The Cape weekly tribune. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1914, 1914-10-30
NACEL RIDDLES
DEMOCRATSAND
ALL new LAWS
Says Men Who Pay Income
Tax GOuge Poor To Make
Up For 1t.
DECLARES WILSON HAS
NOT KEPT PROMISES
Country Was Losing Money Be-
fore War Broke, Says Former
Cabinet Member.

Charles Nagel, former Secretary of
Commerce and Labor, in his address
at the court house yesterday, riddled
the Democrats and paid his respects
to the last Congress. He declared that
the Republicans turned the country
over to the Democrats in good finan-
cial condition, and that poor legisla-
ton had caused a huge deficit.
He branded the income tax a farce
and said the Underwood law had made
the nation lose money before war was
declared in Europe. Mr.. Nagel spoke
for more than an hour, during which
time he devoted his assault on the
Democratic party.
The crowd was not large, but Re
publicans stated that the hour schedul-
ed for the meeting kept the majority
of employed men away.
"The questions to be discussed are
grave ones, because the country is in
a grave condition; the markets are not
good for the products of the farm" I"
said Mr.. Nagel.
He said the financial conditions are
not good, but prefaced the remark by
saying he was not calamity bowler
and did not speak in a personal way.
He said the country was prosperous
when the Republican party went out
of power, and that the Democratic ad-
ministration promised lower cost of
living Mr. Nagel then asked what
part of the living was lower? "The
cost of living can not be regulated by
law That is an Individual matter gov
erned by habits and practices of the
individuals" he said.
"The Democratic administration
promised to reduce the cost of living
in one way by the Currency Law, and
the currency law places in the hands
of the President the whole financial
system of the country because he ap-
points the Federal Board, under which
the whole financial system is operated.
The success or failure of this system
depends upon the policies of one man.
"The Tariff Law enacted by the
Democratic administration has failed
to produce enough revenue to pay the
running expense of the government
and the appropriations made by it.
The European war is to blame for
part of the conditions, and some of the
conditions existing are due to the war,
but the revenue has been decreasing
every month and there was an actual
deficit existing at the time war was
declared The income tax is all right
in a way, but those paying the in
come tax would regulate their business
in such a way as to charge it up to
the consumer, and this places the bur-
den upon the consumer.
eve are confronted with the un-
usual situation of having to pay a
war tax in time of peace. Perhaps
we ought to be proud of this distinc-
tior, because it has never happened
before in times of peace. But the eff
feet Of the year and half of the pres
ent administration has been as dis
astrous to the country as the war it.
self.
"What has become of the high cost
of living? That was only a catch
phrase before election"
In discussing the free trade theory
he said, "The Democrats tell US that
we get better prices by competing with
the world and thereby avoid buying
from trusts, but the competitors
abroad are trusts equally as great as
these at home. We can control oul
trusts, but those in foreign countries
cannot be reached by Uncle Sam"
On the subject of ship subsidy, ht
said that the administration would no
encourage and support private inter
ests, but had offered to go into busi
ness, through the government, anC
thereby make the government an in
surance company.
In contrasting the Sherman Law
with the Clayton measure regulating
trusts, he said it is Just so much dus
in our eyes. He quoted a distinguish