The daily sentinel., 1908-08-24
MORE OF THE
GREAT SPEECH

and the wages constituted less than
twenty-five per cent of the total
value of the product. According to
this statement, each working man
employed by the steel trust earned on
an average, not only the amount paid
to him, but one hundred per cent
profit besides for his employer. And.
l may add, while these beneficiaries
of protection have been pretending
to make the tariff laws for the direct
benefit of the employees, these same
employees have, as rule, been kept
close to the hunger line, while many
of the employers have become the
I possessors of the swollen fortunes
which now menace the nation S
morals as well as it's business.
And yet the Republican party
was not willing that single item on
the steel schedule should be touched,
and the Republican campaign com
mittee will not dare to punish. before
the election, the contributions that
have been made or will be made to
the Republican campaign fund by the
men most largely interested in the
steel trust.
Let me show you how the tariff
| operates. / have here statement
made by Mr.. e. H. Miles, chairman
of the Tariff Committee of the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers
ana head of the Agricultural lmple-
ment Trust. The statement appears
in the American Industries of Novem-
Der 10, 1907, paper which is now
supporting the Republican ticket and
making a special fight against the
labor plank of the Democratic plat
form. Here is what Mr.. Mines says
4 have made money every year
out of the Tariff Graft. Not much,
but still little.
The tariff barons raised their
price $4,000 to me. made a charge
against the lobber of 100000 and |
know that he charged more than
$4,000 for the 100000 he paid me.
Before reaching the consumer the
$50, ,000 charge became about $780,
600 to be paid by the agricultural
consumer.
THE manufacturer who would
prosper must make a double profit,
one by the shrewd management of his
business and another by still shrewd-
er manipulation in Washington .
We have no great difficulty in
shopping abroad for we could get as
high prices as at home. We are so
held up, however, by our supply peo-
pie that to most of us there is very
scant profit in foreign business.
When congress gave us forty
five per cent. we needing only twenty
per cent, they gave us congressional
permit, if not an invitation, to con
solidate, form one great trust and ad-
vance our prices twenty-five per cent,
being the difference between the
twenty per cent needed and the forty
five per cent given
Mr.. Miles shows how the tariff
raises prices to those who. in manu-
featuring, have TO buy other manu-
factured products. This expense is
transferred to the next purchaser.
The jobber charges a profit on the
tariff as well as on the cost of the
article. and each person who handles
the product collects a profit so that,
according to Mr.. Miles, the first
charge of $ 900 becomes 100000
by the time il reaches the consumer
Mr.. Miles in another article estimates
the total loss to the people at $780,
900, annually. 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 ii is needed, the
manufacturers 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
average man the benefits of protec-
ton? He cam easily convince Il trust
that il profits by the tariff. but what
about the victim of the trust?
mo Republican leader will now
deny that reductions ought to be
made, but who is 10 make the re-
ductions? The only answer given by |
the Republicans is that the tariff |
ought TO he reformed by its friends; |
that is, that those who made the last |
tariff law should he entrusted with |
the making of II new tariff law. But |
suppose the people adopt the Repub-
lican idea and entrust the making of
the tariff law to Republican congress-
men; what will be the method of pro-
cedure? Fortunately for the voter,
MIR. Miles explains this also. In the
April, 1908, number of American In
iustries, Mr.. Miles says: The people
instruct and trust congress to grant
lust, equitable and ample protection
is not that just what the Republi-
,an leaders claim to favor? They
want you to instruct and trust CON
sress to grant just, equitable and
,mple protection. And what does
hat mean? Mr.. Miles says that con- ,
;ress trusts the Ways and Means
Committee And a Republican lead
II will tell you that this is also {
roper. Then what? Mr.. Miles says t
hat this committee trusts such per-
ons as Mr.. DalZell,' and that thew 6