The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-18
D1ECT TARIFF
IH|[F END IN VIEW
Eis Richmond Man Thinks, is
Chief Aim Of Committee In
vestigating High Living.
r1T GETTING THE FACTS
Witness Not Being Asked Ques-
tons That viii Elicit Real
Information.

Three or the TOUR local HiSENhoAsr
rho went to Washington earlier In
ehe week to testify before the Senate
foumftsee on wages and commodities
{nearding the high cost OF living. have
returned to this city fully imoued
nth the idea, according TO one of
hem seen by q representative of The
Richmond Yirg' nian, that the com
nittee is merely marking time for the
protection OF the tariff and that the
whole Investigation viii end with
gut having accomplished anything.
Nh The men who went to the national
nnOitat were: Mr.. Samuel Brauer,
Butcher, MIR. ]. f. Eubank, groceries
Mnd meats, Mr.. II. FL Hawks, green
Ind fancy groceries, and Mr. Charles
Easeeiberg. butcher.
Nh Mr. Hawks, who operates one of the
krRest establishments In West Broad
5iTeaf. gave a list Of the questions
khich the committee had propound-
"a. III included such queries as.
what is your business" How
much money are you making ?" Are
Xcur profits as much as they we're five
~ ten years ago?'' s'Do YOU think the
hrmar in suffering from the so-caiied
Stxh prices" "po you buy produce
Hrcfn any of the trusts" Are YOU
q 1edged to sell at a certain price ~
Are you paying the men you em-
bloy living wages"
I'VE told them that our profits are
lck m great as they were five or ten
FEARS ago" said MIR Hawks though
he prices are much higher. We told
n7Nrl where we buy the commodities
Ee aeff, and assured them that we are
Net pledged to sell at any particular
&rice. we can give the goods away
IT we want to,
III As to wages, we pointed out that
fnA men employed by US are not get
4tHE what their positions should re-
&Gire, but we showed that we are pay
IN them all that our business viii
4lford.
Farmers Making Money.
II The farmer, we said, was making
&auney and this seemed to satisfy the
X0mmiftce. 1t did not seem to care
&boft anything else. We were anxious
EpF some one 10 ask us the reason
&Uf the high prices. Ns wanted them
"a ask us what brought about the in
reMSed cost OF living, but they care
4nily kept away from that subject.
This In explained by the fact shat
ne committee. composed of about
XtEGHtF fEtSnt HaH eiRHtetn fSspubtttatu
members. and they know that the
&rjfY liz to blame for conditions, and
ehey knew we knew. go they were not
mking any chances,
2 ssrhey are going IN take care af
( aarir tariff, They are going to see
thAt Ii Ia kept in the background and
pro4ected. and when they see that the
must discontinue unless
me tariff IL brought into question, why
then the investigation will quietly go
ite sleep. and that viii be the end of
sThe committee feels that some
lAing must be done 1t must indicate
II Ieaat that il conducting real
and the investigation
uuid be very beneficial 10 the whole
&uuntry, ! think. If conducted to its
ultimate conclusion. But there won't
~ Afss ultimate conclusion
almost every line of questioning
XeaaE In a short time 10 the ta<iff. Then
fhe line is changed TO something else,
m order that no one may get even "A
~ the country.
Due to the Tariff.
Every merchant who Keeps up with
Gtg business knows mat the high
DrIces now prevailing in this country
sMxa due TO the heavy demand for
4p0dstuffs against the decreasing sup
~. and every merchant knows tina,
VII Iaae tafin were as 1t should be. there
would be no decreasing supply since
6fhHr countries could ship stuff here
Without being forced TO pay import
4Hf1es which are now entirely out oi
NE question.
The committee knows all this. II
~ composed of men who know all
shout the tariff. That's why we didn't
HANe chance tn tell them what we
knew about II. They knew Just wha,
Ne would say; just what we wanted
~ aay, but we didn't get half a chance
10 ray 1t.
I And II the hearing is conducted
Ike II WAS conducted Tuesday no one
NtIi ever get chance To tell the rea'
afo4Son OF the high prices, for remem-
teE. the tariff must be protected. Sc
11aA committee will 20 ahead. spend
i lot OF money. mark time for a week
! "a two. then the whole thing will END
/ r. = fixzle.''