Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-06-08
items of Information on Matters of
Interest to the General
Public.
DARK SPOTS IN REPUBLICAN LEGISLATION
teFeAts-Volume of Trade In Shrink
ing Ohio Republicans Being
Dropped by the Administrations
No Sympathy for the Beers.
Especial Correspondencel


There are strong signs that the high
protective tariff party in Germany isgo-
ing to fight series of pitch battles
with the German manufacturers over
the question of American markets and
American imports. The protective tar
iff party in Germany is composed al
most exclusively of the farmers, who
cannot stand the intense competition
and low prices of American farm prod
ucts. The prices of German farm lands
have been forced to a high point, and
the German tenant farmers are rack
rented as badly as ever they are in
Ireland. Naturally the landlord ele
ment don't want their rents lowered,
which will be the inevitable result if
American farmers are given free trade
with Germany. On the other hand, the
German manufacturers want cheap
food products from the United States,
so they can sell their excellent man
ufactures in their constantly growing
markets all over the world.
But this situation in Germany is to
be taken advantage of by the protect
ed interests in the United States at
the expense of the farming interests
of this country. Already there are
signs that the entire textile interests
of this country will unite in a de-
mand for a still higher tariff against
foreign goods. For instance, there
are now within the United States
enough knit goods factories to sup
ply the entire American demand for
knit goods with nine months work.
Instead of trying to seek foreign
market for surplus products, these
concerns will strive to monopoliZe the
American market by raising still
higher the tariff wall against foreign
knit goods.
The profits of knit goods are enor-
nous, and the knit goods combine,
which is practically a trust in it's eff
fects, is making millions of dollars for
it's owners. The labor cost in a pair
of stockings. knit by machinery, is
less than one cent, yet the manu-
facturers make profit of ten cents
on each pair of stockings retailing
at 25 cents. The retail dealer makes
the next ten cents, and the balance is
charged up to raw material, interest,
insurance, deterioration of plant,
freight charges and the miscellaneous
items of large businesses.
hIS hOW ldl1u P1OS w hiSH las
hundred ramifications is to be kept
quiet until after the next presiden-
tial election. If Mckinley wins, these
protectionist interests will know they
have the apostle of protection in the
white house to further their aims.
The enormous foreign market for
American agricultural products, by
far the principal material of Amer
lean export trade, is to be still fur
Their ruthlessly sacrificed in the inter
ests of these vast trade monopolies.
Shrinkage in Trade.
The shrinkage in the volume of
trade within the United States is al
ready so marked and perceptible as to
give grave concern to the administra-
ton. It's pet statistdcians are bur-
dening the newspapers with columns
of figures regarding the growth of
American export business. But they
neglect the fact that the domestic eX-
changes of the United States are
more than 20 times the volume of
| the entire foreign trade of this coun-
try. During the past 80 days the
shrinkage in domestic exchanges is
| more than three times the volume of
our foreign exchanges for the same
period. All signs indicate that this
shrinkage will increase, and as it in
| creases prosperity, even of the trust
| variety, will disappear.
Republicans Going Down.
What is the matter with the admins
| tration congressional supporters? In
Ohio five republican congressman have
| thus far been defeated for renomina-
I'll, n
lips and Kerr have been thrown over
| board. Shattuc and BromweI are
| marked for slaughter, and the hoary
| Grosvenor had to promise on Bonded
knees that he would retuire at the end
of the next term, to secure his renom-
| nation. Such is the reward for faith
fulness to president who claims from
his supporters undying fealty. but
who gives nothing in return. As mat
ter of fact it is well recognized among
| republicans in congress that there is
not single bright spot in their legis-
lative career during this congress
| whicheentitles them to the gratitude of
their constituents. Tt is in an endeavor
to save the next house from the dem
ocrats that the republicans in so many
districts have been compelled to pre-
| cent new men to their outraged con-
stituencies, knowing that the men who
| voted for the Porto Rican infamy, and
| who stand for such outrageous species
of lobbied legislation as the Hanna
ship subsidy bill, would be apt to lose
their districts to the democrats, no
matter how strongly they have been
held by the republicans in the past.
What is true in Ohio is true in many
another state. All signs point to dem