Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-24

The Importance OF this inquiry can
not be over-estimated," he continued.
TT is the intention of the committee to
make the inquiry thoroughly and lay
it's results before the country at the
earliest possible moment"
The task of the committee is going to
be difficult one, in the opinion of Sen
ator Lodge who said that 'the questions
involved are complicated and difficult
in the highest degree"
Personally he had given some months
to an investigation of these questions,
he said, and the one fact of which he
had become certain was the questions
involved in the investigation were ex-
tremely difficult and could not be set
tied or remedied off hand in FIVE min
utes,' as some persons, he declared,
seemed to think.
After outlining in a general way the
method of procedure which the COM
mittee will follow in conducting it's in
quiry and giving number of specific
facts which revealed some of the diff
ficulties the committee will have to
face, Senator Lodge said: ..f
"What combinations to control the
sale of certain articles have, in some
instances, advanced prices artificially
1 have not personally the least doubt
and If I am correct, the facts which
will be gathered by the committee will
demonstrate and will show evils and
wrong-doing in certain particular cas-
es which we ought to be able to reach.
An example Of such evils is to be
found in the case of meat products and
in the use Of cold storage to prevent a
normal decline Of prices. But many
causes are at work affecting prices and
we do not want to jump at conclusions
or fancy that we can settle these ques-
tons by stroke of the pen."
He said the committee Twill try to
determine whether the rise in prices
has been sudden or has extended over
a series of years; whether there has
been an advance in world prices or
whether the advance is confined to the
United States; whether wages and if
possible whether salaries which are
most difficult to ascertain, have risen
with prices and to what degree if any;
whether the tariff has raised prices;
whether prices in certain cases have
been artifically and wrongly advanced
by combinations seeking inordinate
profits; and finally we shall make a
comparison between domestic and for
eign wages and prices
Whatever the facts show will be
stated by the committee" said the
Senator. without any attempt either
to blacken, to whitewash or to mis-
lead"
He said he had received during the
past few days one letter blaming the
tariff and another blaming the trusts
as the cause Of high prices.
eff the question were as easy of So
lution'' he added, "as the writer's of
these two letters think we could deal
with it very quickly"
AS an illustration of the difficulties
which the committee will have to deal
with, Senator Lodge took three articles
of wide consumption. all necessaries of
of life, raw cotton. refined petroleum
and sugar and made a comparison Of
their changes in price and Of their re-
lation to the tariff and trust questions
Cotton is on the free list and has
been for quarter of a century, he said.
"It is not controlled nor handled by
any trust. Refined oil has been practi-
cally and is now absolutely on the free
list and it's sale is almost entirely con-
trolled by the strongest, best organ
ized and most relentless trust or COM
bination of which we have knowledge.
Sugar is in the hands of a trust or
combination and is highly protected.
Neither the trusts not the tariff are
present in the case of cotton. The
trust is present and the tariff absent in
the case of oil. Both the tariff and
trust control are present in the case
OF sugar.
'Now let us consider the facts in re-
gard TO the prices of these articles.
Taking 100 as the basis in 1899. the adj
vance in cotton has ranged from 81 to
81 points. 1t was So points higher in
1908 than in 1899 and it is still higher
at the present time. Petroleum. start
ing with 100 as the basis in 1899 has
advanced 80 points in ten years; sugar
during the same time has declined ten
points.
'I make no comment on these facts
and offer no opinion. leave it to you
to point out the cause of the movement
of prices in these three articles which
will meet every case.
This is not a question nor is 1t a
time for reckless haste or violence.
said Senator Lodge in conclusion. but
il is a time and an occasion for firm
ness and for justice. for a determine
ton to extirpate with a relentless hand
the evils horn of greed and unscrupu-
lousness which tamper with the food
supply of the people or with the nee
essaries of life, if laws can be framed
to dc it,