The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-16

By Our staff e,orresponde dent.J Washington, April Is The real saoig game that is being played by the law | makers at the Capitol is not what the capitalistfc press and the kept men of privileg would have the American switching from one base to another in adrninistering the affairs Of the coun- I try.
 The real .sbig game, being played by the elements opposing the Demo eracy ana President Wilson IS to pre- vent as much as possible the assuu1p- tion by the government of the control | Of big utilities. and the operation of | the same for the people and by the I people.
 I If the President has his way the l Panama, canal will be put on a basis
 that all who use it will pay The spez Icial privilege people would like to l tumble up the plan of operation so 1 that the government will not be able | to show a report at the end of fiscal 1 years to the effect that Uncle Sam can conduct a big utility with success. It l surely would be jumb4ed np if some classes of shipping were permitted to I use the big ditch free of char ge, and the deficiency made up by q tax on 1 the people. PrIuilege got an awful jolt when tIle I government voted to build railroad i in Alaska, and the governrnent is not going to get much of a chance to show what it can do in the first years by | operating in a virgin country But the |snnen who have had the handling of the peoples money in exploiting the I people do not take kindly to the pro- position under any condition.
 When Postmaster General Burleson ] increased the weight of parcels to be l carried By parcel post the privileged l classes of yesterday were frantic and l they tried to curb the Postu1aster l General in the Senate. But they lost and the people won.
 Board of trade commercial clubs. | particularly in the eastern states pass ed resolutions and riaIs asking 1 the government to let the poor ex- l press conpanies alone. But Demo cracys went marching on | Now comes a move to increase the l freight rates on eastern railroads which have been footed by insiders and management for years. They want the people to come to their aid instead of making the Iooters put back-t heir | il gotten gains.
 l Senator Cummins, of Iowa, one of the bright spots of the Republican I party. all hail to him. made a speech Lin the Senate recently in which he
 sistent campaign was being made to arouse public sympathy for the re- l quest for per cent. increase in freight rates on eastern railroads.
 Here is what he said, and please re- 1 member he is a Republican but a patriotic American: They are trying 1 to mislead and pervert the Judgment For the people. They are trying to awaken sympathy by false pretenses. l They are trying to deceive the coun- stry with exaggerated cries of suffering and distress in order to escape the E <7<- 1 strated should be imposed upon all
 corporations which undertake 2 prlb- 1 lie service
 Adequate government control such las the people have talked of and
 dreamed of for railroads is here if the people will keep stiff upper lip and stand by the government; even though the slick gentlemen who have played "a shell game with railroad for their pea and a loud issue for their walnut sflell do not like it if Uncle Sam has stepped in to run the game
 No one feels SO sore at the law as l the cappers of a thirnbIe game when the constable cleans up the county flair grounds, and is it any wonder that 1 lthe people who sell railroad supplies l and the many small fry who get their living from railroads. including the paid press agent. are making a big 1 screa,r r1l,,s when the law is chasing the Ion1y expert nnanipulators of the elusive pellet off the lot If they can't come back and get some more easy money | the gang will all have to go to work. This same gang yelled Bankrtupcy 1 when the tariff was prop osed.
 They screamed Ropbers when the 1 income tax was enacted.
 The bankers were all going to be-
 come farmers when the currency bill 1 was proposed, but those who protested
 the loudest were the first to accept | Federal supervision.
 I Now that the legislation is coming 1 along to knock out interlocking dfrec- l torates and holding companies the
 crowd can hardly get it's breath to I shout a protest although many of the
 boards of trade and commercial as 1 sociatfonss are getting enough people together to adopt resolutions that lcover ub a great deal Of paper but
 which are really not half as much ac- Icount as the sweet nothings a tongue tied boy could lisp into the ear of his sweetheart.
 These resolutions say: We protest l against anything and everything that might be done but we know that you
 won't do it: and we protest against any careless interference with business, and urge that everything that is done sl be done in as gentle a manner as pos I sibIe We have been cleaning ur
 about. 300 per cent. and the pickings
 If you must take the picIxings leave
 l us the 300 per cent. or the means to I get it Do not wound business by re-
 moving our hard working interlock1ng .I directors. We need them to carry the
 I ahead fD1