Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-09
Senator Stone Declares Its Pur-
pose Seems to be to Conceal
Rather Than to Discover.
HOLDS TARIFF RESPONSIBLE
Knows of Nothing So In Need of a
Coat OF Whitcwash as the
Tariff Laws.

Washington. Feb. 9.-Apropos of
the consideration of the composite
Elkins-Lodge-M -McCumber food prices
investigation reported to the senate
yesterday from the committee on a.
nance and Contingent expenses, Senator
Stone of Missouri today addressed tho
senate on the general question of food
prices. He undertook to show that the
Payne-Aldrich tariff bill is largely
responsible for the enhanced price OF
many necessaries of life.
Contrasting the delay in reporting
the Elkins resolution with the dis
patch in bringing in the lodge
measure. Mr.. Stone declared that
there had been a vast amount OF
monkey business" in connection with
the consideration of the subject.
Saying he had been greatly puzzled
to know the meaning OF the method
of proceeding, he declared 1t had the
rather than discover.
If not. why, he asked. did Republi-
can members of the finance COM
mittee, come rushing headlong into
the business and exhibit an over
whelming anxiety to take charge of
the proposed inquiry II the remark
able things done here have given to
this business the sinister aspect OF
scheme on the part of certain senators
to organize a committee that would
start in primarily to hold the Payne
Aldrich tarin law blameless for the
evils the country complains Of then
the senator from Massachusetts and
his Republican associates on the
finance committee have only themselves
to blame.
rs It the purpose of the great sena-
tors who have thrown themselves into
this breach, to put the proposed in
yestigation under the control of sena-
tors who were chiefly instrumental in
framing the new law and most con-
cerned In exempting it from all re-
sponsibility for the higher prices that
have followed its enactment? A deep
laid apprehension to that effect has
been expressed by many newspapers
and by many people In different parts
OF the country. y.o------------- .---s.1,-f .--l--
WHERE wHITEWASH IS NEEDED.
He said he knew of nothing which
stood in such great need of a coating
OIL WDIteWdSn DIS IflC ldrlII ldWS. AS
serting that there had been rapid en-
hancement OF price since the passage
OF the law he declared that neither an
increase in the demand for food nor an
increase in the gold supply could cx-
plain those advances in so short
time.
In all probability. Mr.. Stone con-
tinued, Mr.. Lodge would head the COM
mlttee of investigation and Mr..
senator would hesitate to follow out
any line OF inquiry which might sub
stantiato Secy. Wilson's contention
that American food products are sold
moro cheaply abroad than in the
United 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 121.
to 80 per cent linens IA to 10 per cent
and hosiery 10 per cent.
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"
II don't see how 1t can be contend
ed" he continued, that these artificial
conditions from which the consumers
of the country thank heaven. are begin
ming, to become tho impatient suf-
ferers. are chiefly for the benefit of the
American wage earners employed In
those Industries. assert with the
greatest confidence that the tariff
rates. as a rule, are far in excess of
any differences I'm the labor wage in
America and the chief competing coun-
tries OF Europe. and assert with equal
confidence that the chief benefciaries
OF this system are the men who employ
this labor. as the chief sufferers are
tho consumers who are the victims OF
their monopolies-"