Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-10
Associated Pressl

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-Apropos of
the consideration of the composite III
kins-Lodge- -McCumber food prices m
vestigation resolution reported to the
senate by the committee on finance
and contingent expenses, senator
stone of Missouri today addressed the
senate on the general question of food
prices.
He undertook to show that the
Payne-Aldrich tariff bill is largely re-
sponsfble for the enhanced price OF
many necessaries of life. Contrasting
the delay on reporting the Elkins res
olution with the dispatch in bring
ing in the Lodge measure, MI
stone declared that there had been
a vast amount of monkey business
in connection with the consideration
of the subject.
Saving he had been greatly puzzled
to know the meaning of the method OF
the prodding he declared 1t had the
complexion of a purpose to conceal
rather than to discover.
Pertinent Question Asked
If not, why, he asked, "did Repub-
lican members of the finance commit
tee come rushing headlong into this
business and exhibit an overwhelming
anxiety to take charge of the pro-
posed inquiry? If the remarkable
things done here have given to the
business the sinister aspect OF a
scheme on the part of certain sena-
tors to organize a committee that
would start in primarily to hold the
Payne-Aldrich law blameless for the
evils the country complains of, then
the senator from Massachusetts and
his Republican associates on the fin
ance committee have only themselves
to blame.
"Is it the purpose of the great SEN
ators who have thrown themselves
into this breach to put the proposed
investigation under the control of sem
ators who were chiefly instrumental
in framing the new law and most con-
cerned in exempting it from all re-
sponsibility for the present high prices
that have followed its enactment? A
deep-laid apprehension to that effect
has been expressed by many newspa-
pers and by many people in differ
ent parts of the country"
Increased Demand No Answer
He said he knew of nothing which
stood in such great need of coating
of whitewash as the tariff laws AS
serting that there had been a rapid
enhancement of prices since the pas
sage of the law, he declared that
neither an increase in the demand Tor
fOOdt nor an l1cTettSe III INC Solu sup
ply could explain these ADVANCES in
so short a time.
In all probability, Mr.. Stone contin.
ued, Mr.. Lodge would head the COM
mittee of investigation, and Mr.. stone
expressed apprehension that that sem
ator would hesitate to follow out any
line of inquiry which might substan-
tiate Secretary Wilson's contention
that American food products are sold
oh than in the lInif-
ed States.
Mr.. stone quoted from letters and
newspapers to show a general increase
in the necessaries of life since the
enactment of the Payne-Aldrich bill
Among the letters was one from st.
Louis merchant, saying that cotton
goods had increased in price from IL IL
to SO per cent; linens, 7 1-2 to 10 per
cent, and hosiery 10 per cent.
Conditions Artificial
Every man of common sense, he said,
ought TO know that "the enormous
profit accruing to investors in these
industries are the result of artificial
conditions created by law.
81 don't see how it can be contend
ed" he continued, that these artifi-
cial conditions from which the consum-
ers, thank heaven, are beginning to
become the impatient sufferers, are
chiefly for the benefit of the Ameri-
can wags earners employed in those
Industries I assert with the greatest
confidence, that the tariff rates, as a
rule, are far in excess Of any differ
ence in the wage scale in America and
competing countries of Europe. and l
assert with equal confidence that the
chief benehciaries of this system are
the men who employ this labor as the
chief sufferers are the consumers VINO
are the victims of their monopolles.