Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-07-05
BIG INCREASE IN PRICES.
Cost Of Living Advanced 20 Per
Cent. Under Influence Of
Monopoly.

The cost Of living Is now AZ per cent.
higher than on July 1, 1897, without
including rent, though it is safe to
say that rent keeps pace with the in
creased cost Of building materials.
As everyone pays these increased
prices, 1t is important to know what
has caused such al enormous advance.
1t should be first noted that the pres
ent trust-fostering tariff law went into
effect July "a, 1897, and that almost
Immediately the price of all protected
articles began to advance in this coun-
try, although there vas no similar
rapid advance of prices in other coun-
tries. 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 for
eign goods could be imported and pay
the freight and costs and also the tar
iff duties averaging 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 adj
vanced prices to the highest limit. No
figures or argument are necessary to
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 Injuries of life,
are selling their surplus stocks, after
the American people have bought all
they can afford, at much lower prices
to foreigners than they charge our
own people. AS the tariff is a political
issue, the Republican leaders and
writer's denied until lately this selling
abroad cheaper than here, and de-
nounced 1t is Democratic fabrication,
but the evidence produced of the facts
has now compelled them to admit 1t,
and in sheer desperation boast of it
as n evidence of prosperity. Yet If
the trusts would offer this surplus to
the American people at the same price
as they sell to foreigners, our people
would gladly buy this surplus at the
reduced price, but that would naturally
tend to decrease the demand for the
high prices goods and lead to a reduc-
ton of the price Of the who're trust
productions.
There is another cause for the con-
slant advance in prices, that is work
ing the world over which is the extra
ordinary increase in the production OF
gold. AS gold is the measure of values,
when it becomes more plentiful, it de-
creases in value-as measured by la
bor-and thus the prices of all classes
Of commodities-as measured by gold
are advancing to higher levels. But
prices in the United States are so much
higher than in other countries, espe-
cially in England, which is on a tar
lift for revenue basis, that there must
be some great fundamental cause at
work to produce so much higher prices
here than elsewhere. As our high tar
If taxes prevent the importation Of
foreign goods, which would compete
with the trusts and combines, except
to a limited extent of high class goods.
we are at the mercy of monopolists
banded to gether to plumber us.
To obtain relief from high prices,
the tariff must be revised.