The Southern Mercury. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 23, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 5, 1903 Page: 4 of 8
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THE SOUTHERN MERCURY.
WEEKLY.
Oallaa. Texas.
Fubliihed every Thursday. SubucrlptloB
price fl Per year In advance.
MILTON PARK....Managing Editor.
Entered at the Dalian. Texas poatot-
fire a* mall matter of the "fond claaa.
Receipts for moneys given by the Man*
B(ring Editor only will be recoRnlaed.
Main office: 218-215 Commerce St. (cor-
ner Lamar, Gaston Building), Dallas,
Texas.
Congress to give the country a mora
elastic currency a financial panic will
surely ensue next spring, when the
time comes to move the cotton and
wheat crops. As matters stand there
will not be money enough to enable
the growers to get their products off
their hands, and a financial stringency
that will paralyze industry will natur-
ally follow."
LINCOLN FRIEND TO LABOR.
In my present position I could
scarcely be Justified were ^aJnst tj,0jxhen why talk about "joining" the
Those who have been frightened out
of their wits by the blow and bluster
of Socialists about the growth of their
organization In the United States dur-
ing the past two years should stop and
enquire why it was that the Mlno
Workers Union at their recent national
meeting at Indianapolis did not en-
dorse the Socialist demand for govern-
ment ownership of the anthracite
mines. They have been claiming that
all the miners are Socialists. Such is
not the fact. The truth is, there are
not as many Socialists In the United
States as there are Populists In Texas
THE BEST SOLUTION OF THE
TARIFF QUESTION.
In Which the Benefit* of Government
Ownership Are Viewed From a
Novel Standpoint—Unanswer-
able Argument For It.
lists in Texas, as well as everywhere
else, should brace up and stand by
their principles. Things will move
our way soon if we only stand firm and
show to the world that we know what
we want and how we are to get It.
Imfrnfeh oTreturningdespotTsm. It is j Socialist? Mahomet must come to the
not needed nor fitting here that a gen- mountain, if any move Is made. Popu-
eral argument should be made in favor
of popular Institutions, but there is one
point not so hackneyed to which I ask
a brief attention. It Is ®ffort to
place capital on an equal footing with,
if not above, labor in the structure of
government. It is assumed that labor
is available only In connetclon with
capital; that nobody labors unless
somebody else owning capital some-
how by the use of It Induces him to
labor. But capital Is the fruit of la-
bor and could never have existed If
labor had not flrst existed. Labor Is
the superior of capital, and deserves
much the higher consideration. No
men living are more worthy to be trust-
ed than those who toil up from pov-
erty none less inclined to take or
touch aught which they have not hon-
estly earned. Let them beware of sur-
rendering a political power which they
already possess, and which, if surren-
dered, will surely be used to close the
By J. L. Rich, Manor, Texas.
That the tariff question will be
leading Issue 'in the coming presiden-
tial campaign. Is conceded by all. That
it will be the roost prominent issue, is
claimed by some. That it has been
the most prominent issue before every
national campaign, except two, during
the past thirty years, we all know;
and I do not know how many before
then, as the TIlden-Hays campaign of
1876 was the first one that I have any
recollection of; but I well remember
that "protective tariff"and"free trade"
were the war-cries of the two contend-
ing parties. I was only a boy then, not
quite entering my teens, but I took a
keen interest because of the very rosy
hue in which our Democratic speakers
pictured everything, If under the Demo-
cratic rule. They had figures to show
that shoes, hats, clothing, etc., would
cost only about half what they did
then, under the Republican high tariff.
I was particularly interested in new
shoes, and clothing. My father was
poor, and I got only about one pair of
Willis J. Albbot, In the Pilgrim, dc- cheap shoes each year; and they would
■lares: "We know of nothing in his- require new half-soles about the middle
tory that has helped the socialist prop- of winter, to enable them to last me
until spring, when I would go bare-
footed until the next winter. As I
had only the one pair, when my shoes
aganda so much as the steel trust.
With Its president, careering over Eu-
rope on a protracted pleasure trip,
gambling at. Monte Carlo, supplying! required new half-soles I would go to
whole villages with wine, and general-'the cobbler's shop, pull them off and
ly deporting himself like one of Oulda's wait until he pegged them.
spendthrift lords, the contention that. A Homespun View.
superior talent and executive ability j Well, after hearing these speakers
is required to manage great Industrial give figures on the tariff, visions of
corporations is demolished. A very new shoes and new clothes floated be-
little figuring will show that the gov- fore me; for. if the Democrats were
eminent could buy the whole plant ejected .why could I not have two pairs
and pay for It in less than half a cen- j of shoes where I had only one pair
tury." There is food for serious! now. a pair for every day, and another
door"of"advancement against such as I thought in this statement. What Is for Sunday? Then the going to the
they and to fix new disabilities and i the sense In the 'people supinely al- cobbler's, and the waiting, would be no
burdens upon them until all of liberty ; lowing themselves to be bled by the; more. 1 well remember how I yelled
shall be lost.—Message of Lincoln to : (jreat steel monopoly, when the gov- myself hoarse when the report came
Congress ; eminent, could own and operate tho 'that. Tilden was elected; and how dis-
| plant for the welfare of all and to the appointed I was when the final report
JU8T SUPPOSE.
Let us suppose that nil of the un-
earned increment in the gold, silver,
copper, lead and iron mines, and of the
oil fields and coal beds of our own
country—all the.vast billions that have
gone Into the pockets of private
ownership since oor nation was found-
ed—let us suppose that all these had
been covered into the government
treasury and had bcon employed for
the benefit of the whole people Instead
of the few—what would be the condi-
tion of the government (people) to-
day? asks the Farmers' Voice. What
schools of learning, what libraries of
profit of the commonwealth?
; came, that Hays would be our next
i president. Even now I never hear tho
Henry M. Teller, who has Just been j tariff question discussed, that the vis-
elected to succeed himself as United 1 new shoes and clothes does not
States senator from Colorado, is a New ; float before my mind s eye.
After the defeat of '76, I thought the
Yorker by birth, but for the past forty
years has been a resident of Colorado.
The first official position he ever held
was that which he now holds, having
been chosen by the people of his state
to represent thorn in the senate since
1S7fi. He is the leader of the Silver
Republicans, and has great influence In
that, wing of the party. His opponent.
In the recent contest was Henry n.
_ I Walcott, a millionaire mine owner, who
literature, what public highways, and ;has long had an itching for office, hav-
gallerles of art and Institutes of
good times were only deferred, and
my keen interest in national elections
was in no wise abated. I thought tho
Issue was too vital to think a moment
of letting my zeal lag; and in subse-
quent elections I took the same keen
Interest as formerly, fully satisfied
that, should tho Democrats gain full
control of tho government, our coun-
try would enter upon an era of unprece-
dented prosperity.
Finally wo succeeded In electing a
above. It would swell the amount con-
siderably.
The profits of the Western Union
Telegraph Company alone, for the
year 1901, were $6,685,248 (New York
World).
Now comes the question: Are there
any good and tenable reasons why the
government should not buy, own and
operate these lines of industry? I an-
swer that I do not think there has ev-
er been an objection offered that is not
either fallacious, or that can not be
easily remedied.
I will answer some of the objections
that I have heard of;
It Ib claimed by some that "It would
bankrupt the nation to buy the rail-
roads; that the credit would be serious-
ly impaired." Well, now, I do not see
how that could happen. If the govern-
men pays no more than they are worth,
and issues bonds to pay for them, I
can not see how her credit would be
damaged in the least. She will have
good revenue-producing industries to
offset the bonds she has issued.
Another objection raised is that "The
employes would be controlled by the
political party in power, and the votes
of this vast army of men would have a
tendency to keep a party In office in-
definitely." My reply is, that, should
this danger become prominent, the em-
ployes should not be allowed to voto
during their employment by the gov-
ernment and for such length of time
after they have left the employment of
the government as will be found neces-
sary to guard against this danger.
The question may be raised that our
free.-born, liverty-loving American cit-
izen will object to giving up his right
to vote, even for a good government po-
sition. While there may be some peo-
ple who would not accept a position
under the above conditions, still I think
there would be no trouble to get all
replied that he supposed they had to
do it in order to meet foreign compe-
tition.
Another objection is that our tariff
laws are considered by other nations
as antagonistic legislation against
them. As a notable example of this.
review the unpleasantness we have had
for years with Germany on this point.
When our country puts a tariff on an
article that they export, they are tempt-
ed to retaliate by putting a tariff on
something that we sell them. Tariff is
two-edged, and very often cuts both
ways.
Advantages of Free Trade.
If we should pass a free-trade meas-
ure, it would have a tendency to ce-
ment the friendship between this and
other countries more firmly, and we
would profit by their reciprocating and
letting down their "tariff bars" to our
products. I think that the amount we
would gain in this way, enabling our
people to get better prices for the goods
they export, would offset the amount
we would lose in customs
1 believe fhat unless we have an act
abolishing the tariff, our manufactur-
ers themselves, in a few years, will de
mand such an act. They will come to
realize that the amount they make be-
cause of protection Is more than offset
by the amount of foreign trade they
lose, caused by the prejudice of for-
eigners against our goods because of
our high tariff against the articles they
have to sell us.
We are all vitally Interested In the
welfare of our factories; and, while
wo protest against the taxing of one
section of the country to keep up an-
other section, we all rejoice to see our
export trade of manufactured articles
grow. The timo Is coming, and it Is
not far distant, when the greater part
of our export trade will be In manufac-
tured goods. All sections of the coun-
try will reap the benefits of this trade.
The sections devoted to agriculture
and mining will furnish raw material
and foodstuffs to the manufacturing
centers; and the more prosperous the
factories are, the better prices will
they pay for such raw material and
foodstuffs.
Speaking of this foreign prejudice1
against our goods, some may say that ing, but as they think it is a very seri- o
it will never amount to much, and i ous objection, I will answer it in this quickly "made* to understand that
that it can be easily overcome. When | article. It is that "The government j •• uncle Sam" would not stand any of
people think that, they do not realize ! has no authority to buy them; it is that A railroad strike " as we now
how stubborn human prejudices are.; unconstitutional." If the government have it with a loss of life and prop-
As a rule they are built up slowly, does not have the necessary authority j erty, would be a thing of the past; I Woll . . ■ nni
sometimes in years sometimes in cent-; such authority. , and x pray that day may 800n como I Well, I m fixed for em now an<
uries; but usually they are just as long | Power in the People. 'when the lawlessness now exhibited don't you forget it! I have heard thai
in being broken down. j There are some who seem to think jn nearly all labor strikes will be at:a fellow must have a ticket to th
Disadvantages Considered. j an end. |show—that is, a--er—passport to th«
Strikes Would Cease. 1 ballot-box, the bulwark of our liberties
A reason for believing that there will so t0 speak.
under government . j>ve jjeen up-against it lots o' times;
management is the fewness of those have been out of meat and bread both
now occurring on work that is con-:at once have Wved on dried peaches
trolled and operated by the govern-; and water for -moat a week at a time_
ment- ! (d'idn't use the "swell-up" recipe,
the good men necessary.
tratlon, look at our army, the members
of which do not seem to care so much
for a vote. The pay of the majority of
the army, the privates, is less than al-
most the lowest salary paid a railroad
employe.
Another objection that is raised by
some people is scarcely worth answer-
Under government control the large
amount that is now paid for advertis-
ing, and for soliciting agents, would be
saved; also, the amount that is paid
for more than one office in each city.
Some of the roads now have a num-
ber of ticket and soliciting offices in
the same city.
There would also be a large amount
saved by dispensing with many of the
high-priced officials, from president
down. It is reported that the salaries
of these presidents run as high as $50,-
000 per annum. The government would
have them under the control of a cab-
inet officer, whose title could be "Secre-
tary of Transportation," or some other
appropriate title, whose salary would
be $8,000 per annum, and the other
salaries would run from that down.
Some may assert that men of the
best business ability could not be had
for that sum. I reply that the govern-
ment is getting them now for that, and
has been doing the same In the past. I
do not think any one will deny that our
cabinet officers have been of the high-
est ability in their several lines. The
giant strides that our nation has made
in a century and a quarter in all
branches, is the best evidence of this.
Benefits of Government Ownership.
Under government management, the
cars and all equipment would be more
uniform, and as the government would
buy supplies in a larger quantity than
they are now bought, it would get them
cheaper than they now are.
Under tho management of the gov-
ernment there would be less of these
disastrous railroad labor strikes that
frequently occur and cause great loss
and inconvenience to the public.
The question may be asked, "Why
will there bo less strikes under the
management of the government than
we now have under private manage-
One of them to
entirely too high.
wrong.
An Example.
A few years ago, while I was In the
lumber business in Thornton, Texas,
1 saw the " way bill" of a flat-car load-
ed with pine lumber. It had been left
there on the siae-track to be fixed up.
The load had become shifted, and need-
ed to be partly unloaded and reloaded
again. The way-bill showed that it had
been loaded at Beaumont, Tex., and
was going to South Omaha, Neb., that
it was only billed to Kansas City, Mo«
and was to be rebilled there for final
destination. The freight rate then oft
pine lumber from Beaumont to Thorn*
ton was 19 cents per 100 pounds; but
this car was billed clear to Kansas City
on a rate of 17 cents per 100 pounds,
and was to be rebilled from there ta
South Omaha on an additional rate oS
5 cents per 100 pounds. The roadC
were hauling that car to Kansas City
Mo., a distance three times as far a£
from Beaumont to Thornton, on a ratf
2 cents per hundred pounds less tha*
they would have charged, bad it beeif
billed to Thornton. One of the twC
rates was wrong, I repeat, that such
discriminations would not occur if th4
government operated the railroads.
I have shown that the present earn-
ings of the railroads alone, under theif
present management are $57,056,787 ■
year more than the custom receipts ov
er amounted to. I have shown how
the government will be able to save a
large sum by cutting down operating
expenses, and would also save the cost
of collecting customs. These, added to
the net earnings of the express, tele-
graph and long-distance telephone
lines, will make a large sum that can
be used to cut down the rates now
chdrged on these lines; or it could
be used to cut down the Internal reve-
ment?" Because there will be fewer t nue charges, or any other way the peo-
As an illus- causes to induce the men to strike. The
1 " government will pay wages that are
just. There will be more uniform
wages and uniform working hours.
Should one or -more of the employes
become dissatisfied with the treatment
they have received, or because of the
wages, and decide to quit and go on
a strike and attempt to prevent others
taking their places, they would be
The above are good reasons why the , f°r the Constitution, and not the Con-
tariff should be abolished; but we all > stitution made for the people. They
know that if the government loses the : seem to think that the Constitution as be fewer strikes
amount that is now received from cus- first adopted contained all that was _
toms, either the expenditures of the accessary to govern this country for now occurring on work that
government will have to be reduced, or all time to come, and that it was Ir-
that same amount will have to be rais-' revocably fixed when first passed. They
ed some other way. While I think the i forget that there has already been a
science would belong to the people! f.ry other office he sought. He is a dl-
How woold these things alone affect rP(,tor |„ tho Equitable Life Insurance
the moral and Intellectual and social .
Ing been defeated for governor and ev- ! president and Con^
life of the people? It is beyond com
putation.
So of the railroads. How much do
the people of the United States (and
the Western farmer more than any
other) psy In profits to holders of
stock, much of It watered, to many
times Us actdal value, and In Interest
to bondholders? Let us suppose that
the people had built the railroads, as
they might and ought to have done,
and kept them up in such repair as
they should and would do—what frac-
t'on of the present charges paid by the
Western farmer to get his live stock,
or wheat, or corn, to market would be
paying, do you think? Study the ex
periencos of Austria, Germany, Rus-
sia and other countries that believe in
and practice popular ownership of the
public means of transportation, nnd
you will find the answer.—Star.
IMPORTANT TO SUBSCRIBERS.
Newspaperdom—the exponent of the
National Publishers' Union—has com-
piled from the decisions of the United
Statos courts and State courts the fol-
lowing laws governing newspaper sub-
scriptions;
1. Subscribers who do not give ex-
press notice to the contrary are con-
sidered as wishing to renew their sub-
scriptions.
2. If subscribers order the paper dis-
continued the publisher may continue
to send it until all arrearages are paid.
3. If subscribers neglect or refuse to
take the paper from the postoffice to
which It is directed they are res-
ponsible until they have settled their
bills and ordered It discontinued.
4. If subscribers move to other places
without informing the publisher, and
ihe papers are sent to the former ad-
dress, they are held responsible.
5. The courts have decided that re-
fusing to take periodicals from the
office or removing and leaving them
uncalled for, Is prima facie evidence of
Intentional fraud.
8. If subscribers pay in ailvance they
are bound to give notice at the end of
the time If they do not wish to con-
tinue taking it, otherwise the publish-
er Is authorized to send It and the sub-
scriber is responsible until he gives
the publisher notice and pays nil ar-
rearages.
7. The latest postal laws are such
that newspaper publishers can arrant
anyone for fraud who takes a paper
and refuses to pay for it. Under the
law the man who lets his subscription
run along for some time unpaid and
then orders it discontinued or orders
the publisher, leaves himself liable to
arrest and fine, the same as for theft.
It will be seen that many disputed
points are disposed of by these de-
cisions, which are certainly only Just,
(f a subscriber doesn't want to renew
bis subscription he must notify tho
publisher. The delinquent must pay
up if he wishes to discontinue his sub-
icrtptlon, otherwise he is held respon-
sible for it as long aB the paper Is sent
to him, whether he takes It from the
postoffice or not.
Company, and is In no danger of land-
ing in the poor house, even If ho doesn't
get to the White House.
Then it was that we expected great
things to occur. The tariff would be
abolished entirely, because, had not
"free trade" been the Democratic war-
cry for years? Had not our speakers
expense of the government could be ; number of amendments added to it. j service of the government so many j poid°g{,ow^butT neve/°realized8ln°ali
cut down that much, I think It would ; They should remember, also, that our ;years, and has reached a certain age,! ®°'d1ls"°7r'. a An\
be unpopular to attempt it. So I think environments are constantly changing, j he 8h0uld be retired on a small pen- «7,nt T„Jf 7h«nir Sf2'
It is useless for anyone to advocate'We should be grateful that our ances-: sion. This would be another reason lai n seventy-nve. just tninic or k.
free trade, and expect the people to tors of the "Original Thirteen Colo- wijy they would not want to go on a
consider it seriously, unless he has an nies" had the wisdom to inaugurate a strike.
acceptable plan to offer by which the better government than had ever be- j Under government management we
government will realizo the same f°re existed. But are we not to im-, Would not have the traffic blockades
prove on our past? They improved on j and car-shortage that occur on some of ?io?" to rule us! An
theirs. It did not seem to bother them | 0ur railroads every year. In the first i'iad 'or the asking
j assured us that the only reason for, amount that It will lose in customs.
the tariff was to protect a lot of over- ■ This taxation by means of the tariff ------ — --------- ; cvcij. jr<=ai. m mo uioi i oe„entv «vnt
grown industries and to fill tho already has one decided advantage over nearly jsom^jjf^ °,"s ! P'ace, the busiest seasons do not oc-; jj?"jp can bebought for a paltry sum ol
Thie right of suffrage, the right to
choose between a half dozen or so ol
petty politicians of one "persuasion"
and six or so of some other "persua-
And all this can b«
you only pay the
Citizen-
The Bourbon politicians of Ihe South
—with their various schemes to dls-
franchise the voters and to defeat, tho overflowing pockets of wealthy manu- every plan that has been proposed, in | their fathers. Then, why should we j el,r at the same time all over the coun- i - . . .
expressed will of the maiorlty—arr> do- facturers? Of course we expected froe! that it is an indirect tax, and the ma- hesitate to do the same. Let us feel; try, and when one section is passing fno^jr' ,fn. s again without _ ce
Ing more to retard the Industrial pros- trade to be established at once. i jorlty of the people never realize when ' thankful for the example they have trough its busy season and needing ,to „ ,?l"!or"1Sv ?r «,
pei'Ity and progrens of the S.iuth than Democratic Deception. I they pay it, or how much they as indl- 8et; us- "ket the dead past bury its ; extra, rolling-stock with which to meetj°^"s° political brokers who profit ay
all other agencies combined. Texas Instead of abolishing the tariff the! viduals pay of It. They see an article dead," and let us meet conditions as its needs, it could be secured from!*"® facts that patriotism is mercnani-
ha3 the soil and the climate; she has Democrats passed another tariff bill- 'for sale, on which a custom duty has ' they now exist. Let us have a motto those sections best able to spare it. And ! a1,le an*J the ,p5;c® reasonable. At-
good society and many natural ad-van-! and what, a disappointment it was to been paid; the price is satisfactory, and something like this: Profit by the past,. jn the second place, the government torney General Hell, replying to t/omp-
tages that other sections do not have, us when it was published' The differ-' they buy it. They, as a rule, never i "ye in the present, and make provis-1 would get enough equipment to meet troller Love, has given out tnis ruling.
1 A 111. 1 . 1 . - .. inn f/iw fVin fnliiPQ I n . rm ... i i a '*If in immitor Q tUhPTnOl* TnA nArRnll
but men do not like to submit them- ence between it and the former bill was stop to think how much of that pur-,Ion for the future. . ! a11 rekuirements. This shortage of
selven to the rule of a political ring so little that it did not seem that we i chase price goes to the government a3 i After becoming thoroughly satisfied , a]j requirements. This shortage of
that does not regard tho inalienable had gained anything at all. Of course I a tax. They pay it and are satisfied, jt,,at we have outgrown the usefulness : sometimes causes great loss to busi-
rlght. of manhood suffrage. Let. the (lie natural inquiry among the rank whereas, if they were paying the same ;of any Iaw- we should discard it with ness interests.
decent people of all parties In the and file of the Democrats was "What 1.4' amount in some direct tax plan, they j as little compunction of conscience as
South unite to stop the debauchery of the matter, that the tariff was not al- would object. While this is a serioU3 j we would an old pair oi shoes.
the ballot, and tihe progress of our together abolished, or a much greater objection to direct taxation, still I Uncle Sam U Able.
beautiful Southland will be unbounded, reduction made?" The reply was that would prefer almost any plan of im- ! Another ^'-jection raised is that "The
— j "The expenditures of the government partial direct taxation to the present government could not operate the rail-
Tom. McOrady, who In the early amounted to as much as the receipts, tariff. i roads, etc., as well as they are now be-
90's had charge or St. Patrick's Catli- Including the customs, and that it was ! Solution of the Question. i lnS operated." I reply by pointing
olle Church in Dallas, is making con- Impossible to make a greater reduction Now comes the question: What Is the : them to our postal system, which fs
slderable stir In social and religious at that time." Well! well! We had best plan to raise this required amount, one of the best conducted and operated
circles hi Ohio by preaching socialism, not thought, of that. Did our Democrat- that will be Impartial to all sections of institutions in the whole world. How
For his socialistic views he has !:pen '<■ speakers and office-seekers know tho country, all classes and all indl- many people do you think would be in
deposed from the ministry, but ii has that It would prove Impracticable to 1 viduals, and that will not incur the an- favor of our government selling to pri-
caused no abatement of his ardor for Pass a free-trade measure? Did they | tagonism of tho populace?
socialism. As an orator he Is convlnc- only use the free-trade decoy to "have
ing. logical and forcible, and thrills the rascals turned out, and themselves
his audiences by his denunciation of turned In"? I think that many of them
plutocracy and the oppressors of the knew, bofore the election, that It would
sons of toll. His pen is none the less >'ot be possible to pass a free trade
forcible and convincing In the same \ measuro, without raising tho same
cause as his tongue, and his various ; amount of money some other way; arid
books and pamphlets on socialism' th°y hatl 1,0 suitable measure to offer
have mot. with tremendous sales. His . hy which that amount could bo raised,
many friends in Texas will lie pleased i' then realized -that there was no ma-
t.o learn of his success. j terlal difference between the two big
| parties, on the tariff question; that
It is up to Mr. Butler now. Judge they only used it as a campaign delu-
Sam VV. Williams, of Vlncennes. has!"'011 hy which to make people think
vate parties the franchise for conduct-
Leonldas Livingston Is one of the
few farmers who holds a seat In Con-
gress. He Is not a theoretical farmer,
but a real, practical farmer. He was
born on a farm, reared on a farm and
waB living on a farm when he was
ibosen by the farmers of Georgia to
represent them in Washington. Hver
since 1891 he has been the representa-
tive of the Bth Congressional District
of Georgeia. For three years previous
tft Sis eletpion to Congress he was the
ent of the Farmers' State Alll-
>f Georgia. He knows the needs
farmers and Is ever on the alert
the farmers interests, are at
• In an Interview last week he
that unless there Is
•t this session of
proposed to both Mr. Butler and Mr.
Parker, of the two committees, that
each call his committee to meet In
Indianapolis in July, In separate hotels
and that, an effort he made to bury
past differences and get together hy
consolidating both committees and
electing new officers, neither Butler
nor Parker to be a candidate for re-
election. Chairman Parker has signi-
fied his willingness to agree to the
proposition, though he thinks the plan
submitted by 4iim earlier a much bet-
ter and more satisfactory one. The
matter Is now up to Mr. Butler. Ho
must decide whether he will agree to
the proposition or not.
When the Morcury was opposing tho
poll-tax amendment on ihe ground that
unscrupulous men would pay others'
taxes and thus disfranchise them,
many Democrats thought It was not
telling tho trufti, but now that the
AttorneyjQoneral of Texas baa decided
that anyone may pay taxes for as
many as he wishes, and get their re
ceipts, and thus have the power to
prevent them from voting or dictating
the terms upon whloh they are to vote,
the laugh is on the other side.
Bryan says that during his recent
visit in Mexico he failed to find a
single person who favored the gold
standard in that oountry, and that tho
business of Mexico will be conducted
on a silver basis for years to come, re-
gardless of the schemes and declara-
tions of the hired scribblers of the two
old parties.
My answer is: The ownership and : 'nS our postal system. I think tho
operation by the government of all the people in favor of such a measure are
railroad, express, telegraph, and long- j ^ew- '8 very seldom that you hear
Det us have union—not only of Pop
uitsts, but of socialists and all who
stand for mankind against unjust sys-
tems and legalized robbery.
Direct Legislation is t£o open door
through which all other reforms In the
Interest of mankind will come.
The Wercur
with the Old
of hattte nay
will always be found
id. wherever the line
there was a real issue between them
There is no doubt of there being
many people who are In favor of free
trade.
Why It Should Be Abolished.
We will flrst consider some of the
reasons why the tariff should be abol-
ished. It Is a tax on the people which
is not evenly distributed. The agricul-
tural and the mining sections of the
country pay their share of it, but they
do uot derive the same benefits as the
manufacturing sections. In other
words, one section of the country is
taxed to keep up another section.
Another objection Is that the prima-
ry object, of a protective tariff no long-
er exists—the protection of Infant In-
dustries. There may be a few articles
on which the tariff should bo retained;
articles the manufacture of which has
ouly recently been attempted In this
country a-nd on which the manufac-
turers now find it difficult to meet
foreign competition. But there is bo
much danger of such license being
abuaed, that. I think there should be
no exceptions made.
It Is a well;known fact that our man-
ufacturers no longer need a protective
tariff to enable them to compete with
foreign factories for the trade of this
country; and, besides, they are ship-
ping goods all over the world and meet-
ing competition from all nations; and,
if their business grows in the future
as it has in tho past few years, this
country will be the largest exporter of
manufactured goodB of any nation in
tho world.
Auother objection is that a tariff has
a tendency to causo our manufacturers
to discriminate against domestic trade
To illustrate this point, I will relate an
incident that happened while I wa3 iu
the hardware business, a few years ago,
in a town of this State. I was placing
an order with a drummer who repre-
sented a large gt. Louis concern, and
during our conversation hs remarked
that a shovel we were talking about
was being sold by his house for $2 less,
per dosen, in Mexico than they sold
them for In Texas. I was very much
•atoolsfeed, and asked the reason. He
distance telephone lines
The first thing to consider is, wheth-
er the required amount can be raised
under tho existing earnings of these
Industries.
The amount of customs collected for
the year 1901 was J238.585.466 (New
York World), wnich is a larger amount
than for any previous year. It costs
the government about $30,000,000 ex-
penses to collect these customs; but I
will use the gro33 figures as represent-
ing the necessary amount to bo raised.
I will state here that I think It would
be best to put the telegraph and long-
distance teloplione lines under the con-
trol and management of the postal sys-
tem.
The following figures are taken from
"Poor's Manual of Railroads of the
United States," for 1901:
The total assets of the railroads In
the United States are $12,768,910,837.
Now, it is contended by many people
that a great deal of the railroad stocks
are "watered"; that they are capital-
ized for a larger amount than their act-
ual cost. I think that most of our
railroads are guilty of "watering" their
stocks; and if the government pur-
chased them, it should be at their act-
ual cost of construction at tho present
time. But, to have my figures conserv-
ative, I will use the above as their act-
ual value.
The total traffic revenue was $1,501,-
695,378. The net earnings were $483,-
274,526. The receipts from other sourc-
es were $67,772,934, making the total
available revenue $551,020,460. Now.
this last amount is what the railroads
make on their Investment, after paying
all operating expenses, repairs to keop
up their systems, etc. The most of this
amount is paid out for interest on
bonds and for dividends on stocks.
How To Get the Money.
The government, in buying these
railroads, could issue and sell at par
2 per cent interest-bearing bonds. Now
2 per cent, on $12,768,910,837 (the
amount the railroad companies claim
as their total assets, which we will as-
sume to be the amount necessary to
our postal system criticised, even by
the political party not In office. It is
the consonance of opinion that it is
an economically and ably conducted
system. Is not the government able
to run the railroads as successfully as
it is now running the postal system?
Another objection is that "The gov-
ernment can not get tho money with
which to pay for them." I think tho
government could easily raise the mon-
ey by issuing 2 per cent, interest-bear-
ing bonds, which, I think, will sell at
par. I think the owners of these lines
would be glad to take them in lieu of
money. The purchase of these bonds
would be considered a good investment.
A prominent point that will make them
attractive to money lenders and in-
sure their confidence in them, is the
knowledge that the government wtll be
able to make these industries pay a
good revenue, by making the trans-
portation charges as high as is neces-
sary.
There are two classes qf people who
will fight to the bitter end any plan
that proposes the ownership and opera-
tion of these industries by tho govern-
ment. One of these is the high-salaried
officials, who realize that the govern-
ment will not pay as high salaries as
they now receive. The other class are
those who own these Industries and
who deal In their stoolis. They wtll op-
pose It because It will stop a fruitful
source of speculation. It will also stop
these questionable manipulations of
stocks that are now so common.
Let us now consider the advantages
to be gained by the government own-
ing and operating these lines of indus-
try.
Better 8ervlce.
Under government management we
would receivo better and more uniform
service. The aim of the government
would be to give the best service pos-
sible to all the people. There would
be an absence of the petty jelousles
that now exist between some of the
connecting lines. Some of them arc at
"daggers' point," a«d will, when pos-
sible. prevent their trains making con-
buy all the railroads) is $255,378,217. j nectlons with the trains of the lnlml-
Thls amount taken from $551,020,460 cal road
(the total available revenuo after de-
ducting all operating expenses, all re-
pairs, etc.), leaves $295,642,243. which
is $57,056,787 more than the amount re-
ceived by the government for customs
in the year 1901.
These figures have not included tho
earnings of the express, telegraph and
long-distance telephone lines. If the
earnings of these were added to thp
I was on a train, some months ago,
which ran into a station where two
roads crossed. The train that I came
in on left the station only a minute or
two before a paseenger train came in
on the other road. They refused to
hold the flrst train a few minutes to
make connection wtth the second train,
just because the offfci%ls of the two
roads were not on foot tenqs.
Under government management, the
necessity of the Interstate and the dif-
ferent State Railroad Commissions
would no longer exist. The National
government and the different States
have taken upon themselves the task
of regulating the freight and passen-
ger rates, and it is one of the most
complicated questions they have to deal
with. The most of the roads resent
this interference, and not long ago a
president of one of the largest railroad
systems in this country made a state-
ment something like this: "The time
has come when it is either wide-open
competition in the making of rates, or
government ownership of all the rail-
roads of the country. No middle ground
is tenable."
Uniform Rates Would Follow.
Under government management we
would have more uniform freight and
passenger rates. It is a well-known fact
that some of the present rates are dis-
criminating. To illustrate this point, I
will give a couple of instances:
The present rate on crude bulk fuel
oil transported in tank-cars, from
Beaumont to Austin, Texas, is 12 cents
per 100 pounds. The present rate on
pine lumber from Beaumont to Austin
is 18% cents per 100 pounds. For years
the rate was 19 cents; but some of tho
lumber dealers of the State, thinking
the rate too high, decided to make a
complaint to the State Railroad Com-
mission, and try to get them to reduce
it. The complaint was made, and the
Commission called a meeting, at which
the lumbermen, railroad representa-
tives and others interest could present
their, claims. After this meeting, tho
Commigsioners announced that the rate
on pine lumber from Beaumont to Aus-
tin would be reduced from 19 cents to
18% cents per 100 pounds. This rate
went into effect In May. 1900. The lum-
ber can be, and Is, transported on any
kind of a car—box, fiat, coal, or cattle-
car.—anything but a tank car, and for
at least half of the year the roads can
get return loads for them. The oil can
only be hauled in a tank car. for which
there is very seldom a return load.
There Is more danger of loss to the
roads in ftauting oil than in hauling
lumber. If a wreck occurs and a hole
is knocked in a loaded tank car and the
contents leak out. it is a total loss. If
a load of lumber Is caught In a wreck,
the chances are that most of It will bo
saved, unless it is burned. Usually,
lumber suffers very little in a wreck.
According to railroad statistics, the
lumber and other timber products fur-
nish Texas railroads more tonnage
than any other one Industry. They
amount to more than tho cotton ton-
nage, and more than the cattle ton-
nage. It Is tonnage that the roads have
had ever since they were built, which
they may depend upon receiving for
many years to come. Almost every
property owner in the State uses some
lumber, and would be benefited by any
reduction in the price.
If the rate of 18% cents on lumber
from Beaumont to Austin is not too
high, then the rate of 12 cents on oil
between the same places Is entirely too
low. If the rate on the oil is not too
low, then the rate on the lumber is
It is Immaterial whether the person
(the poll-tax payer) himself offers to
pay the tax (the voter's license) or
whether some agent (political broker
or what-not) makes the offer for him."
No wider gate was ever opened for
ballot-box frauds, than this! The
"broker" can buy up as many of these
"passports" as he pleases, either by
personally trading wiith those who have
already "paid the price," or he can act
as "agent," under Mr. Bell's mling, and
buy them from the "wholesale estab-
lishment" with its headquarters in the
tax-collector's office! Then on the day
of the "races" he can withhold or enter
his "colts," just as the condition of tha
track and other conditions demand.
By an understanding with the "book-
makers" he can do business at any
stage of the game, even when on the
"home-stretch" and the other animal
seems to be nearer the ropes. Imag-
ine the scene, will you! The polls will
close in ten minutes! The race Is
close! Here is a man who controls
(has 'em in his pocket) enough votes
to settle the question as to the win-
ner! He is called aside by A, B and C.
Again he is on the ground. He looks
over his shoulder, and at his signal a
"reserve force" 'is brought into action.
The die is cast, the victory wan! And—
"The rabble with its thumbworn creeds,
Its large professions and little deeds.
Mingles in foolish strife, poor Freedom
weeps,
Wrong rules the land, and waiting Jus-
tice sleeps."
When I read of the heroic struggles
of our fore-fathers in the war for inde-
pendence; when I look at the bleeding
feot at Valley Forge and interpret the
day-dreams of those whose -blood
bought our liberties, I wonder that
their very dust does not rise up and
stifle their unworthy sons. 1 would I
had wisdom from above, and the voice
of tho thunders, that I might sound it
out to all the world, "Let freedom
live!"
Rienzi must have foreseen these
times when he said, "We are slaves;
tho bright sun rises to his course and
lights a race of slaves; he sets, and his
last beam falls on a slave!" And
again. "Have ye brave sons? Look In
the next fierce brawl to see them die!
Have ye fair daughters? Look to see
them live, torn from your arms, de-
tained, dishonored; and if ye call for
Justice, be answered by the lash!"
Long live the Mercury. May the
principles of justice, mercy and truth
be left burning on the altar of every
patriotic heart.—C. C. Bearden, Com-
merce, Texas.
"I see no need of a change in our
party policy. The old Omaha declara-
tions have proven good enough for any
purpose. What we need is to keep on
working for them. In due time they
will prevail. Nothing worth having
comes without persistent and continued
effort. Union will come of all reform-
ers on the Omaha line, it It ever comes
at all. We can't afford to make any
more experiments."—J. M. Badley, Put
nam, Texas.
*
4
pie might desire.
Believing that free trade, and the
owning and operating by the govern-
ment of the railroads, express, telfr
graph and long-distance telephone Unei
will be of immense benefit and saving
to the great mass of our people, I feel
satisfied that it is only a question ol
time when both will be realized.
FIXED FOR THIS YEAR.
Got a License to Vote for—One Year
MI like the Mercury and receive It
regularly. Enclosed find amount for
past dues."—Joo. Payne, HonokM,
Hawaiian Islands.
♦
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Park, Milton. The Southern Mercury. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 23, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 5, 1903, newspaper, February 5, 1903; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth185986/m1/4/: accessed July 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .