Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-08-09
HIGH COST OF LIVING
Advance of Forty eight Per Cent
Under Present Tariff.
TRUSTS GET MOST OF THE PLUMBER

Compact Republican Polfti-
clans and MonopOlists For Mutual
Beneft-The Wage Garner and
Those With Fixed ncom the
Principal Sufferers.
If the constitution had not provided
for free trade between the states this
country would have advanced to
Its present position of power and
wealth. Each special interest or prod
uct produced in every state would soon
have been clamoring for protection
from the competition Of it's neighbor-
ing and sister state, and a virtual en-
barge would have existed against in
terstate commerce. But what cannot
be done to prohibit trade between the
states has been accomplished to pre-
vent trade with other nations and to
tax the people Of the United States if
they undertake to import foreign prod
ucts. At the outset, when this country
was struggling to establish manufac-
lures and free itself from the extortion
of the mother country, a tariff on i'm
ports was desirable, both for protec-
ton and for revenue, but the tax i'm
posed did not exceed 10 per cent,
whereas nov it exceeds on the average
so per cent. If these present enormous
tariff duties were necessary to sup
port the government there would be
some excuse for their imposition,
but on many manufactured products
the duties are so high as to be pro-
hibitive and actually prevent imports,
In many cases exceeding 100 per cent
and in some cases 200 per cent
This high tariff has naturally foster
ed combines and trusts in this coun-
try, to take advantage of the oppor-
tunity for monopoly. Prices have in
creased enormously, in consequence of
lack of competition, and the cost of
living has advanced 4S per cent since
the present tariff law was enacted in
1897. But a small percentage of this
Increase is collected by the govern
ment, but the far greater percentage is
collected by the trusts and combines,
which control about all the general
products consumed by the American
people.
This trust taxation has led to vigor-
GUS protests by the %plundered taxpayer,
and in many states the independent
Republicans are as hostile to the pres
ent tariff system as the Democrats are.
But these protests have fallen on deaf
or Indifferent ears, and the party in
power is still standing pat. 1t is no
exaggeration to say that there is a
compact between the Republican lead
ers and the trust ~monopolists to con-
tinue this unholy alliance for mutual
advantage, the trusts and combines
getting the lions share Of the plumber
and the Republican campaign funds a
good percentage to keep that party in
power.
If this same tariff system was in op-
GRAFTON between the several states
each one would have it's tariff monop-
olists and commerce between the
states would, on many products, be al
most at a standstill. The vast concen-
tration of the great industries at the
points where the raw material is most
available or where the skilled labor is
located would have been impossible.
for the rival interests in other states
would have been clamoring for protec-
ton, and a tariff wall would have beer
erected around most of the states to
prevent the free imports Of other
states. Such a wall exists today be-
tween us and Canada, between us and
Mexico and even between our own col
ony of the Philippines, not to mention
the wall between us and Europe.
In spite Of this tariff tax and restric-
lions the necessities of our people have
forced importations from and exports
to all these countries. If the tariff
wall was lowered to a reasonable tariff
for revenue basis there would be more
trade and therefore more money made,
and, more important yet, the trusts and
combines would be compelled to re-
duce their profits, and the cost Of living
would decline from 4S per CEN above
the normal to the proportion that the
tariff rates are reduced, or t~hereabout.
4uose WHO WoIh Luz wages WOulu lnuS
benefit, for to reduce the cost Of living
Is virtually to advance wages. and, as
every home provider knows, the in
creased cost of living has made it nee
essary for him to spend $1.4S for what
used to cost him 81, and if his income
has not increased .4S per CEN he is
really getting lower wages, according
to the increase of his wages from the
normal in 1897. Those with fixed in
comes are even greater sufferers under
this unfair system.