The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-03-26
PRODUCER AND CONSUMER.

S arting like a science or a statute,
with a definition. this article uses pro-
Queer in the sense of the independent
worker to get value directly from nat
ural sources, whether vegetable, ami
NAL or mineral, in free competition,
without power of combination or p1o-
lection by a trust.
The other words define themselves.
In the complex processes of Industry,
the manufacturer buys raw material
from The producer, directly or through
traders. Brokers and traders, unless
banded together in some restraint of
trade, earn a just margin fixed by COM
petition, and have no great interest
in absolute prices, except as they slim
ulate or check trade.
Hired labor likewise has no other
interest in absolute wages or prices
by which cost of living is fixed; only
in their relation to each other. Both
Classes find prosperity in increased
volume of trade and industry and ad-
versity in shrunken volume. Other wise
they need not be considered.
An early humOrist was willing to
sacrifice all his wife's relations on the
altar of patrio ism in the Civil war.
The manufacturers, if able to do so by
the power of combination, are equally
willing to sacrifice the producer on the
tar of tariff reform when the demand
of the consumer for lower prices be-
comes too strong to be resiS. ed That
seems to be the spirit in which the new
tariff schedules have been framed by
their attorneys and agents in the ways
and means committee We shall see
what the people have to say about II
TO their representatives in congress.
Many duties have been reduced, but
in most cases relief to the consumer
is given at the cost of the producer
without touching the sacred rake -oft
of the manufacturer. The steel indus
try is in class by itself. Consumption
having been cut nearly in two by re-
volt from high prices, competition
forced them down in spite of the trust
Duties can be shaved without affecting
the steel makers farther. The change
will afford no relief at present, but, il
left alone. may prevent prices rising
to he old level when demand increases
But the saving viii come out of or'
and pig iron.
In the gerat items of food and cloth
cost of the producer. The cotton SEIZED
ule seems not o be touched, eXcep
to shove up the new form of mer
cerized and knitted hose The WOO
duties remain except for some reduc
ton in coarse carpet woods, shodd.
and waste. We must continue to pa.
two prices for inferior product, ex
cept so far as the revolt of consumer
forces the manufacturers tC surrende
part of their profit.
The reduction of the duty on shoe
comes out of the cattle raiser in fire.
hides, and he gets no compensation il
lower duties on his other clothing an
supplies. The paper consumer is re
lieved at the cost of the pulp mills, bu
nobody sheds tears for them. TIL
lumber schedule is a bunco game, Tx
the wool. The only material reduction
is on rough lumber. which is nearly a
awkward to import as logs. The board
used by the humble home builder pa
nearly as much as before, and tn
temptation to destroy forests is un
diminished
The duty on grain is no longer tn
joke it used to be- When the price wa
made in London by world competition
with our exports, the farmer was KEEP
good natured by a generous duty tina
helped him less than a famine in Ru
mania Now that We approach com
plete domestic consumption and com
petition to buy instead of sell, tn
brewers get the barley duty cut an
that on wheat is annulled by more lib
eral drawback provisions. However