The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-01-25
UNFAIR PROSPERITY
FARMERS AND WAGE EARNERe
NOT GETTING THEIR SHARE.
Figures Show That Protected Trusts
and Corporations have Forced
Prices for Cost Of Living Far
Above Increased Wages
Paid


We are all impressed with tho
prosperity that the great business Ia
terests of the country are enjoying
but somehow many of us feel tfys 70
are not getting our share. There In
no disputing the prosperity OF ms
few, but there is still stronger evil
dencc that many farmers and wage
earners are not getting just what
should be coming to them. The prico
of farm products, with the exception
of wheat, has increased, wages OF
workingmen have advanced, and yet
the greatest economy is not able 10
edualze the greatly increased outgo.
The figures" of Dun and Bradstreet
show that the price OF all commodities
has risen on an average over 90 per
cent. since 1896, but the statistics OF
the average wages paid indicate an
increase of only about 20 per cent.
during the same period.
The census figures show there are
about 30000,000 people In this conn'
try working for wages, receiving an
average of about 5000 each per year. so
the total wages paid amount TO SiS,'
900 900 900. Deducting 20 per cent.
would give In 1896 for the same num-
Der OF wage earners Sl5,OOO,OOO,69O,
But ms the cost OF living is now 80
uer cent. more than In 1896, and 1t
cost all the wage earners earned IN
1906 to live. It must now cost them
So, 500. 600 900. or $500 each per year
to buy the same amount of goods and
pay the increased rent and other eX'
penscs of living that 1t did In 1896.
Yet the evidence shows that the
wages paid are but 20 per cent. high
err or 1920 per ycar-in all SlS,OOO.-
900 600 So the difference between
what the wage earners OF the coun'
try now receive and what they should
receive II they fully participated In
the prosperity, is $4,000 100000. This
amount represents approximately
what the protected trusts, combines
and corporations are receiving In
profits over and above the average
profits the producers and manuiac'
turerB were getting in 1896. Sure
| ~ the trusts are prosperous. and
their prosperity is indisputable, Tor
four and a half billion dollars are d.
verified by the Republican system OF
protection into the remorseless maws
| of the corporation magnates But
| how about the balance of us that are
forced by theae tariff fostered trust
high prices to pay the extra $4,000,
000. 900 at $3.50 each for the 10000,
900 workers?
No wonder there Is unrest and thai
all who cam salaries and wages are
demanding more pay, but as the cos
Of living is advancing at the rate o
five per cent. annually It would seen
that wages and salaries will neye
catch up with the cost of living.
As a political proposition the voters
must remember that in 1925 and 10
three years previous tho Democratic
tariff rates were quite high, ayerag
ing IS. IS per cent. ad valorem, where
as under the present Law tia .ate
exceed 50 per cent. or over 20 pc
cent higher That enormous increas
fostored the formation OF trusts an
combines, which very naturally, find
ing they had a monopoly have ir
creased prices until they now excce
so per cent of what they were Z
1896 under the lower tariff rates. A
everyone Is compelled to pay these II
creased prices Is Il not the reason
able and only way TO reduce price
to so revise the turin that, at leas
these high prices may not becom
higher, which are now increasing q
the rate of lIve pc cent every year
The Republicans say: mo. we wi
stand pat and alloy the present trus
prosperity to continue, and hope this
wages will advance to q par wit
prices" which under the present sy
TEN experience shows they Will M
do. The Democrats declare for tart
revision. so that there will he comp
tition with the trusts and force the
to reduce the price OF their product
to reasonable extent. The votcI
when they elect the next presidci
and congress must decide betwee
these two propositions.