Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-09-18
FOUR YEARS MORE?'
SHALL THE PARTY OF MoNoPo
LY BE KEpF IN PoWERi
Time Now for ~ voters to Determine
to Put an 0sd 10 LOCALIZED
Robbery hy Tariff-Pro-
tectsd Trusts.

AS wages are MIllng ana meat anu
bread are costing more, with many
people out of wssk 1t is time to take
stock and reckon how to provide for
the future. The panic and present
business depression have demolished
the Republican theory that the tariff
which protects the trusts produces
prosperity. The high prices the trusts
have charged for their products was
one Of the CHIEF causes Of the panic,
and although the trusts made money
other people had 10 pay it as long as
they could, but even the game Of
boosting prices cannot prevail indefi.
nitely, and the Inevitable collapse
came, much to the confusion Of the Re.
publican politicians. What is called
business can adapt itself to almost any
political conditions or laws, but it re.
qdires time to recuperate from .
breakdown Of confidence, and conf
dence cannot be restored until the
business world begins to make money
again and has surplus profits to invest
in new undertakings. That the cost
of living still remains so near the high
point shows the absolute control of the
trusts of most Of the necessities Of
life. After former panics there has al.
ways been period Of low prices,
which compensated for reduced
wages and smaller incomes, and in
creased consumption, though cheaper
goods set the wheels Of industry again
turning.
The steel trasG DE beef trust, the
sugar trust, the agricultural machinery
trust, the coal trust, the paper trust,
and many other trusts are still charg.
Ing the same high prices for their pro
ducts as before he panic. The rail.
road trust, indeed. has already deter.
mined to advance freight rates, which
will naturally compel merchants to
add to the price e the goods they sell,
and groceries md provisions being
heavy goods, Will be the first to suffer.
Freight on dry goods and clothing, al.
though very high, does not add so
much to their cost. Over.stocked mer.
chants are selling better bargains in
dry goods and rsady-made clothing,
but families with reduced incomes can
hardly take advantage of II.
Monopoly and tariff protection, upon
which the Republican party is stand
Ing pat, allows 0sse things to be, and
competition, which has always been
relied upon to regulate prices accord.
ing to supply md demand, is hardly
longer among the forces to be reck
oned with, It amounts to very much
like suspending the force of gravita
ton and expecting things to keep in
their right places.
Conditions are aggravated by pri.
vate monopoly in conjunction with the
government tariff favoritism. Cold.
storage trusts and milk trusts all keen
up prices. In spite of the law private
car lines and refrigerator car com.
bines still tax the consumer, and the
producers and growers do not get any
Of the benefit.
Many people have regarded the pres.
ent administration as reformers. But
what has been done to relieve the peo,
pie from trust and corporation plum.
dering? Has anything been made
cheaper or better or more lasting from
the laws that have been enacted? The
chief cause Of high prices-the tariff
has not been touched. The same per.
centage Of extra tariff profit is still
being collected BY the trusts and com.
bines, and the Republican congress
still stands pat, and no proddlng from.
the White House On the tariff issue
other than on wood pulp and paper
strs it to action.
The nomination Of a president and
congressman is now taking place, and
unless there is a new deal the same
old pretense Of doing things" and yet
standing pat WIN be continued for the
next four years You may adapt your
circumstances to the present unsatis.
factory conditions, as the business of
the country undoubtedly will but why
not persist in reforms that you know
you will benefit byi Are you willing
to be plundered forever By the tariff
protected trustsi