The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-08-16
The TARIFF AND THB TRUSTS
THEY EOOST COST or LIVING,
MINORITY REPORT ~.
senate Democrats Return . strictly Par.
tisAn Explanation % what Made
Prices 60 Up VA JSrity Remarks Are
Dlssected 20 SHOW Them Faliac,ous.


! tlsan Explanation % what Made
] Prices 60 Up-Ma Jsrity Remarks Are
Dt-.erted 70 show Them FaIiaetous.
wASHISuroS. Aug. tS.-The tarih. the
trusts and the increased money supply
are the chief factors In bringing ahou:
an Increase IN the cost 81 commodities
and tho tariff and the trusts are mainly
responsible. according TO the report
Of the Democratic members Of the senate
select committee appointed 20 inVestI-
gate and report on wages and the cost
Of living. The report was made public
to-day by Senator Joseph r. Johnston
of Alabama The majority report was
submitted by senator Lodge. Chairman
Of the COMMITTEES. before Congress ad-
journed The Democratic members were
not ready To report &C that time.
The minority report u signed by Sena-
tors Johnston Of Alabama. Clark OF Ar
kansas and Smith Of South Carolina
Much Of the report IL devoted To showing
that the adjustment 81 tariff duties II the
principal cause for high prices. The
minority report charges that the Payne
Aldrich law discriminates against the
poor consumer in favor 81 his richer
brother
4 special attack u made on the wool
and cotton schedule and the duties on
steel and sugar come in for a share Of
attention. The report sets forth thas
the increase in the production OF wheat.
corn and potatoes has kept pace with
the increase in population and that there
fore the increased prices Of farm products
cannot lie explained on the ground that
81. L.. a. Nd Tor
these products due 20 the growth OF
population.
The committee points out a. q
significant fac, that the United States
produced more farm products in 1909
tstion was smaller in 1919 than in
IpO The minority invites attention TO
the fact that according to testimony
taken 10y IN" committee the wages
~ farm laborers increased 50 per cent.
between 1910 and 1910 and they say that
no such increase u shown IN any OF the
wage scales IN the protected industries:
The minority saws that another hlunder
was made IN the report submitted by
senator Lodge in which the conclusion
was reached that reduced fertility OF
land. resulting IN lower average produc-
ton ~ Increased expenditures for fer
tIliZatton- was a factor in determining
Of farm products Senator Johnston ana
his colleagues quote from tho statistics
that the average production an acre was
greater in 1919 than in ien an To every
product entering into ordinary consump-
| ton including corn. wheat. oats. rye.
barley and potatoes.
As showing the effect 81 tarin duties
I on commodities the COMMITTEES cites the
| fact that the tarih on broom corn neces-
/ sary To make one broom amounts to one
| 9Th 81 / cent but that since the IMPOSE
! ton % the duty by the Payne Aldrich
u -
/ 10 GENTS The committee shows that the
imposition 81 the duty on sugar has com
| T..llcd the New York consumer TO pay
| In. full amount 81 tho duty with ~ cents
added on each i0D pounds consumed
] moro than the same amount Of sugar
/ would cost in London.
J On tho other hand the committee shows
! that on the article II COFFEE. which IL ah
/ rnitt.d free in the United States ard made
(, raw duty In other leading countries the
coffe- than the p-ice At which IL 10 sold
IN any foreign country where . duty -
rnPn-~t 49,. .,.,.,,,.. ,.,.. ..,.,,
| ing uor Cofeel. the American consumer
! paws cents Ter pound hess than the
tnglIsh Iwh"ra the tariff is , cents q
/ poundb n, cents le-s than the German
! iwher. tho tariN 10 IS cents a pound),
| ~ cents less than tn" French (where the
! tarif IL II o cents minimum and 7Gi. gen
D
/ Canadian consumer. though his tarih
! does not axC.ed 10 per cent.
The Democrats say that IN sixty years
! IL free trade In Gr.a, Britain wages have
increased So per cent. and pric~s only
: Ter cent IT il therefor, well seen that
the abolition II the tarih in England did
not bring down the rate NJ wages, says
the minority Neither would II in this
country N wc remove the obstruction.
allowing prics 10 sink 20 their natural
level the QUESTION of wages may bA
trusted To- take carr of itself
The Democratic members agree with
their Republican brethern that the in
creased production 10 gold has enhanced
prtC,.- hut they deny that u Ia an i'm
pDrtaut factor IN the inrrea-e. IL the
ri-a m prls"z m TN" United Kingdom has
icon . J-,r cert and IN the United States
r? pr cont here u difference ~ Is p~r
cent Increased gold supply operating
alike eVerywhere cannot account there
fpr, for thus additional u per cent that
w. haV" gsri"nc-'d IN IN" United states.
M NOCRiTH DINNER.