The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1906-08-11
INCREASE IN COST OF LIVING.
Advance Of 43 Per Cent. Made U.,des
the Present Tariff.

to Its present position Of power and
wealth. Each special interest or
product produced in every state would
o have been clamoring for protec.
ton from the competition of its neigh
boring and sister state and a virtual
embargo would have existed against
interstate commerce.. But what can
not be done to prohibit trade between
the states has been accomplished to
prevent trade with other nations and
TO tax the people Of the United States
II they undertake to import foreign
products. At the outset, when this
country was struggling to establish
manufactures and free itself from the
extOrtion OF the mother country, a tar
III on imports was desirable, both for
protection and for revenue But the
tax imposed did not exceed ten per
cent, whereas nov 1t exceeds on the
average so per cent. II these present
enormous tariff duties were necessary
to support the government, there
would be some excuse for their impo-
sltion, but on many manufactured
products the duties are so high as to
be prohibitive and actually prevent
imports, In many cases exceeding 100
per cent. and in some cases 200 per
cent.
This high tariff has naturally fos.
tered combines and trusts n this
country. to take advantage Of the op-
p~ortunity for monopoly. Prices have
increased enormously, in consequence
OF lack of competition, and the cost
OF living has advanced 4S per cent,
since the present tariff law was en-
acted in 1897. But a small percentage
OF this increase Is collected by the
government; the far greater percent.
age is collected by the trusts and COM
bines, which control about all the
general products consumed by the
people.
This trust taxation has led to Wig.
orous protests by the plundered tax.
payer and in many states the indie
pendent Republicans are as hostile to
the present tariff system as the Demo-
Gratis 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
there is a compact between the
leaders and the trust mo-
nopolists to continue this unholy al
lance for mutual advantage, the
and combines getting the lions
share of the plumber and the Repub-
lean campaign fund a good percent.
age, to keep that party in power.
Ii this same tariff system was in OBJ
Grafton between the several states
each one would have its tariff monop-
)lists, and commerce between the
states would. on many products, be
at a ~standstill. The vast con-
Of the great industries sat
he points where the raw material is
most available, or where the skilled
abor is located, would have been i'm
for the rival interests in
Their states would have been clamor- ,
ng for protection and a tariff wall i,
would have been erected around most !,
t the states to prevent the free i'm +.
orts of other states. Such a wall ex- :
sts to-day between US and Canada, =
Us and Mexico and even be- -.
our own colony of the Philip. :,
ines, not to mention the wall be- 4
cen us and Europe. |"
In spite of this tariff tax and re- o
trictions, the necessities Of our peo- Il
lie have forced importations from -
nd exports to all these countries. II N
lie tariff wall was lowered to a rea- .
unable tariff for revnue basis there =
ould be more trade and therefore ="
ore money made, and more impor- y
mt yet the trusts and combines ~
ould be compelled to reduce their " "
'ofts and the cost of living would L
ecline from 48 per cent. above the
primal to the proportion that the tar
rates are reduced, or whereabouts.
hose who work for wages would =,
us benefit, for to reduce the cost Of -
wing is virtually to advance wages,
Id as every home provider knows
e increased cost of living has made :.
necessary for him to spend $1.4S
r what used to cost him one dollar, =,
ID if his income has not increased
per cent. he is really getting lower =,
ages according to the increase of g.
wages from the normal in 1897.
lose with fixed incomes are even ..
eater sufferers under this unfair =,
stem. "
Anti-PaSS with a String to It. IL