Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-10-18

HOW TRUsT-FosTERlNe TARIFF
LOWERS INCOMES.
Advance In Prices Has Reduced the
Purchasing Power Of the Dollar IS
Per cent.-Limited Incomes
Suffer.

The greatly increased cost of living
inder the tru~st-protecting tariff sys'
tenn weighs most heavily on those
least able to bear it-fact have less
income, because their dollars will not
purchase as much as they formerly
would. On July 1, 1896, the wholesale
cost of all necessities per capita to the
American people was S72.45; this year
On the same date it was $105.21, an ad.
vance of As per cent. These figures
are purposely taken from the Repub-
lican campaign book, page 1873, so
that no Republican can question their
accuracy.
1t therefore now takes $1.45 to buy
what one dollar would purchase in
1896. If the cost of living for the
average family of five persons in 1896
was $500, it now is $725, but if the in
come has been stationary and is still
but $500, it will purchase As per cent.
less necessities, so that in fact the in
come measured in necessities is but
S275. Those who have small incomes,
that have not increased with the cost
of necessities, are therefore As per
cent. poorer to-day than they were in
1896. These calculations, which are
based on Dun's Index Number and are
reliable as showing prices in proper
ton to consumption, indicate the
growth of trusts and combinations pro-
tected by the tariff, which protection
enables these combines to advance the
price of their products to the point
where foreign goods can be imported
and pay the tariff duties.
II the tariff were revised and the du-
ties on trust products reduced, those
combines would be forced to reduce
their prices in proportion to about the
percentage the tariff rates were low.
cred, or the foreign products would be
imported and the trusts would lose
the sale to the amount of such import.
ed goods. The Republican claim that
imports of the lower priced foreign
Goods would ruin the trusts and throw
heir employees out of employment will
only fool those people who are anxious
70 be deceived. The proof of this is
established by the acknowledged fact
that many trusts are selling their prod
ucts cheaper abroad than here and
therefore can afford to reduce the
price to wi own people, as well as
The Democratic plan of dealing with
the tariff and trust problems is tc
gradually reduce the tariff on trust
products, so as not to violently disturb
the business of those gigantic com
bines, but give them a chance to con-
form their business to the changed
conditions that a reduction of the tariff
would entail. For instance, the duties
on steel trust products could be re
duced so per cent, which would make
the duties average about 25 per cent,
instead of. about so per cent. as under
the present law. The tariff duty on
other trust products could be reduced
in like proportion and in a few years
would be brought down to the rev
Tue basis, where just enough foreign
goods would be imported to provide
the necessary revenue for the govern.
ment, and thus through competition
keep the trust high prices in check.
Under the present system we have
these vast aggregations of capital,
such as the steel trust, making enor
nous incomes on their watered stock
which is a tax upon all the people OF
the United States and is robbery OF
the man or woman with limited in.
comes that do not increase as trust
prices advance.
The Republican leaders having de
cided that no tariff revision shall be
attempted, if they control the mex
congress, it remains for those indie
pendent Republican voters who be
lieve in tariff revision to control trust
prices, to join with the Democrats in
electing congressman pledged to re
form the tariff, and members of the
Legislature who will only vote for Unit
ed States senator's also so pledged.