Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-08-16
TARIFF BLAMED FOR HIGH PRICE
Senate Minority Committee Also Raps
Trusts ~ Cause Of Advance

Washington. Aug. 1s.-The tariff.
trusts. combines and monopolles and
an increasing money supply are the
three substantial causes for the adj
vance in prices in tho United States.
according to Senators Johnston, OF
Alabama, Clarke, Of Arkansas. and
Smith, OF South Carolina. minority
members Of tho select senate commit
tee appointed during tho last session
Of congress- to investigate and make
a report on wages and the prices OF
commodities.
Vigorous attack Is made In the min
GRITTY members report on almost all
the reasons given by the majority in its
report, submitted some time ago. as
to the cause for the advance in prices
I'VE are without sufficient data"
say the minority members In their re-
port just completed. ito apportion tho
degree Of responsibility between these
three causes but that the two first are
the chief malefactors we have no doubt
and they are of our own creation or
permission"
After attacking. one at a time. the
fifteen principal causes contributing,
according to the majority report. to the
high cost Of living. the minority mem
bers take up the tariff. The result of
protection, they declare. Is great
fortunes for the few and great suffer-
ing for the many.
1--WE believe" they say, that the
amount Of the tariff is added to the
price and taxed to the consumer; that
but for the tariff the commodities we
buy upon which that tax Is laid would
| be cheaper approximately to the ex-
tent of the tariff; and that when we
do not buy the imported article the
protected manufacturer puts approx
| imately the amount Of 1t on the goods
produced by him."
| Showing the effect of the tariff on
| prices, they instance sugar. on which
the New York consumer. they say. pays
more than the London consumer by
! the difference between the sugar tar
| lifts In the two countries, plus II cents
100 pounds
! ut is scarcely necessary" they add,
ito mention the iniquitous wooden
! schedules-where the tariff rates are so
high on these necessities of our people
| as to practically preclude any foreign
competition with the American man
ufacturer, except on high-priced goods
purchased by the weather. consumer
who can, to some extent, disregard
price"
| Taking up the subject Of trusts, COM
/ bination and monopolies, they declare
that there are few trusts that could
survive a revenue tariff. They flourish
only under the shodaw Of high protec-
tive walls. Standing behind these
walls that shut off foreign compe-
tition and destroying domestic competi-
| ton by consultations and absorptlons
| they are limited only TO selling at
fraction less than the foreign price plus
| the protective duty.
That they reduce cost OF production
seems certain. but it is In rare cases
that the public or the laborers en-
ployed by them participate in the en-
larged profit SO enormous have been
their profits that we find organizations
sprin ging up all over the country. ike
the Elgin board OF trade. the whole
sale grocers, lumber dealers-associa-
tions that have contributed largely 10
the advance in prices and the frauds
goods in reducing the weight Of con-
tents of packages from 20 to so per
cent and maintaining the same price
| 1.-The fear that wages would fall II
the tariff were removed, and the fall IN
prices would not be ar.clear gain to the
consumer" they say, -'is not warranted
by the experience of Great Britain.
Great Britain Is free trade nation,
and it is the most prosperous nation m
the world except our own. Shoals or
emigrants from tariff-ridden nations
go to England to work. But English
mon do not emigrate to these countries
because the standard of living is lower
ut is we'll seen that the abolition Oh
the tariff in England did not bring
down the rate OF wages. Neither would
! it in this country. II we remove the
obstruction, allowing prices to sink to
their natural level, the question OF
wages will take care of itself"
Replying to the majority's statement
| in it's report, that an Increased De
mand for farm products" is a cause or
advancing prices. the minority mem
| bers cite that crops have increased
stea Oily within the last ten years. Not
withstanding the increase In the price
of farm products. the farmer, they say
has realized a small net return on MS
labor and investment by reason of the
| Increased cost Of the articles necessary
for him to purchase to carry on his
| business"
cLIp al OMS UP AT SEA-