New-York tribune., 1910-01-29
LODGE ON PRICES
DEFENDS PAYNE Law.
Tariff Not Responsible for
High Cost of Liu1ng.
IFrom The Tribune Bureau]

Washington, Jan. 2S-A short speech In
the Senate to-day by Senator Lodge in ex-
PLANTATION of some statistics compiled by
him dealing with the increased cost of liv-
ing aroused a perfect storm of oratory on
the Democratic side. Senator Bacon became
so excited in his efforts TO. show that the
protective tariff is responsible for higher
prices that he made statements which
astounded his Democratic colleagues and
caused repeated laughter on the Republican
side and in the galleries.
Mr.. Lodges brief and explicit statement
seemed to cause CONSERVATION on the DEM
ocratic side, and hurried conferences were
held to devise some offset to the statistics
submitted by the Massachusetts Senator.
Senators Bailey. Gore. Stone. Money and
others came to the assistance of Mr.. Bacon
in his effort to answer Mr.. Lodge.
Mr. Lodges tables, which were compiled
from official sources showed the difference
in the rates of wages here and abroad for
ten years, and also in the prices here and
abroad of articles of necessity. especially
food products. The tables were based on
daily market quotations, consular reports
and figures compiled by the British Board
of Trade. Mr.. Lodge asserted that these
statistics demonstrated clearly that the in
crease in prices is worldwide and prevails
in free trade well as in highly protected
countries. He asserted that the tariff had
nothing whatever to do with the increased
cost of necessary food products In this
country. The increased production of gold
was an important factor in higher prices. he
asserted He pointed out that cotton. which
has been on the free list for half century,
has shown steady increase in price. Hides
were placed on the free list and the duty
to 10 per cent by the Payne law, and yet
since the enactment of that law the price
of both hides and shoes had increased This
was due to the fact that the worlds price
of hides and shoes had risen. The tariff,
Mr. Lodge asserted, increased prices only
on luxuries. If it was desired to reduce the
price of luxuries this could be done by wip-
ing out the tariff and substituting foreign
luxuries for those made in this country.
Mr.. Bacon asserted that the high price OF
beef was due to the tariff, and read
newspaper article in which it was stated
that the Beef Trust was selling meat
abroad at from to cents a pound less
than it sold the same product in this coun-
Try.
Mr.. Lodge asserted that the official fg-
ures quoted by him established directly
contrary facts, to which Mr.. Bacon re-
erage for a year, which he refused to ac-
cept. He insisted that his newspaper fig
ures were fully as accurate as the official
statistics.
Mr.. Lodge pointed out that only three
countries in the world-the United States,
Australia and Argentina-export cattle and
beef. Tariff or no tariff, there would be no
beef importations into the United States,
he said. and he was not going to permit
the American people to be humbugged by
remaining silent when the advocates of
free trade sought to charge the high cost
of beef to the tariff
When Mr.. Lodge asked Mr.. Bacon about
his vote in favor of duty of 81 % thou
sand on lumber the Georgia Senator said
he did not care to go so far back. Any
how, he voted for the lumber tariff be-
cause it was revenue duty.
Mr.. Lodge caused general laughter when
he observed that he was amused at the
f1exibility of revenue tariff and how the
revenue limit increased it reached a
home industry.