Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-08-16
TARIFF AND TRUSTS PUT
AT HEAD OF REASONS
Minority Findings Differ Widely as
to Why Cost Of Living 10 so
Much Advanced and Makes Visor-
Gus Attack on Majority Members
Each Principal Is Dealt With.
sRv Associated Press,


The tariff. trusts. combines and
monopolies and an Increased money
supply, are the three substantial
causes for the advance in prices III
the United States. according to Sena-
tors Johnston. OF Alabama: Clark, OF
Arkansas. and Smith. of South Caro-
lima. minority members OF the select
senate committee, appointed during
the last session of congress to inves-
tigate and make a report on wages
and the prices OF commodities.
Vigorous attack is made in the
minority members report on almos.
all the reasons given by the ma
iority In it's report, submitted some
time ago. as to the cause for the
advance in prices.
I'VE are without sufficient data"
say the minority members in their
report just completed, ito apportion
the degree OF responsibility between
these three causes. but that the two
first are the chief malefactors we
have no doubt; and they are of our
own creation or permission"
Deals With Tariff.
After attacking. one at a time. the
fifteen principal causes contributing
according to the majority report to
the high cost of living. the minority
take up the tariff, declaring that
when the Payne-Aldrich bill was
framed champagne was put on the
schedules at from "a to Sc per cent.
whilst wearing apparel was taxed
from so to so per cent-drinking
champagne was to be encouraged
and wearing wooden clothes discour.
aged. So with hats, they add.
those bringing not over $3.50 per
those valued at more than SIS per
dozen AZ per cent"
The result Of protection. they de-
clare, is great fortunes for the few
and great suffering for the many. We
believe. they say. that the amount
OF the tariff is added to the price and
taxed to- the consumer: that but for
the tariff the commodities we buy
upon which that tax is laid would be
cheaper. approximately to the extent
of the taIif; and that when we do
not buy the imported article the pro-
tected manufacturer puts approx
mateiy the amount Of it on the goods
produced by him"
Affects of Higher Rates.
1T Is difficult to understand how
anyone can favor high rates of duty
IL he does not honestly believe tina:
il will Increase the prices to be realiz-
ed by the manufacturers producing the
article affected. by diminishing or
destroying competition and thus nee
% ri Tn osr 80 -
consumer Then we were many times
mournfuliy warned that any reduc-
ton in rates would flood our County,
with lowerpriced German products,
and that the smoke Of American
manufacturers would disappear from
the heavens. Now We are Informed
that the tariff has not increased the
cost Of these articles entering into
every household and administering to
the health and comfort OF every
family"
Showing the effect OF the tariff on
prices. they instance sugar. on which
the New York consumer. they say.
pays more than the London consum-
er by the difference between the
sugar tariffs in the two countries. plus
Il cents per hundred pounds.
1T ia scarcely necessary thew
add. TO mention the Ubiquitous wool
en- schedule-where the tariff rates
arc 30 high on these necessities OF
cur people as 10 practically preclude
any foreign competition with the
American manufacturer. except on
high-priced goOGs purchased by the
xeal;hier consumer. who can. to
some extent disregard price
Trusts ard Monoposies.
Taking up the sub5e-. Of trusts.
combinations. and monopolies, they
declare that there are few trusts
that could survive a revenue tariff.
They flourish only under the shadow
o. high protective walls. Standing
behind these walls that shut OF
foreign competition and destroying
Domestic competition by consol'da-
tions and absorp,ions. they are lin
tied only 70 selling AZ a fraction less
thar the foreign price plus the pro-
fsciive duty. That they reduce cost
o. production seems certain. but 70
T. In rare cases that the pubIic or
the laborers employed BY them par
ficipafe IN the enlarged profit So
enormous have been their profits
that ~ End organizations sprineir z