The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-08-02
The State Should Regulate the
Profiteer.

The State Should Regulate the
Profiteer.
on Monday. Aug, Q, ono week from
This time. the Tennessee legislature
win be convened by the governor In
extraordinary session. What will be
included in the call has not been d.
winged. but public interest is centered
on two thinrs-the federal equal suf-
frage amendment to the constitution
and tax rate to correspond with the
uniform assessment law--to the exclu-
sion OF everything else
The ratification of the suffrage
amendment by the Tennessee legislature
viii increase tho number OF voters
without affecting the relative strength
of the two great political parties, Tho
tax rate will be fixed so that the peo-
pie win pay on assessments raised on
an average OF two-thirds at a rate re-
duced approximately o-thirds.
There Is lust one other thing the gov
ornor should include In his call. The
constitution Of the state says there shall
be no legislation except that included
in the call. We don't know whether the
constitution is still in operation or not.
Some say It does not count for any"
thing. II It does II In about the only
thing in the government that is fune.
tioning.
The thing the governor should include
in his call. in order to avoid the rails
ing OF constitutional point, even II It
does not amount TO anything, Is the
passage Of law defining proflteering.
making fl criminal offense and pre-
vidlng a fine and imprisonment--a light
fine and heavy eentenee---for each
conviction.
The people have stood about all they
can from the profiteers, They are will
Ing to spend all they have, mortgage
their expectancy and sell their souls for
meat and bread and a bit of raiment,
but there is limit to their negotiable
collateral.
The wage Garner has discovered that
an Increase in pay offers no solution
for his problem. A small increase in
pay is wholly consumed by the increase
OF the price he is obliged to pay for
some one necessity.
over night the price Of coal jumps
from sl0.T5 TO sl3 a ton. Ice and milk
and the things that keep body and soul
together have shown the same vaulting
proclivlties.
Railroad men finding the cost of ltv-
ing out of all proportion. the labor
board awards them an annual increase
OF $500 100000. and Gains the sensitive
nerves Of the owners by awarding them
an increase In rates that will produce
additional revenue amounting TO ST.
400. 900, 900.
Street car employees want more money,
Why argue or economize? Add another
cent to the fare and pass 1t on to the
consumer. Take 1t out OF the pocket OF
the man who rides the car. tStreet car
not automobilel
The city will spend infinitely more
than was ever spent In any year in
its history. There are more policemen
on the pay roll than there were when
there were saloons and red light dis
trict to patrol. The man who parks 10
inches from the curb pays a fine. but
the man who drives 80 miles an hour
and endangers the life and limb OF every
one on the street, to say nothing Of
his own useless existence. is left with
his conscience as the only accuser.
4 farmer writes TO know why II Is
that he can not sell his hides. and yet
must pay more than ever for shoes
why 1t Is that he can not sell his cot
ton and yet must pay more for cloth
ing OF course he knows that the
manufacturer keeps down the price Of
the raw material b. reducing consump-
ton and keeps up the price of the
manufactured article By limiting the
quantity that the retailer may procure
Houses that rented for s25 and $50 a
month are renting for &75 and $50. The
owners have insugursted a system of
asking for bids, The highest bidder
gets the house. The proflteering In
rental property is shameless, Not ev-
erybody is guilty, and those that are not
will probably have good tenants aud
regular incomes when the profltecrs
fhold a lot of worthless paper and
lot OF vacant houses
We hope the governor will see Ut to
ask the Legislature to pass law regu-
lsting profits. There is 10 argument
against reasonable profits. Everyone
is entitled to reasonable profit But
it should be as much against the law
to commit one form Of robbery as II is
TO commit another.
For a while the public looked 70 the
federal agents end attorneys. 1t was
a forlorn hope. Nothing MSS attempted
and nothing was done, The people of
Tennessee viii welcome legislation that
viii give the state authorities broad
powers in these matters, Instead Of
getting better conditions are growing
worse. The sense Of security that
comes Of knowledge Of immunity is an
incentive to some to 60 the limit There
would not be a vote in the legislature
against a bill based on the doctrine Of
tho Euuare deal