Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-10-25

lief From Trust Taxation.
The greatly increased cost of living
under the trust protecting tariff sys-
TEN weighs most heavily on those least
able to bear it. Those with incomes
that do not increase as prices advance
IN fact have less income, because their
dollars will not purchase as much as
they formerly would. On July /, 1896,
the Wholesale cost Of all necessities
per capita to the American people was
$72.46. This year on the same date it
was $1O5.21, an advance of As per cent.
These figures are purposely taken from
the Republican campaign book, page
l3S, so that no Republican can question
their accuracy.
1t therefore now takes $1.45 to buy
what 81 would purchase in 1896. If
the cost of living for the average fami-
ly of five persons in 1896 was $500, it
now is 1925, but if the income has
been stationary and is still but $500 it
will purchase As per cent less necessi-
ties, so that in fact the income measur-
ed in necessities is but $275. Those
who have small incomes, that have not
increased with the cost Of necessities,
are therefore 45 per cent poorer today
than they were in 1896. These calcu-
lations, which are based on Dun's In
dex Number and are reliable as show
| fno nricnc in nron0rfinn IN aonc,1r,nt;or
indicate the growth of trusts and COM
binations protected 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.
If the tariff was 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 lower
ed or the foreign products would be i'm
ported and the trusts would lose the
sale to the amount of such imported
goods. The Republican claim that i'm
ports of the lower priced foreign goods
would ruin the trusts and throw their
employees out of employment will only
fool those people who are anxious to
be deceived. The proof of this is es-
tablished 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 our own people as we'll as they can
to the foreigners.
The Democratic plan Of dealing with
the tariff and trust problem is to grad
ually reduce the tariff on trust prod
ucts, so as not to violently disturb the
business Of those gigantic combines,
but give them a chance to conform
their business to the changed condi-
tons 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 revenue
basis, where just enough foreign goods
would be imported to provide the nec-
essary revenue for the government and
thus through competition keep the trust
high prices in check. Under the pres
ent system we have these vast aggre-
cations Of capital, such as the steel
trust, making enormous incomes on
their watered stock, which is a tax
upon all the people Of the United States
and is robbery of the mar or woman
with limited incomes that do not in
crease as trust prices advance.
The Republican leaders having de-
cided that no tariff revision shall be at
tempted if they control the next con
gress, it remains for those independent
Republican voters who believe in tariff
revision to control trust prices to join
with the Democrats in e~lecting con-
gressmen pledged to reform the tariff
and members Of the Legislature who
will only vote for United States sena
tors also so pledged.