The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-27

ouOJCSkS'
New York. September 22.-The Demo-
cratic campaign text book has been
completed and is about to be issued.
1t makes a volume of 314 pages discuss
e5 the issue of the two parties and re-
prints a number of speeches by leading
Democrats. The following synopsis OF
the book has been prepared by the DEM
ocratic campaign committee:
by the way of emphasizing the is
sue Of constitution opposed to 'impe-
rialism,' the Democratic campaign book
contains as a preface the full text of
the constitution of the United states.
The place of next Importance is accord
ed the tariff and the trusts so of the
314 pages of the volume being devoted
to this decision.
Concerning the trusts. much space
is given 10 evidence hat the protected
combinations. having a tariff monopoly
in our home markets, are compelling
Americans to pay much higher piices
for manufactured goods than are paid
by foreigners. The export and home
prices on hundreds of articles are COM
pared. Nearly all kinds of hardware.
implements, machinery. tools, paints,
oil, ammunition. watches, baking DOW
der, condensed milk, canned goods and
every kind of steel products are sold
to our consumers at prices averaging
about % per cent. more than those paid
by foreigners for the same goods.
Quoting President Schwab's statement
to the industrial commission that goods
We're always sold cheaper for export,
the evidence before the chamberlain
tariff commission in England ana num-
erOuS statements from export journals,
trade journals IN commercial papers,
the conclusion is drawn that nearly all
of our exports of iron and steel goods,
amounting to Sill, 900, 900 last wear, are
sold to foreigners at an average Oh
about four-fifths the price charged ID
Americans. Never before was so much
specific and ~unequiEocaI evidence pre-
scented on this point.
Discussing prices and wages, the alb
IL + methods of the Republicans in
making averages and judging Stats
tics are exposed. Particularly is the
bureau of labor scored for making
statistics to order for use of the Re-
publican campaign committee-statis>
ties that raise wages n reduce prices,
or and produce statistical or ar
tificfal prosperity. The figures Of the
bureau, which show an increase of only
10 per cent. in the cost of living since
1897. are cOntrasted with the figures OF
r. C. Dun & Co. which show hat the
cost of living was 43 per cent. higher
last March than On July 1, 1897, just
before the Dingley bill became raw.
Based upon Dun's figures and upon
the full and complete reports of the
railroads.. covering over 1900, 600 work.
ers, which embrace both union and nom
union labor, and show that wages rose
at most only Z Or S per cent. from
July 1897 to July 1908, when they were
highest. a diagram is presented which
shows that the purchasing power OF
wages has declined rapidly, so tina,
wage earners in 1908 could purchase
only IS 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 rDingley trusts began their era Of
prosperity
One of the most interesting and IN
Structive chapters under tariffs and
trusts is that showing that the average
family pays a tribute of SS4 a year to
the protected trusts. Taking in detail
the important items of expenditure
the tariff taxes on each item are care
fully estimated. The total is Sill, OF
which only 1852 goes on taxes to the
United States. The balance, $94 per
family or 81, 600 900, 600 for the 1000, 00o
families in his country, goes to the
protected trusts.
Under the heading Business and in
duStrial record of 1903-1904 are given
a list Of Ill important wage reductions
and 169 closed mills, for the last half
of 1908 and the first half of 1904. Tese
$50 items are contrasted with the lisI
of 109 similar, though less specific items
printed in the Republican campaign
book giving the industrial record 70,
4 1893 and 1894. 1t is thus declared that
the business depression Of this year is
greater than was that OF 1893 and 1894
the most of which occurred under the
Mckinley bill.
The chapter on the postal fraud:
makes a complete history Of the a
da from the beginning. Evidence /!
. produced showing that the fnvestiga'
ton Of h department was suppressed
and although the administration wa.
officially Informed of frauds as early a.
1899. no Investigation was ordered unit
1908. The refusal of the Republican:
TO permit a congressional investigation
s. by a party vote of both houses is dis
cussed and the detailed vote OF tn
House and Senate is given. The chap
= ter devoted to civil service abuses make
a strong showing against the presen
a administration of the law, in COMPARE