more water for the stock. which
means more interest burden. which
means that in Ave years they would
be around again, asking for an In
crease OF ten per cent In freight rates
A cheaper way will be for the govern
ment to take the railroads over (at
actual physical valre) and the rail
roads themselves are beginning to see
this.