Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1904-10-13
PAKfY FEARS TRUTH
GOOD REASON FOR REPUBLICANS
"STANDING PAT"
Discussion of Tariff and Trust Issues
Would Reveal the Fact That Amer
lean Consumers Are Being Plum
dered by the Trusts.

1t is obvious why the Republican
party managers favor standing pat"
upon the tariff and trust issues in the
present compaign.
Any discussion of the issues would
surely bring to light the truth con-
corning the high prices paid for all
kinds of American goods at home and
the exceedingly low ones demanded
for the same in foreign markets. Con-
sequently the Republicans do not de-
sire to have the subject discussed.
The domestic and foreign prices
have been Investigated by congress
sional committees and by trade organ
izations for a long time, and the in
formation obtained in this country and
abroad fully proves that Americans
are sharply Disseminated against in
favor of foreign buyers.
The Republicans have relied chiefly
upon Secretary Shaw of the treasury
department to place this matter in
favorably light before the country,
and this skilful politician has been
quoted repeatedly as saying:
THE United States census reports
our aggregate manufactures for 1900
at $13.000.000,000 $4,OOO,OOO
the amount estimated to be sold
abroad cheaper than at home is there
fore only one-thirtieth of l per cent of
the aggregate"
This statement has even found a
place in the Republican campaign text
book.
Secretary Shaw states that he Sc
cured his 100000 statement from
"a non-partisan commission appointed
by Congress" whereas the commits
sion in question says explicitly:
'In about 20 per cent of the cases
covered by the commission returns,
the export prices have ruled lower
than those charged to home consum-
ers. The practice is quite
common in all countries, and on the
part of the separate establishments as
well as of combinations.
Here. then, it is seen there are 20
per cent of our exports sold cheaper
abroad than at home, instead of "one-
thirtieth of 1 per cent"
This same commission recommend
pointed to investigate this discrimina-
ton against American producers and
consumers, and suggest measures to
correct the evil, but no attention was
paid to the suggestion by the Repub-
lican Congress.
One of the commissioners who did
not sign the report alluded to stated
that several witnesses who appeared
on behalf of the trusts, admitted that
'it is the tariff which encourages
them to cause domestic surplus by
resisting do este consumption
through high prices"
The fact is being impressed upon
those business men who are not con-
nected with the trusts and who are
not enjoying special tariff privileges,
that there is a protected class of
monopolists who are compelling Amer
lean merchants, producers and con-
sumers to pay an exorbitant price for
goods and then selling vast, consign-
ments of the same in foreign markets
at prices one-half and sometimes one
third cheaper.
Every merchant, every producer,
every consumer and every returning
tourist has become acquainted with
the fact that cheap prices for Ameri-
can goods prevail abroad. Secretary
Shaw's figures have simply mislead
them as to the aggregate amount of
money involved, but the Democratic
statistics, taken from official Repub-
lican reports. must simply astound
them. The result will be that future
statements of Republican speakers up
on this topic will be received with dis
trust.