Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-04-30

OOliOthluS 10 OuO W OnOi hlOuo
currency initiation. The total per
capital in the Uuited States in
1896 was $21.41, and in 1909 it was
s35.01. Although population had
grown by many millions in these
thirteen years. the amount of
money to each individual had in
creased by $3.50, or more than
go per cent. The inceased in the
total gold production of the world,
which rose from $118.S47,0O0 in
1890 to over $427 100000 in 1908
has been made the basis for one
form and another of credit issues
aggregating a vast sum.
"The tariff is another contribu-
ting cause. 1t is true that it can
furnish but partial explanation.
For to only a limited extent can
the rise in food prices be affected
by or traced to the tariff. AS to
comm ODDITIES that we export, the
tariff is inoperate. 1t generally
affects prices directly as we become
importers. Nevertheless, the tariff
must bear its share of responsibility
for rising prices.
denominations which are actually
in restraint of trade, which have
monopolized their field and are
either controlled by a common
secret management by a secret
agreement to maintain evorbitant
charges are partly responsible.
"StIll more of the prices due to
the decline of agriculture products,
as compared with the increase of
population. Decrease in the num-
Der of cattle and swine was also
6lfOii oo a 1OuoOhs
"There still remains large un-
explained balance. This must be
credited to the lavish expenditure
which has now grown to be a ma
tional trait, which is eating up our
accumulated wealth, and higher by
consuming our resoui ces unpro'
ductively, encouraging Incidence
and luxury, and compelling resort
to constantly ascending scale OF
wages.
"Waste, idleness and rising wages
all inter-related to one another, now
as cause and now as effect, are,
next to an over issue of irredeem-
able paper the three most powerful
forces in the world to raise prices.
"The taxes collected annually
from the railroads of the country
have increased more than 200 per
cent since 1889. They increased
by $40,000,000 and by more than
800 per mile of track between
1900 and 1908. Franchise, taxes,
inheritance taxes, taxes on corora
tons and income taxes are all re-
cent additions or suggestions. They
are referred to here with neither
approval nor disapproval as means
OF collecting money, but as part of
the evil progeny of our dissipation
of free capital.
"The modern theory that you
can safely tax the wealth is Just
as obnoxious as the medieval theory
that you can safely Cypress or kill
the poor.
Expenditure must be cut down
all along the line, since a COMPARE
son with twenty years ago shows
that it might be cut in two without
injury to any real interest.
"Credit everywhere should be
conserved by sharp scrutiny of
new band issues.
"Stop grating, the offspring of
public extragance and the parent
of civic decay; not only the gross
form that robs treasures, but the
more subtle and more dangerous
species that infects the masses of
the people themselves.
individual and public economy:
a just distinction between 8 high
standard of comfort and one-sided
aud vulgar ostentation or criminal
waste on the other check on in