The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-03-17


lay. The answer to the charge of a
billion dollar session of congress is
that this has become billion dollar
The apology is neither rele-
want nor true. 1t is not necessary
that expense should increase in the
same ratio as growth. But the growth
of expenditure has SO far outrun tje
growth of the country that the actual
figures are almost incredible. The
little table, exhibiting the
whole situation might be printed at
the top of every letterhead used by
any man in public Office anywhere in
the United States:
increases
Wealth 1870 to 1890, 116 per cent;
1890 to 1904. 65 per cent.
Foreign trade, 1870 to 1890, 80 per
cent; 1890 to 1908, S5.4 per cent.
Value of manufactured products,
1870 to 1890. 121 per cent; 1890 to
1905, So per cent.
Net ordinary expenditures of U. S.
government, 1870 to 1890, IA per cent.
1890 to 1908, 1914 per cent.
Expenditures, 30 states 1890 to
1909, 201.6 per cent.
"The phenomenal increase of pub
lie expenditure has already produced
q plentiful crop of public ills. 1t is
one, Of the causes of the increase in
prices now disturbing the people.
This increase follows in a suggestive
way the imitation of national and local
budgets. The average cost of the
supplies that must be bought for
practically every household has in
creased about fifty per cent between
1896 and 1900. During the past year,
there has been marked lifting of the
price level. Foodstuffs cost from ten
to seventy per cent more than ten
years ago.
Something is due to enormous cur
rency imitation. The total per capita
in the United States in 1896 was
$21.41, and in 1909, it was $s5.o1. AL
though population had grown by
many millions in these thirteen years,
the amount of money to each indi-
vidual had increased by 1880, or
more than 60 per cent. The increase
in the total gold production of the
world. which rose from $11S,S4S, 900
in 1890 to over $427, 100000 in 1908.
has been made the basis for one form
and another of credit issues aggre-
eating a vast sum.
THE tariff is another contributing
cause. 1t is true that it can furnish
that partial explanation. For to
only limited extent can the rise in
food prices be affacted by or traced
to the tariff. AS to commodities that
we export the tariff is imperative. 1t
generally affects prices directly as
we become importers. Nevertheless,
the tariff must bear its share of re-
sponsibility for rising prices.
Combinations which are actually
in restraint of trade, which have
monopolized their field and are eth
er controlled by a comomn secret
management or a secret agreement
to maintain exorbitant charges are
partly responsible.
"Still more of the rise of prices is
due to the decline of agricultural
products as compared with the in
crease of population" Decrease in
the number of cattle and swine was
also given as reason.
when due allowance has been
made for the effect of these forces
that make for dearer living. there
still remains a large unexplained bal
ance," said Mr.. Hill. Thus must be
credited to the lavish expenditure
which has now grown to be a nation
al trait.
Waste. idleness and rising wages
all inter-related to one another, now
as cause and now as effect, are next
to an over-issue of irredeemable pa
per, the three most powerful forces in
the world to raise prices.
Labor and Prices
perhaps the greatest factor Of all
in the price problem is the wage rate.
Everybody knows that labor. cost is
the principal item in all forms of
industry. The wage rate has been
rising steadily in this country. Pow
erful forces are back of this move
ment. 1t has public sympathy. To
resist it is difficult and may be
dangerous. AS cost of production is
chiefly labor cost, the price of the
finished article must go up II the
price of labor is raised. This is just
as true of the farm as Of the factory.
THE effect of national waste of
capital is felt Immediately in the add
ed weight Of taxation. The taxes
collected annually from the railroads
of the country have increased more
than 200 per cent since 1889. They
increased by forty million dollars and
by more than 800 per mile of track
between 1899 and 1905" Franchise
taxes. inheritance taxes, taxes on cor
porations and income taxes are re-
ferred to with neither approval nor
disapproval.
THE modern theory that you can
safely tax the wealthy is just as OBJ
noxious as the medieval theory that
you can safely Cypress or kill the
poor. 1t is obnoxious not because
wealth deserves special consideration.
but because capital is the handspring
of all industry and material develop
ment; and. after you have devoted so
much of it to the unproductive pur-
poses that the state represents when
1t transcends its primary functions as
keeper Of the peace and administra-
49, 90