The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-09-30
THE TEXT BOOK
Issued by the Democrats Discusses
the Issues of the Two
POLITICAL PARTIES.

The Absurd Methods of the Republic
oans I'm Juggling with
Prices and Wages Are
Exposed.
The Democratic campaign text book
has been completed and Is about to be
issued from New York. 1t makes
volume of 3I4 pages, discusses the
issues OF the two PAL ties and reprints
number Of speeches by leading
Democrats. The following synopsis
Of the book has been prepared by the
Democratic campaign committees:
BY the way Of emphasizing the
issue Of constitution opposed to
imperialism, the Democratic cam
paign book contains as a preface the
full Gcxt OF the constitution Of the
United States. The place Of next i'm
portance is accorded the tariff and
trusts, sixty OF the 3l4 pages of the
volume being devoted to this discus
sion.
Concerning the trusts much space
Is given to evidence that the protect
ed com binations having a tariff mono
poly in our home markets are compell-
ing Americans to pay much higher
prices for manufactured goods than
are paid by foreigners. The export
and home prices Of hundreds of arti
cles are compared. Nearly all kinds
of hardware, implements, machinery,
tools, paints, oils ammunition,
watches, baking powder, condensed
milk, canned goods and every kind of
steel products are sold to our consum-
ers at prices averaging about 25 per
cent. more than those paid by fCreig-
ners for the same goods. Quoting
President Schwab's statement to the
industrial commission that goods were
always sold cheaper for export, the
evidence before The Chamberlain
tariff commission in England and
numerous statements from export
journals, trade journals and CONNER.
cial papers, the conclusion is drawn
that nearly all Of our exports OF iron
and steel goods amounting TO SILL
OO0,0 last year, are sold to foreign
erS at an average OF about four-fifth
the price charged to Americans
Never before was 81 much specific and
unequivOcal evidence presented or
this point.
PRICES AND WAGES
Discussing prices and wages the
absurd methods Of the Republi ans in
making averages and Juggling statiS-
tics are exposed. Particularly is the
bureau Of labor scored for making 81 "a
tistics to order for use Of the II pull
can campaign committee-statis
that raise wages and reduce prices, on
paper, and produce statistical or ar
ttiiiciui prosperity. The fgureS OF the
bureau, which show an increase of
only l5 per cent. in the cost of living
since 1897, are contraSted with the
figures OF r.. G. Dun & Co., which
show that the cost Of living was 43
per cent. higher last March than on
July |, 1897, just Lefore the Dingley
bill became law.
Based upon Dun's figures and upon
the full and complete reports of the
railroads, covering over 1900, 900
workers, which embrace both union
and non-union labor, and show that
wages rose at most only or per
cent. from July 1897 to 1903, when
they were highest, a diagram is pre-
Sented which shows that the purchas-
ing power Of wages has declined rapid
ly so that wage-earnerS in 1903 pur-
chase only 10 per cent. as much as in
1897.
The conclusion is reached that If
the dinner pail of today is to be
full, it must be only three fourths as
large as before the 'Dingley trusts be.
gan their era OF prosperity.
One Of the most interesting and
instructive chapters under tarili, and
trusts is that showing that the aver
age family pays tribute of $9l a year
to the protected trusts. Taking in de-
tail the important items OF expendi.
ture, the tariff taxes on each Item are
carefully estimated. The total is Sill,
Of which only SlG52 goes on taxes to
the United States. The balance, $94
per family or 81 900, 600 for the IL
100000, families in this country, 90 IS
to the protected trusts.
INDUSTRIAL RRCoRD.
'Un1er the heading OF Business
and Industrial Record OF 1903 1904
are given list OF ! IL important wage
reductions and l69 closed mills for
the last half OF 1903 and the first ha f
OF 1904. These $50 items are con.
traSted with the list OF 100 similar
though less specific items printed in
the Republican campaign book giving
the indusl rial record of 1888 and 1894
1t is thus declared that the business
depression OF this year Is greater than
was that OF 1893 and lS94-the most
OF which occurred under the Mckinley
bill
The chapter on the postal frauds
contains complete history of the
scandal from the beginning. Evi.
dence is produced showing that the
investig OF the department. was
suppressed, and although the admin
istration was officially Informed Of
frauds as early as 1899, no nvestiga-
tion was ordered until 1908 The re.
fusal Of the Republicans to permit a
congressional investigation by a plrty
vote Of both houses is discussed and
the detailed vote Of the house and
senate is given. The chapter devoted
TO civil service abuses makes a strong
showing against the present admins.
tratlon OF the law, in comparison with
the strict, compliance OF the Demo.
cratic administration.
'Onicial corruption in the int erior
| department. is described as wideN pread