Baxter Springs news., 1918-10-18
ATTENTION VOTERS!

OCrhtic paper IN OOuIHWeSLeru MIS-
souri,, Southeastern Kansas and
Northeastern Oklahoma, in its issue
of September 9th contained the fol-
lowing important editorial:
"Are They Justified in Being Sus.
picious"
Suspicious people are not particu-
larly popular, but there are times
when suspicious seem justified.
"After q week or two Of compare
tive strength in the spelter market at
New York, producers Of zinc ore in
this district were looking for possibly
q raise Of $3.50 q ton in ore prices
last week, or, at the worst, the con-
tinuation of the prices in existence
during the previous week. To their
surprise, the price of ore was cut $3.50
a ton, this being due, it was said, to
the fact that the spelter market at
New York had suddenly become "de-
moralized." Quotations on spelter by
the New York Metal Exchange Thurs
day afternoon indeed did show a de-
cided lowering in prices, and the ex-
tremcly widespread Of 8 to 8 cents
was reported. But the mysterious,
not to say suspicious circumstances
connected with this quotation was
that trade papers published in New
York on that day reported no sales of
spelter below 8 cents.
Producers would like to know how
this quotation happened to be made.
They are not questioning the reliabil-
ity of the Associated Press IN report
ing the Metal Exchange figure but
they are wondering how such quota
tion could have been made by the eX-
change il no sales Of spelter were
made on that day below 9 cents. And
they are wondering particularly how
it "happened" that the market sud-
denly became "demoralized"s on the
day before the market for zinc ore
was to be made in this district. The
fact that the decentralization" turned
out to be nothing of the sort adds ia
the significance of its coming at the
particular time It did.
Producers are wondering if they
have any right to be suspicious, and,
If they do have such a right, what
they should do about it. Slashing the
ore market $3.50 ton is a pretty
serious proposition when the output Of
this entire great zinc producing dis
trict is considered"
When Democrat paper with the
standing of The Globe comes out will,
a leading editorial calling the conduct
Of the Smelter Trust Suspicious" in
this manner, it simply charges that
which every small operator and miner
knows to be true, that is that such
trust is being permitted to manipulate
the zinc market unhindered and un.
hampered, not withstanding war
times, and that such trust should be
curbed and controlled the same as
some of the other industries are, and
especially in view of the fact, pointed
out by The Globe. that they are guilty
Of bold robbery. Such conduct should
not be permitted to be intruded up
on the public. Committee after COM
mittee has gone to Washington in an
effort to secure some relief from the
situation but none comes. THE small op-
orators as we'll as every zinc miner in
the district knows too well the truth
fulness of The Globes statement, be-
cause have they not had it brought
home to themselves and their families
by being required to pay from 25 to
so per cent more for all the necessi-
ties of life and yet the very article
upon which they most depend for a
livelihood, which means their earnings
and wages, has been constantly re-
duced in price until the cost Of pro-
duction exceeds the market price. And
do they not also know that these man.
mutations have caused many mills and
mines to be shut down? Is it any
wonder that the operators that are
not allied with the trust and zinc min
ers, who are also aloof from that
powerful concern, are inquiring why
there is not more regulation touching
this vitality important industry, not
only vital to this district but to the
war and the nation rs we'll as her
brave sons. OF course the small OPP
orator and the zinc miners are help
less. Do the voters in this district
need more to make them realize their
duty at the polls November the 9Th?
The laboring man in this district
has just reason to complain Of the
conditions that exist.
z The follOxing is-a, plank in the Re.
publican state platform, and is Il not
time that the -tOtsrs SHOULD stand by
the party -dhSt- takes n square stand
for the laboring man?
nAna L. II