A World Beef Trust

A WORLD BEEF TRUST.

Close upon the heels of Judge Grosscup's decision granting a temporary injunction against the Beef Packer's association, comes the announcement that the beef barons are to form a great corporation which eventually may control the meat trade of the world. Although these barons will then continue to do what the courts would now restrain then from doing as separate companies, yet the republicans are boasting of their achievements under the Sherman anti-trust law.

The republicans have yet to win their first suit under this or any other law, which will lay a trust flat upon its back and put it out of business for all future time. The republicans get the decisions-very useful in political campaigns-and the trusts continue get monopoly profits- very useful to pay dividends on watered stock. The Standard Oil Co. continues to plunder the people more than the Standard Oil Trust ever did; The United States Steel Corporation, which includes the pipe concerns, is sticking us with higher prices for pipe than the Addystone Pipe Vo. ever got; The Missouri Joint Traffic decision has not prevented the railroads from charging higher rates than before and from continuing to discriminate in favor of the trusts.

Dr. Angell, in his address before the state round-up farmers' institute at Owosso, committed himself to the centralized scheme for rural schools. This plan is unquestionably the most promising for the rural schools that has been considered in many years. The farmers themselves would be the chief beneficiaries of this plan and yet the slow progress of the idea is due to their hesitancy to give it endorsement. But the tide of sentiment is rising constantly. The idea is growing and is destined to march on. The centralized rural school will do much to put the children of the rural districts on a par with the children of the village and city schools in educational advantages. In fact the centralized rural school will offer advantages over the city school. The environment will be better, nearer nature, nearer to ideal conditions. The centralized school will bring in its train better teachers, better school surroundings, better aids to good school work, better equipment and the means of making rural life more attractive in that better opportunities for all in educational matters will be offered.

The democrats in the house at Washington are staying by their threat to filibuster to the end of the session. They made this promise when the republicans in the last weeks of the session decided to oust Representative Butler of Missouri and seat his republican contestant. On any principle of fair dealing or decency, of a man is entitled to a seat in congress, it should be given to him before the final hours of the congress to which he was elected. But of course under house regulations of such matters, when the case is left over until about the end of the constitutional limitation of the congress both the sitting member and the contestant who is seated draw the salary. Such are the ways of the politician. And yet the filibustering tactics of the democratic minority appear to be about as senseless as the action of the republican majority. Just why all legislation should be held up, so far as it is in the power of the minority to do so, because of the crooked work of the majority. But the principles which obtain in all other matters are not those which always control in political affairs.

To an outsider it would seem that the Tribune is doing Detroit a real service in taking up the cudgel in the interest of a bridge for railroad traffic at that point. A bridge by which commerce at this important point can be promptly and quickly taken across the river would greatly facilitate and stimulate business. Not only would freight traffic be advantaged by such a bridge, but passenger traffic as well. Time is a very important, and often the all-important, factor in the affairs of the present. Detroit is beautifully located as a residence city and not less advantageously as a business point and it is a mystery how the progressive business element of the city can afford to be passive about this project. A bridge is a crying necessity and the Tribune is doing a good work in arousing public sentiment on the question.

Prof. H. C. Adams seems to agree with Judge Grosscup in the idea that the anti-trust legislation passed by the present congress has not great merit. He seems to consider the Littlefield bill better than the one which the president has championed and which passed congress. The bill probably is a milk and water affair and yet the important question is whether it marks any advance in the interest of the people. It is probably too much to expect that congress would pass a thoroughly efficient measure for the control of the monopolistic industrial concerns.