St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-05-21

1t
we have II The city of New Orleans.
says the report sufficient foodstuf.
II cold storage to supply the city fos
two or three years, and vet We fnd
the necessities Of life almost beyond
our reach"
Gaustic comment is made on The
fact that the tax on cigaretts such a
are generally used il the South has
been increased, while the taxes on
cigars and the higher qualities Of
cigarettes have been left as they
were. This, it is pointed out, is !
discrimination against the poor man.
The report follows:
To the President and Members 81
the Central Trades and Labor
Council, Greeting:
We, your committee, hereby ten
der this, our report as to our inyesti-
CATION regarding the cause Of the
increased cost Of living:
First, We believe the tendency
towards speculative futures on the
part Of corporations and individuals
il the foodstuf Of our country has a
tendency to manipulate to their adj
vantage the prices.
Second, the combination of the
packing houses to regulate prices and
to store the necessities of life in such
great quantities and for such length
of time as they see fit.
We have in the city of New Or
leans sufficient foodstufs il cold
storage to supply the city for two or
three years and yet we find the neces-
sites Of life almost beyond our
reach.
We beg to state that We find the
State Of Louisiana has no laws that
will reach these trusts or combina-
tons. The antitrust law Of the
State of Louisiana is unconstitutional
and we suggest that the laboring
use their best efforts at this
meeting Of the State Legislature to
enact q law that will cover the trust
question.
Mississippi. Texas, Tennessee and
the States Of our Union have
enacted laws to get at these great
monopolies and their antitrust laws
have been declared constitutional by
the United States Supreme Court,
and now comes our present Congress
and passes a law furthering the taxes
Of the laboring classes, by advancing
the taxes on smoking and chewing
tobacco and on the cigarettes used
entirely BY the majority Of the work.
ing classes of the Southern country;
1873 per cent on tobacco; $50 per
cent on cigarettes of the cheaper
class.
Congress has Disseminated against
poorer class of people by taxing
necessities in the tobacco line of
his class and allowing cigars and
finer class of cigarettes, regard
ess of their prices, to remain viz
jually in the same condition as re-
yards taxation, thereby showing class
legislation in favor Of the rich and
the laboring classes Of our
country.
While we have gone into the con-
litions that effect us vitality, yet we
zee no remedy unless we rise in our +,
and demand Of the State Of
louisiana and the members Of our
legislature redress, by enacting cold
forage and anti-trnst laws that will
Ielp the great consuming and pro-
class Of people.
We trust this document will meet
Nth your approval and that you may
ee the way among as all to find !
ONE remedy to relieve us of this in
rease IN taxation, as well as the in
rease in the necessities of life.
We would not complain so bitterly
I feel the taxation SO keenly if It !
ERE possible to have our wages in 3
r%oportion to the increase in living, t
ut unfortunately, conditions are y
lch that we cannot compel or de-
and an increase, as sufficient work, :
Efficient factories and business en- t
srprises are not in our midst. &
Respectfully submitted, Z
JOSEPH T. FAUST, Chairman. 8
THOMAS P. WHITE, s
tsGE0RGE HARANn Ii