The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-06-14

OF living in this countr cost
change In our tariff wouIi h'"1h 4
ing the cost Of living from Ia .Su1'
10 ~ per cent. not only prom,, >'hI
Jay INT present dangerous djsca1.
but would. by cheapening tba '"leht
production in this country 0'Sl oT
life to many of our manufact3- He"
dIStrleS. not a few of which -"-
suffering a of tarif-taxa5 ""W
rlaiS n supplies and becausa e
inability Of the people to consul ma
~ at present high prices Wa.'ee-
III wooden, cotton. and other MI. 20.
factories are now running or '"'
time the people after n'l
ffr FOOD and rem have n,t go, nIf'|S
fil1.Is With which to purohaS '1,''n
ing she es, etc. They cnna,n,s.
clothes and shoes more than 'r at
But l should not state conolua1
without stating my reasons for + 1l'ns
Here briefly, are my reasons for ,h.a
ing that n tariff is responsible ~
most of the extra advance in nr,raa
this country. ~"
/. Prices advanced most ra,iu.
from 1897 to 1900-the first rhr.n
years after h passage of the Dinglay
bill. During this period the prizes If
protected trust commodities rose Win
startling rapidity while the prices Ar
farm products and of most other non
protected commodities rose comnara
lively slowly. Since 1900 the prices
Of farm products have risen more rap
idly than h prices of protected prod
uctS. These facts indicate that the
tariff was the principal cause Of the
advance before 1900. while gold de
I1eciation was probably the n~rin,iraI
cause Of the advance sine 1900.
Few persons. perhaps, realize how
rapidly the prices of tariff protected
products rose after the passage of the
DineIey law. From july l. 1897. to
January /. 1900, the cost of living ad-
8 e cent a year" More trusts were
formed during this than during any
other similar period in our history
Lest we forget | will enumcTate
a few Of the important nd
vances in the prices made IN
trust products during this preiod The
price of wire nails rose from $1.3i
a key. in August. 1898. to $3-53. i'll
December. 1899-16O per cent. in IL
months. The price of barb wire rose
from S1.65 per 100 pounds, in August.
1897, to $4.13, in December, 1888
$50 per cent. in two years. The price
of tin plate rose from $3.50 per box.
in November, 1898, when the trust
was formed. to s4.85, in September.
per cent. in ten months.
The price Of window glass rose from
S1.75 a box. in April. 1897, to $3.50
in April, 19O1.-175 per cent in four
years. Is not this a clear d~emonstra-
ton of the effect Of the high tarIH
on prices? The Dingley tariff made the
trusts and the trusts put up prices
But few, if any, trusts were formed
during the three years of the com
paratively low and nOn-proteftiFe
duties of the Wilson bill. Prices were
low then. Trusts and high prices
came with the Dingley bill. The voters
of this country should not forget These
important facts. They should not and
I do not believe that they VIII be
misled by the statement of the M1sSa-
chusetts Commission on the HlRh
Cost of Living" hat "the prices ol
trust-controlled commodities nave no,
risen conspicously." Neither Shoo'I
they be misled by the statements ~
may leading protectionists thA me
greatest advances in the last ten 49,
have occurred in the prices OF i4II"
products which are affected but htl''
by tariffs and trusts. incideh-o"',
these protectionists now adh'il ''al
duties in farm products nave w."
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the iaFrn'i ""
fooled by them.
2. That there is close conno'"',
between high protective tarI15 anu
high prices is evident from the couiag
of prices under our last fouI tar'h
bills. AS shown by statistics, au''e'
averaged 7 per cent, and prices 10 pr.
lower, under the moderately t""
and less protective Wilson Dill OF 1917
than under the Unfortunately hIgh anu
greatly protective mckinley h-H
1890, while duties averaged Fi
cent. and prices % per cent nlE"y',
under the Dingley highly prolr|g,,
bill Of 1897 than under the WIS.,
bill. Here Is a remarkable f''"oi,
dence. 1t has not, to my way
thinking. as yet been explalned avg
any report Of any commlsSIn" 49,
the High Cost of Living. faiu'
through fear that the R~epuDIlcah p"I
ty would keep its campaign pledge "
duties. at the extra st@7' +r',sls
Congress in 1909. the protected
notably the Steel 1rust md
cred prices materially in 1910 ,d
early in 1905 They, ho"eYe'.
vanced prices rapidly as soon %y
became vident that as a fu' .t
duties were being I.n.oal
- - -~l.ofinnG IN f1ttlt4'-