Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-09-05
is ONLY ONE WAY
DEMOCRATIC SUCCESS is NEcEs.
sARY FOR TARIFF REFORM.
Relief fer Piundsred People Can Come
Only in This Way-Republicans
Tied to Trusts and
MonopoIies.


The wholesale prices of all coin
modities have increased over so rer
Gent. since 1896, according to the in.
dex figures .of Dunn's mercantile
agency. And according to similar fig.
ures prepared by Bradstreet, prices
Lave advanced over nine per cent. dur
ing the year ending June 80, 1907. AS
very many of the ARTICLES included in
those figures are controlled by trusts
and are virtual mo~nopolies, and the
trust-proSecting tariff practically pro-
hibits competition from abroad, this
enormous increase In the cost of liv.
ing is a most serious question for the
consumer of restricted income. To
the rich, of course, the increase is
hardly noticeable and does not de.
Drive them Of luXuries, much less ne
3esslties. But this vast increase in
Wholesale prices is not the worst CT
the matter to consumers, for retail
prices have been put up to a much
higher level, SO that those with lib.
eral incomes are beginning to feel the
necessity, much more those with lin.
tied incomes, for economy. Rents,
groceries, dry goods, meat, vegetables
and fruit, not to mention Injuries, are
higher than ever before, except when
gold was at a premium and prices
were inflated to meet the depreciation
OF paper money during and after the
civil war. Wages are also higher,
but not in proportion to the increased
cost Of living.
Yet we are told that the Republic
an leaders have agreed to oppose any
proposition to reduce the tariff duties
which protect the trusts and manu-
facturels from the only competition
possible through imports from abroad.
Congress will meet in December, and
being she long session, has ample
time to revise the tariff before the
usual time for adjournment, even IN
a presidential year.
Why are the Republican politicians
SO determined not to revise the tariff,
when the whole country is suffering
from the extortion of the predatory
trusts and combines? The question il
a plain one. The votes and campaign
contributions of the protected manu-.
facturers are considered necessary for
Republican success and to disturb
their profits before the election would
move those who profit by protection
to not only deny their usual liberal
campaign contributions, but also
make them luke warm for the sue.
cess of the G. o. P.
Under this procrastinating pro-
gramme there can be no relief for
the plundered people before, at least,
the middle of the year 1909, V e If
a tariff reform congress is elected in
November, 1908, for that congress can.
not be called into extra session until
after the congress that will begin its
session next winter has run its course,
or after March 4, 1909. But ID
the Republican party in their next ma.
tlonal platform should declare for
tariff revision, and the new president
both congress and president being
Republicans-should call an extra ses-
sion to consider tariff revision. Does
any sane man expect that tariff rates
Will be reduced on those articles that
protected interests control? 1t
would hardly be human nature for the
Republican politicians to cut down the
profits of those who have furnished
them with the sinews of war. There
fore, Republican tariff revision. If
such is attempted, will be likely to
make the last state of the people
worse, than their first state, for it is
lutte possible they may revise the
Tariff higher. II you want tariff re-
.orm you must elect a Democratic
president and a Democratic congress.