Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-07-04
stand rnt,.m a Mania.

Stanu fNtlNm N1HulAs
In the chaste language of the New
York Evening Post, Chasing the devil
round stump is profitable exercise
compared with running down a stand
patter." Well, that depends. If you
can give him kick and make him
jump" your exercise will not have
been entirely in vain.
Secretary Shaw roundly denounced
Governor Cummins of Iowa the other
day on account of the latter's tariff re-
vision proclivlties. Yet the Secretary
himself had no hesitation in purchas-
Ing 10000 barrels of cement abroad
when by doing SO he saved to the gov
eminent 81 cents barrel, or $500.
3 1t is proposed, In the event Of confirming
bids for materials for the Panama Ca
nal construction to those of American
manufacture, to add the tariff duty to
the cost of such materials abroad, and
then further Increase the expense by
permitting the bidder another addition
for a reasonable profit" Truly, 1t
would seem that the Creator Of all is
not the only being who moves in q
mysterious way, his wonders to per-
form"
But, as the same paper remarked In
another issue: "Standpatism is daily
mounting to new heights of unreason,
resembling mania. Like the defenders
of slavery just before the war, protec-
tionists are making religion of their
practice, and every man who dissents
from 1t Is heather and an infidel."
So, too, with the Massachusetts Re-
publicans who recently complained that
unless they were given free hides and
other raw material they could secure
no markets abroad; whereupon Mr..
Serene Payne serenely answered that
New England manufacturers need no
foreign market, being possessed of
magnificent domains on our own CONT
nent. Talk about your talkabouts !!
There's an answer as Is an answer.
But when some of our patriotic DEM
ocratic representatives in Congress
pointed out that some of the most high
ly protected trusts, such as the Steel
Trust and the Watch Trust, for In
stance, are SO eager to secure foreign
markets that they sell their goods
abroad more cheaply than to the con-
sumner at home, Standpatter Hepburn
took the trouble to explain that that
charge was simply campaign roor-
back. OF course, we are willing to
take his word for that until the figures
prove differently.
When Mr.. Williams of Mississippi,
leader of the House minority, occupied
two days in piling up evidence to the
contrary, Mr.. Dalzell of Pennsylvania
kindly and frankly admitted that the
goods made by protected American In
terests are sold for less money in Eu-
rope than Mt home, simply because they
are unable to secure the foreign trade
in any other manner.
OF course, as Mr.. Dalzell SO naively
put it, 1t is simple business PROPOSE
tion-undersell the other fellow when
ever and wherever you can, no matter
who gets the benefit of the lower price.
But wouldn't 1t be good proposition to
so adjust the tariff schedule as to per-
NIT American citizens to purchase
American-made goods as cleaply as Eu-
ropeans may purchase them?
That, of course, would be patriotic
movement But who will accuse a
standpatter, in these twentieth century
days, of patriotism? Perish the
thought! Business first and patriotism
after, is the motto of the trusts and
their standpat allies, in Congress and
out AS some wives reach their hus.
bands hearts through the medium of
the stomach, so he who would chase the
standpatter round the stump must ap-
peal to his pocketbook, regardless OF
the welfare of the rest of the com,
munity.-Exchange.
Advanced Cost of Living.
The cost of living is now AZ per cent
higher than on July 1, 1897, without In
Guiding rent, though 1t is safe to say
that rent keeps pace with the Increased
cost Of building materials. AS every:
important to know what has caused
such an enormous advance. 1t should
be first noted that the present trust
fostering tariff law went into effect
July "a, 1897, and that almost imme
dlately the price of all protected arti.
cles began to advance In this country
although there was no similar rapid ad.
vance of prices in other countries. AS
this tariff law protected the American
producers from competition, 1t was very
natural that they should Increase the
price they charged for their products
to the point where foreign goods could
be imported and pay the freight and
costs and also the tariff duties aver.
aging over so per cent.
The large profits possible under the
protective tariff induced the formation
of trusts and combines to control the
home market and this monopoly nd.
vanced prices to the highest limit. No
figures or argument are necessary tc
prove the advance in prices, everyone
who buys food or clothing, or pays
rent, knows of the large increase from
their daily experience. 1t is most ex
asperating to also know that the trusts
and combines, which produce about all
the necessities and luxuries of life, are
selling their surplus stocks, after the
American people have bought all they
can afford, at much lower prices tc
foreigners than they charge our OWL
people. As the tariff is a political issue
the Republican leaders and writer's de
MED until lately this selling abroad
cheaper than here, and denounced 1t as
Democratic fabrication, but the evil
dence produced of the facts has now
compelled them to admit It, and In sheer
desperation boast of 1t as one evidence
of prosperity. Yet If the trusts would
offer this surplus to the American PEG
pie at the same price ms they sell tc
foreigners, our people would gladly buy
this surplus at the reduced price, but
that would naturally tend to decrease
the demand for the high priced goods
and lead to reduction of the price OF
the whole trust productions