Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-29
Editorial Comment
Cheap Living and No Wages.

The declared creed of the present
National administrators is to make the
cost of living to the American people
lower, to make all articles of necessity
and daily consumption cheaper In
price and put them in the reach of the
entire population.
1t is proposed to dosthis by opening
the country to the products of foreign
countries, where labor earns such low
wages that articles of their produc-
ton can be imported at lower prices
than they can be made here. To this
end already the tariff on foreign goods
has been so revised that articles or
necessity are either brought in free
of tax or at such low figures that such
foreign goods, under any circumstan-
ces can be imported and sold lower
than they can be made in this country.
Next to chcapening the costs of artl-
cles of daily necessity, war must De
made upon all combinations OF capt.
tai that are employed in carrying on
the vast business of this nation of 100. /,
OO0, 60 of population, and when these
combinations of capital and expert
ence and enterprise shall be broken
down and parted into fragments, Ill
connection with the destruction of the
old tariff, it is declared that then the
conditions will be established which,
vii, reduce to the lowest figure the cost
Of living for the great body of the peo-
nile. who will also be relieved OF All
nublic taxation, which, through the in
come tax. will be loaded on the veal
thy classes.
Thus it is proposed to fulii1 the
pledges of the administration, to lowerj
for the benefit OF the people the costs
of the necessary articles of daily con-
sumption, and thereby the costs of lis-
ing to the masses of the people.
So much for noble and generous
intention on the part of the govern
ment. which, while it seeks to bring
down and so far as possible reduced
and do away with the burdens that
have heretofore fallen on the masses
and TO load them on the classes 1t
is SO plainly the duty of the great
body of the people that there can be
M two opinions on the subject among
intelligent people.
Rrt there is one feature of the great
undertaking of placing prosperity in
the reach of the people that seems
ia have been neglected. While every
timer eie1Iltul u tiiN 5i"Ptt
of. pouring out public beneficence upon
the American population. the question
comes UP as to where. amid the wreck
OF business. are the people to earn
wages
II is true that labor of every sort
is allowed to combine to put no wages,
while the great manufacturing ano
commercial combinations are to be ex-
terminated and extinguished, and the
railroads are not permitted to raise
their rates for transportation. Then
who is going to pay the wages
If il should happen that the war on
monoplies and combinations IN re-
straint of trade should result IN break
ing up great concerns that employ
large numbers of work people, who
are to be turned out empty and wage
less upon the world, what Is to become
of them and their families? If the
fiooa of foreign merchandise through
free trade or reduced tariff should
have the effect 10 close mills and fac
tories and leave their workers turned
out Of employment, of GEat avail VIII
cheap products be to those who earn
no wages and have 40 money!
Really wise craftsmanship VIII be
vastly more concerned to make busl-j
ness active and set all the wheels OF
industry whirlng> and have armies ot
work people earning lair wages than
to concern themselves With cheapening
necessaries and at the same time de-
priving many of the ability to buy
Shall we have great business and work
and wages for all. or poor busine SD
low prices and thousands unemployed?