Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-06-02

As wages are falling and meat and
bread Is costing more, with many peo-
pie out of work, it is time to take
stock and reckon how to provide for
the future. The panic and present
business depression has demolished the
Republican theory that the tariff which
protects the trusts promotes prosperity.
The high prices the trust have charged
Tor their products was one of the chief
causes of the panic, and although the
trusts made money, other people had
to pay it as long as they could, but
even the game of boosting prices can
not prevail indefinitely, and the inevi-
table collapse came, much to the con-
fusion of the Republican politicians.
What is called business can adapt IT.
self to almost any political conditions
or laws, but 1t requires time to reel
perate from a breakdown of conf
dence, and confidence cannot be re-
stored 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 pan
les there has always been a period of
low prices, which compensated for re-
dnced wages and smaller incomes, and
increased consumption through cheaper
goods set the wheels of industry again
turning.
The Steel Trust, the Beef Trust, the
Sugar Trust, the Agricultural Machin-
cry Trust, the Coal Trust, the Paper
Trust, and many other trusts are still
charging the same high prices for their
products as before the panic. The
Railroad Trust indeed has already de-
termined to advance freight rates,
which will naturally compel merchants
to add TO the price Of the goods they
sell and groceries and provisions be-
ing heavy goods, will be the first to
suffer. Freight on dry goods and
clothing, although very high, does not
add so much to their cost. Over
stocked merchants are selling better
bargains in dry goods and ready made
clothing. but families with reduced In
comes can hardly take advantage of
it.
Monopoly and tariff protection upon
which the Republican party is standing
pat, allows these things to be, and
competition which has always been re-
lied upon to regulate prices according
to supply and demand, is hardly longer
among the forces toabe reckoned with
1t amounts to very much like suspend
ing the force of gravitation and ex-
pecting things to keep in their places.
Conditions are aggravated by private
monopoly in conjunction with the gov
eminent tariff favoritsm. Cold stor-
age Trusts, and Ice Trusts, and Fruit
Trusts, and Egg Trusts. and Milk
Trusts, all keep up prices. In spite
of the law private ear lines and refrig-
orator car combines still tax the con-
sumner, 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 Jaws 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 prodding from the
White House on the tariff issue, other
than on wood Iulp and paper, stirs 1t
to action.
The nomination Of President and
Congressman is now taking place, and
unless there Is a new deal the same old
pretence of doing things" and yet
standing pat will be continued for the
next four gears. You may adapt yorr
circumstances to the present unsatis-
factory conditions, as the business of
the country undoubtedly viii, but why
not persist in reforms that you know
you Will benefit by? Are you willing
to be plundered forever by the tariff
protected trusts?