The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1914-07-23

The truth is that Mr.. Carnagis has
long been rejecting the opinion OF the
steel trust in his declarations for tariff
reform" The steel trust has become
international-it would like to buy and
manufacture in the cheapest labor and
material markets Of the world, know
ing that it is strong enough to protect
itself by agreements and the other
weapons OF monopoly against competi'
ton in the American market.
The prediction was made By protec
tionists that the repeal of the steel
tariff would as matter OF fact benefit
the steel trust ultimately, because it
would thereby be enabled TO retain
this market and at the same time erect
plants in the cheap labor, cheap raw
material markets OF Europe and the
Orient. The trust, it was said, and
this is being proved would be bene-
fitted by the injury inflicted upon its
independent competitors in the United
States and the impossibility Of their
withstanding the competition Of the
foreign producer. These predictions
are working out. Unquestionably the
steel trust magnates have been sur
prised by the effect the blow struck
at the general prosperity Of the conntry
oy the new tariff law has had upon
their business.
But big business is at this moment
fulfilling the predictions Of protection
lists by preparing to establish plants
abroad. The Standard Oil Company
group recently made an investment Of
many millions in the oil fields and in
dustries OF CHM, 1t is now stated
,hat the Bethlehem Steel Company, ol
which Charles M. Schwab is the NOV
ing spirit, has arranged to lend thirty
million dollars TO the Chinese govern
ment for the erection of a naval dock
and defences at Shanghai. This is
taken to foreShadow the establishment
Of steel plants in China by this Amer
can corporation. Hankow already has
one OF the largest steel plants in the
world, with iron, coal and water Car
rage all grouped in one spot, and labor
at from 5 to II cents day Nagasaki
has the second largest steel mill in the
world, also operated under wage
scale that would not keep an American
household in milk and butter. An
immense steel mill is being erected in
the Ganges hasin. India has untold
millions Of people willing TO work Ior a
few cents a day. With free access to
American markets for the finished out
put Of such mills why should the
United States Steel Corporation worry
about high costs Of production in the
United States? It can close its plants
in the United States and manufacture
with coolie labor. And this is the sort
Of thing our government is engaged
in encouraging.
The beef trust has, Of course, shown
us Just how free trade in live stock and
meat destroys it. The beef trust long
ago got ready Tor tariff reform by get
ting control Of the meat supply in
South America. One may we'll i'm
agine just how real was that alleged
battle OF the beef trust against tariff re-
vision downward when the Infamous"
Payne. Aldrich law was being framed.
Yet the people were gulled by this
buncombe in the magazines and news
papers and in the mouths Of politicians.
Tariff reform turns out to be most
preposterous fake. 1t hasn't revised
downward the high cost Of living. 1t
hasn't put a crimp in the trusts, as the
Baltimore platform said it would. il
hasn't done anything except to throw
hundreds OF thousands Of American
wage esrners out Of work, paralyze in
dustry, and put business on the blink.
But it has given American big bust
ness a chance to buy labor ill the
cheap markets Of the world and dump
the product on the United States.
Indiana State Journal.