Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-08-22


the steel trust earned, on an average,
not only the amount paid to him, but
100 per cent profit besides for his en-
ployer. And, l may add, while these
beneficiaries of protection have been
pretending to make the tariff laws for
the direct benef1t of the employees, these
same employees have, as a rule, been
kept close to the hunger line, while
many of the employers have become
the possessors of the swollen for
tunes" which now menace the nations
morals as we'll as its business.
And yet the Republican party was
not willing that a single item on the
steel schedule should be touched, and
the Republican campaign, committee
will not dare to publish, before the
election, the contributions that have
been made or will be made to the Re-
publican campaign fund by the men
most largely interested in the steel
trust.
Let me show you how the tariff, OPP
crates / have here a statement made
by H. e. Miles, chairman of the tariff
committee of the National Association
of Manufacturers and head of the, agri-
cultural implement trust. The state
ment appears in the American Indus
tries of November Is, 1907, paper
which is now supporting the Republic
can TICKET anu SDSCldl nSlll
against the labor plank of the Demo-
cratic platform. Here is what Mr..
Miles says:
What Mr.. Miles Says
81 have made money every year out
of the tariff graft, Not much, but still
a little.
THE tariff barons raised their price
$4,000 to me. made a charge against
the jobber of 100000, and l know that
he charged more than $4,000 for the
$50, 900 he paid me. Before reaching
the consumer the $4,000 charge became
about 100000 to be paid by the agri-
cultural consumer.
THE manufacturer who would pros
per must make a double profit, one by
the shrewd management of his BUSH
ness, and another by still shrewder
manipulation in Washington.
I'VE have no great difficulty in shop
ping abroad, for we could get as high
prices as at home. We are so held up,
however, by our supply people that to
most of us there is very scant profit in
foreign business.
when congress gave us 10 per cent,
we needing only 20 per cent, they gave
us a congressional permit, it not an
invitation, to consolidate, form one
great trust and advance our prices 25
per cent, being the difference between
the 20 per cent needed and the 45 per
cent given"
Mr.. Miles shows how the tariff raises
prices to those who, in manufacturing,
have to buy other manufactured
products. This expense is transferred
to the next purchaser The jobber
charges profit on the tariff as well as
on the cost of the article, and each per-
son who handles the product collects a
profit, so that, according to Mr.. Miles,
the first charge of $4,000 becomes $780,
900 by the time it reaches the con-
sumner. Mr.. Miles in another article
estimates the total loss to the people
at $500, OOO, 200 annaally. The statement
of Mr.. Miles also shows that the tariff
law is an invitation to consolidate, and
that having been given the tariff on
the theory that it is needed, the manu-
facturers naturally assume that it is
intended that they shall take advantage
of it, even If they have to combine to
do so.
How will Mr.. Taft explain to the av-
erage man the benefits of protection?
He can easily convince trust that 1t
profits by the tariff, but what about
the victim of the trust?
No Republican leader will now deny
that reductions ought to be made, but
who is to make the reductions? The
only answer given by the Republicans
by its friends; that is. that those who
made the last tariff law should be en-
trusted with the making of new tariff
law. But suppose the people adopt the
Republican idea and entrust the making
of the tariff law to Republican con-
gressmen, what will be the method of
procedure? Fortunately for the voter,
Mr.. Miles explains this also. In the
April, 1908, number of American Indus
tries, Mr.. Miles says: "The people IN
struct and trust congress to grant just,
equitable and ample protection"
Is not that just what the Republican
leaders claim to favor? They want
you to instruct and trust congress to
grant just, equitable and ample pro-
lection" And what does that mean
Mr. Miles says that congress trusts
the ways and means committed" And
Republican leader will tell you that
this is also proper. Then what? Mr.
Miles says that this committee trusts
such persons as Mr.. Dalzell," and that
"they-they trust the trusts"
Method Is Simple
The method of procedure is simple
1t is a case of confidence. The voters
have confidence in Republican leaders
the leaders have confidence in a Re
| publican congress; a Republican con
gress has confidence in the ways ano
means committee; the ways and mean:
| committee has confidence in the mer
who represent the trusts, and the trusts
write the tariff law and thus secure Il
| themselves the right to levy tribute
upon the public So accustomed have
| Republican leaders become to allowing
| the protected interests to write the
| tariff schedules that so eminent anC
| honorable a man as Senator Hoar OF
| Massachusetts said, in discussing the
1 ~ y4..I.- fl1a IN
INSTEAD of coming before your sub
committee for a formal hearing on oul
Massachusetts industries, thought the
| best way was to carefully prepare {
table of all the various industries, per
haps some sixty or seventy in all, ant
ask Brother Aldrich to go over then
| with me and ascertain what the people
| wanted in each case, and If there were
any cases where the committee had no
already done exactly what the petition
ers desired or had not infiexibly passed
upon the question, could have a hear
| ing before you, but find In every in
stance the action of the committee, a:
| Mr.. Aldrich thinks 1t likely to be, /.
entirely satisfactory to the interests
| represent, with the exception of one OF
| two and the papers in regard to thost
! cases / have handed to Mr.. Aldrich."
Mr.. Miles, whom I have before quot
ed. says, in American Industries o.
April of this year:
''People asking a government repre-
| sentative for relief on another schedule
were by that representative referred tC
q New England manufacturer, the Off
cial agreeing to act in accordance witt
the protected manufacturers wishes
Said the manufacturer: I wrote thai
schedule myself. I did not intend thai
| ii should be interpreted as severely as
| it has been, but having been so inter
preted. will not consent to a modifi
cation Of it, And this mans will re-
/ mains the law"