Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-04-15
PRESIDENT TO CONGRESS
Continued From Page Four.)

Continued From Page Four.)
But government approval of fortunate,
urtlammeled business does not mean
federation of restraint of trade or of
maintained prices BY unnatural
methods. H.is well to have legitimate
business understand that a just gov
ernment mindful of the interests Of
all the people has right to expect
the cooperation Of that Legitimate
business in stampihE out the practices
which, if not unrestraincd, inspire,
restrictive legislation. Anxious as we
are to restore the onward growth of
business, it Is -fair' to- combine assur-
ancc and warming in. one utterance.
One condition in the business world
may we'll receive your inquiry. De-
flatiou has been in progress but has:
failed to reach the mark where it can
be proclaimed to:thes great mass OF
consumers. Reduced cost Of basic pro-
ducton has been -recordeds but high
cost of living hasSnot yielded in like
proportion. For eSample; the prices on
grains and live stock have been de-
flatcd, but the cost Of bread and meats
is not adequately reflected therein. It
is to be expccted 1tliat non-perishablc
staples will be slow in yielding to low
cred prices. but the maintained retail
costs in pcrishable foods can not be
justified.
Inquiry Needed.
1 have asked the federal trade COM
mission for report of it's observations.
and it attributes ~ IL the main, the fail
ure to adjust consumers cost to basic
production costs Yto> the exchange of
information by .."open price associa-
tions, which operate evidently, within
the law, to the very great advantage
Of their members and equal disadvan-
tage to the CONSUMING public: With
out the spirit: of Hostility 1or haste in
accusation .of proftssttng .some suit
able inquiry by, congress paiEht speed
the price readiustment to; -normal rela-.
tionship, with hejpfulness to both pro-
ducer and consumeff; "a smeasuring rod
Of fair prices will satisfy the country
and give a business sfevival-%.to end all
depression and unemployment.
The great interest Of both the pro-
ducer and consumer-indeed all our
industrial and commercial life from
agriculture to finance-in the problems
of transportation will find its reflex in
your concern to aid reestablishment'
TO restore efficiency, and bring trans
portation cost into a. helpful relation
ship rather than continue it as him
dcrance to resumed activities.
1t is little to be wondered that ILL
considered legislation, the war strain
government operation in heedlessness
of cost and the conflicting programs
or the lack of them, for restoration
have brought about,7 a ;fmcst. difficult
situation, made doubly difficult by the
. low tide of business. All are so in
timately related that, no Improvement
will be+permanent,. until the railways
are operated efficiently at a cost with
in that which the tariffs can bear.
If we can have it understood that
congress has no sanction for govern
mcnt ownership, that congress does not
levy taxes upon the people to cover
deficits in a service which should be
self sustaining, there will be an avow-
cd foundation on which to rebuild.
Now Hating Commerce.
Freight carrying charges have
mounted higher and higher until
commerce is halted and production dis
couragcd. Railway rates and costs ol
operation must be reduced.
Congress may we'll investigate and
let the public understand wherein our
system and the federal regulation are
lacking in hclpfulness or hinderlng
in restrictions The remaining OBJ
staces which arc the hcritance OF
capltalistic exploitation must be re-
moved, and labor must join manage
ment in undertaking that the public,
which pays, is the public to be serV-
ed, and simple justice is the right and
will continue to be the right Of all the
people T.
TRANSPORTATION over the highways is
less important, but the problems relate
to construction and development and
deserve your most earnest attention,
because we arc laying a foundation for
a long time to come and the creation
is very difficult to visualize in lis great
possibilities.
The federal government can place no
inhibition on the expenditures in the
several states but since congress has
embarked upon policy Of assisting
the states in highway Improvement.
wisely. believe. it can assert q wholly
becoming influence in shaping policy.
With the principle Of federal partl-
cipation acccptably' established, prob
ably never to be abandoned it is i'm
portant to exert federal influence in
developing comprehensive plans look
ing to the promotion OF commerce, and
apply our expenditures in the surest
way to guarantee public return for
money expended.
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