The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-16
Senators Johnston, Clarke
and Smith Report for MI
nority otthe Committee
VIGOROUS ATTACK MADE
UPON MAJORITY REPORT
Tariff, Trusts and Monopolfes Are
Blamed for the Great Fortunes of
the Few and the Suffering
Among Poor People

Washington, August 15-The tariff,
trusts. combines and monopolies, and
an increased money supply, are the
three substantial causes for the ad-
vance in Srices In the United States,
according to Senator's Joseph F. John
ston of Alabama, James P. Clarke, of
| Arkansas, and Ellison ID. Smith OF
South Carolina, minority members of
the select senate committee. appointed
during the last session of congress to
| Investigate and make report on wages
and prices of commodities
| Vigorous attack is made in the min
ority members report on almost all
the reasons given by the majority in
its report. submitted some time ago.
| as to the cause for the advance in
prices.
The minority finds that the three
substantial causes for the advance in
prices are: 1.-The tariff trusts, COM
bines and monopolies." and Increased
| money supply"
I'VE are without sufficient data"
said the minority members in their re-
port just completed, ito apportion the
degree of responsibility between these
three causes, but that the two first
are the chief maIefactors We have no
doubt; and they are of our own crea-
ton or permission
Concerning the tariff, the minority
declares that when the Payne-A -Aldrich
bill was framed champagne was put
on the schedules at from "a to Sc per-
cent, whilst wearing apparel was taxed
from 80 to 80 per cept--drinking cham
pagne was TO be encouraged and wear
ing woolen clothes discouraged. so
with hats" they add. Those bringing
not over s4.50 per dozen were taxed
II per cent and those valued at more
than SIS per dozen AZ per cent"
Suffering for Many
The result of prices then. they de-
clare. is great fortunes for the few
and great suffering for many.
| 1T is difficult to understand how
| any one can favor high rates of duty II
| he does not honestly believe that it Will
| increase the prices to be realized by
the manufacturers producing the article
affected by diminishing or destroying
competition, and thus necessarily in
creasing the cost to the consumer.
| Showing the effect of the tariff on
prices, they instance sugar. on which the
| New York consumer, they say, pays
| more than the London consumer by the
difference between the sugar tariffs in
! the two countries, plus II cents per 100
pounds
1T is scarcely necessary" they add, TO
| mention the iniquitous woolen schedule
l
these necessities of our people as to prac-
tically preclude any foreign competition
with the American manufacturer
Taking up the subject of trusts, COM
binations and monopoies, they declare
| that there are few trusts that could
| survive revenue tariff. They flourish
| only under the shadow of high protect
i've walls. Standing behind these walls
that shut off foreign competition and de-
| stroying domestic competition by consol-
! idations and absorptions. they are limit
| ed only to selling at a fraction less than
the foreign price plus the protective duty.
| That they reduce cost of production
| seems correct, but it is In rare cases
that the public or that the laborers em-
ployed by them participate in the en-
larged profit"
Meat Trust Methods
THE methods of the meat trust" they
declare seem to be admirably adapted
| TO taking from the consumer and the
| producer the largest amount that the
| traffic will bear. Their destruction of
local competitors cannot be improved
upon
| As to wages they say that ''the fear
| that wages would fall IL tariff were re-
| moved, and the fall in prices would not
| be clear gain to consumer Is now cor.
| rected by the experience of Great Britain
| Great Britain is free trade nation. and
| 1t is the most prosperous nation in the
world except our own.
| 1T is about so years since Great Brit
| ain adopted free trade and during that
| time. according to a table published In
| Whtaker's Almanac, wages have in
creased S1.7 per cent and prices only 8
per cent. 1t lie therefore well seen that
the abolition of the tariff in England did
not bring down the rate of wages"
! Replying to the majorftys statement,
in it's report, that an increased demand
for farm products" is cause of ad-
vancing prices. the minority declare that
"the farmer has realized a small net re-
turn on his labor and investment by rea.
son of the increased cost of the articles
necessary for him to purchase to carry
on his business"
Minority Report
Mr. Johnston. on behalf Of the minority
committee, submits the following report:
The majority find that
Among the many causes contributing
to the advance In prices may be enum-
Grated:
Increased cost of production of farm
products by reason of higher land values
and higher wages.
Increased demand for farm products
and food
Shifting of population from food-pro-
ducing to food-consuming occupations
and localities.
Immigration to food-consuming locali-
ties.
Reduced fertility of land resulting in
lower average production or in increased
expenditures for fertilization.
Increased banking facilities In agricul-