The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-20

Legislation In this country, poth
State and national. which has been
enacted in the past sixty years seems
to have been aimed at tho placing
Of letters upon our progress In every
direction and defeating our obtaining
the full value Of our Astounding riches.
II has been truly stated that our
statesmen seem to consider thrift a
crime and they are doing their utmost
to kill the geese that lay the golden
eggs.
First and foremost came our bank
ing laws. which were the laughing
stock Of civilized nations while they
lasted-the legal tender outlaw under
which our Government was shame
less repudiator for sixteen and a
half years. The effect Of this Is seen
to-day in the Advertisements of bonds
for sale by States, cities and large
corporations. which buyers recognize
and decline to buy unless the sellers
promise payment in gold. Then fol-
lowed the inequitable revenue laws.
Sixty years ago our merchant
marine was the monarch OF the seas.
Our foreign trade was almost wholly
under the Stars and Stripes. increas-
Ing N wealth and ships with inherent
strength only. Only an occasional
Cunarder or other English vessel was
then seen in New York Harbor. Our
railroads were very prosperous, Their
systems were expanding rapidly. at
tracing vast foreign capital in their
extension. Foreign capital has Stunned
US of late years.
Since then our statesmen have
completely driven our shipping from
the seas, the last line-the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company-siving way
to q Japanese steamship company.
now making millions Of dollars out OF
that abandoned field.
Not satisfied with this slaughter.
their attention was directed to the
railroads, and in 1866, having no other
help than their own credit we rranted
and having had the prairies Of the
West gridironed by railroads to which
they had not contributed one dollar.
they enacted the Potter law in Wis
consin reducing the rates Of 4 or 6
cents a mile for passengers. and
cent. Other Republican and Demo-
cratic States followed suit, as no one
could be elected to office who could
not exhibit the scalp Of o corporation
in his belt or promise to get one there
IL elected. This resulted. as the
records show. in bankrupting about
rs per cent. OF the western and south
ern railroads. AS some more fortu-
nately situated systems survived to
prove to them and to others that there
was a punishment after death rail-
road commissions were appointed to
reduce rates on all and to advance
wages, the result OF which is pain
fully manifest everywhere to-day.
Thus our vast and highly prosper
GUS transportation systems on sea and
on land are reduced to beggary and
our Government is now forced to sup
ply prodigious amounts to keep our
railroads running and our foreign
commerce afioat. which would have
been wholly unnecessary but for the
legislation described. To provide this
needed money coarse, untried and in
explicahle laws have lately been
passed and some important ones made
at the option Of inexperi-
enced officials. Two distinct classes
OF citizens have been created in this
land of equal rights-those who have
and those who have not. the former
class forced to cut their prices 10. 20,
80. 40 or even SO per cent. to favor
the latter class. producing such horror |,
and dismay throughout our business
that no man in business
can make any safe calculation where
he Is going to land IL he proceeds. So
the vast sources which naturally |
would provide our great transporta-
ton systems with business are being |
dried up.
However. nothing demonstrates the |
vast riches OF this nation or the
strength OF its people better than to |
see how they have survived the havoc |
their statesmen have made. not alone |
in their response to appeals to aid in |
raising colossal amounts for cur war !
and its charities. but in advancing
: :. 900, 900, 900 to assist our Allies and |
prodigious sums for charities which .
began at our homes but which do not /
end there.
Now this war. all admit. is to end .
kaiserism for all time and bring peace ,
on earth for an unlimited period. So .
Il must and will end, for that vigorous,
Kaiser is in the ring
With twenty-four nations after his |
zcaln and I am betting they will get