The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-08-18
BLAMES TARIFF
And the Trust for the High Cost qg Liv:
ing and other Evils
DEMOCRATIC DOCTRINE

/
of the Senate Committee Cou-
denms the Tariff, Trust, Combines
Monopolies as Depressing the
Masses for the Benefit of the Few.
The tariffs, trusts, combines and
nlonopolies and an increased money
supply are the three substantial
causes for the advance in prices in
the United States, according to SEN
ators Johnston of Alabama, Clarke
Of Arkansas and Smith of South Car
olina minority members Of the select
senate committee, appointed during
rhe last session of congress to inves-
tigate and make report on wages
and the prices of commodities.
'We are without sufficient data, y
say the minority members in their
report just. completed, ito apportion
the degree of responsibility between
these three causes, but that the two
st are the chief malefactors we
lave no doubt; and they are Of our
own creation or permission"
After attacking, one at q time
the Is principal causes contribut-
ing, according to the minority report
tC the high cost Of living, Thea minor
:,y members take up the tariff, de-
c:aring that when the Payne-Aldrich
bill wsS framed Champagne was
put on the schedules. from 54 to &C
/ per cent, whilst wearing apparel
was taxed 80 to 92 per cent.-drink-
ing champagne was to be encourag-
ed and wearing woolen clothes dis
:ouraged. So with hats" they add,
those bringing not over $3.50 per
dczen were taxed II per cent and
those valued. at more than SIS per
Gozen II per cent"
The result of protection, they de-
care, is great fortunes for the few
and great suffering for the many.
We believe" they say, "that the
amount of tie tariff is added to the
piice and taxed to. the consumer;
that but for the tariff the commodi-
ties we buy upon which that tax is
laid would be cheaper, approximate
ly to the extent of the tariff; and
that when we do not buy the import
I'll article the protected manufactur-
CT puts approximately the amount of
/. on the goods produced by him"
1T is difficult to understand how
any one can favor high rates of du-
ty if he does not hon estly believe
shat it will increase the prices to be
realized by the manufacturers pro-
dhcing the article affected, by dimin-
;shing or destroying competition,
ilG thus necessarily increasing the
cost to the consumer Then we were
many times tllournfully warned that
any reduction in rates would flood
OIL country with low-priced Ger
man products, and that the smoke
of American manufacturers would
disappear from the heavens. Now
we are Informed that the tariff has
net increased the cost Of these arti-
c:es entering into every household
ard administering to the health and
comfort of every family"
Showing the effect Of the tariff on
Drices, they instance sugar, on which
the New York consumer, they say,
rays more than the London consum-
or by the difference between the su-
y1r tariffs in the two countries, plus
- cents per 100 pounds.
1T is scarcely necessary they
tGd, ito mention the iniquitous wool
en- schedu!e-where tariff rates are
so high on these necessities Of our
nerple as to practically preclude any
foreign competition with the Ameri-
ran manufacturer, except on high:
priced goods purchased by the
wealthier consumer who can, to some
extent, disregard price"
Taking up the subject Of trusts,
com binations and monopolies, they
declare that there are few trusts
that could survive revenue tariff.
They flourish only under the shadow
Of high protective walls. Standing
behind those walls that shut off for
e:gn competition and destroying do
Ilcstic competition by consultations
and absorptions, they are limited on
~ to selling at a fraction less than
the foreign price plus the protective
duty. That they reduce cost of pro-
Lluction seems certain. but it is in
rare cases that the public of the Ia
horers employed by them participate
IN the enlarged profits.
So enormous have been their pro.
fits that We find organizations
srlinging up oil over the country
ike the Elgin board OF trade
ne wholesale growers, lumber deal
ers-associations that have contrib
hted largely to the advance in
riices and the frauds perpetratcd by
manufacturers of certain goods ir-
lrt ducing the weight Of contents OF
packages from 20 per cent and main
Ginning the same price.
THE methods of the meat trust, >
,aey declare, seem to be admirably
aCapted to taking from the consumer