Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-02-01
HAVE GONE TARIFF MAD.
Republicans Favor Trusts and Pro.
pose Still Higher Du-
ties.

Other nations besides the United
States a stand pat" but in the end
there must come a showdown and
some n will win and others lose. In
playing the tariff game of freeze-out
between nations the people of all coun-
.ries suffer and the combines and cor
porations grow fat. That is the case
In the United States and Germany to-
day, for both countries are standing
pat with poor hands. Even the even
tual winner at this tariff game, VIII
he Republican leaders here and the
land monopolists in Germany are play
ing with the stakes that the people of
both countries furnish will be poorer
n the end.
In the United States we boast of our
large exports, which are mostly agri-
cultural products and raw materials
and which must be sold to those coun-
tries that will buy them and the price
Tor the surplus we have to sell, after
supplying Il W people, is fixed in
the foreign markets, where other coun-
tries which have a surplus of similar
products, are also seeking buyers. Ger
many, France and other protection
countries that do not raise enough
wheat, beef, pork and other products.
set the price they will pay according
10 the amount that is offered for sale.
The price they offer for the surplus
likes the price also in the countries that
sell. II a tariff tax is imposed on any
or all OF these agricultural products,
that and the freight and expenses and
profits, must be added and the con,
sumers in Germany and elsewhere pay
he total cost. .
If our people want to buy German or
French products, the tariff tax that the
United States imposes, is added to the
price these foreign countries charge
and the cost is increased from 80 to
100 per cent, the average being about
"a per cent, besides the freight and
profits. But that is not the worst of it
by any means, for the trusts and com
Dimes knowing that foreign goods can
not be sold here, except with the tariff
added, put up the price of their prod
lcts in proportion and thus virtually
collect the tariff tax on nearly all our
people buy. The trust gets the tax and
nothing gees to the government. That
Is why the cost of living has increased
80 greatly since the Republican tariff
law was enacted in 1897 and why the
trusts and combines have been so fos-
tered and have so prospered.
In Germany a similar condition ex-
Its and the price of necessities of life
have so vastly increased that great dis
:ress prevails.
On March 1 the German tariff will
be so increased that her markets will
be absolutely closed to most of our
agricultural products.
Meanwhile the trust-controlled
statesmen of both countries are
standing pat and declaring they will
make no concessions. The protection
majority in congress are even declar-
Ing for retaliation upon the Germans
by Increasing our tariff rates rs per
cent. on German products.
Thus is protection gone mad in both
countries and the people are paying
sxorbitant prices to protect the trusts
n combines. When the election OF
senator's and congressman takes place
next fall will the voters reflect these
stand patters," or turn to the Dem
ocrats, who are pledged to tariff re-
vision that will eliminate trust pro-
lection.