Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1924-10-30

consumers while In the United States
there IL an average Of LOO miles b.
tween farmer and consumer.
z. He said I'VE mean the sugar
monopoly" etc.
The wholesale price OF sugar at New
York since the 1922 tariff was passed
has averaged a little over 8 cents
pound the average, for three years
before the war was q little over AZ
cents an increase Of 80 to 50 per
cent. The average increase In the
price Of ali commodities has been 40
per cent Seventy per cent Of Cuban
sugar (our chief supply Is controlled
by four or i've groups which operate
on foreign soil beyond reach of our
Sherman antitrust law, But for the
competition Of American beet sugar,
these four or Eve groups would con-
troll absolutely the price Of sugar In
the United States The Republican
tariff has preserved and fostered the
beet sugar industry. The Cuban groups
want TO destroy the tariff on sugar !;
so does Mr.. LaFollette.
8. He said: I'VE mean the trans
portation monopoly" etc
The railways OF the United States
during the last four years have never
earned more than 51k per cent on
physical valuation, and on an average
nave earned less than per cent.
There cannot be much ext0rtion In
these earnings. Remember, labor com
prlses 20 per cent Of railway operat-
ing costs. The average railroad wage
Is now 30 per cent above pre-war,
YET the railways, by great economies
OF operation, have held rates on agri-
cultural products 10 point only 40
per cent above pre-war level. Agri-
culture needs q reduction IN freight
rates. but that does not justify 8 mis-
statement Of the factA The only way
for Mr. LaFollette 10 bring about the
gigantic rate reduction he talks about
Is to reduce the wages OF railway EN-
ployees. and II he does that be win
decrease consumption of the farmers
produce.
9. He said 1--WE mean the oil mo
nopOly. which dictates prices.on gaso-
line throughout the land
The average pre-war price Of gaso-
line was is cenks, Il ia now 10 csnta
an Increase Of about 10 per cent. Re-
member the average advance In all
commodity prices was As per cent.
10. Mr.. LaFollette charges that the
Republican administration failed to
enforce the laws against combinations
and monopolies,
The fact Is congress during this ad-
mfnistretIop passed bills to correct
evils attending meat packing and |
stockyarfIa. and the dealing In grain |
futures. Under this same adminls-
tration 90 suits were brought to check
Violations Of the antitrust laws and
AZ OF them have been cleaned up;
this Is greater record than was
made in the previous ten years The
Federal Trade Commission has han
died 80 per cent more cases Of un-
fair trade practices during the pres
ent Republican administration than In
any previous four years
Senator LaFollette said:
I'VE mean to conserve those nat
urai resources and to make available
70 the people at cost the light, heat
and water which can be developed
from the water power sites nov
owned by the government"
What Mr.. LaFolletse really wants
Is government development and opef-
alton OF public utilities The govern
ment has never been able TO operate
public utilities az cheaply ms can pri-
vate enterprise What Mr. LaFolietts
means. but is afraid to say. IL social
Ism.
The federal water power set, IN
force since 1920. lnsures permanent
pabrfc ownership and control OF power
sites on pabllc lands and power priv
lleges Ia nasigable and international
sfreasns, which contain s. per cent Of
the water power resources Of the cosn-
my
Mr.. E.aFollette did not on this &C
rnnion nlention his proposal 0f tive
nenehs ago about governsneat ownr
eruhip az railways. nor his propesal
thai congress should override TIE su
nsnsae coasf Unaas s0vefnsmenl owm-
ershsp of raslwaSn would he sixs asn-
Dlpyees ths rlnhs 20 zsflke and dissNpz
al TRANSFORMATION Whenever zAeS wazsf.
"a IN Increase d wages Or wewld be
STRIKES Nan9sze s0veEunsaas
saapl6yees ami sfus shFuss ell 81 sha
sa}swas employees Ia tns enunsxs leaa
amisxe snhleexson g. e@nsFess f~g fnetF
Eassszaaensa1 fsvlms szAnkiarzss ~
il fha case ef fhs szmn 20 a@s rsa
s.ress exefszAs khA SnpRsAzse e@Nzss =
'sansa b. lasesesslRg 10 aeoAs whszheE
sha sassaas asln@Esssea ~ khs V#Afsa
aas@a aze ekseassd - @agflaes seesx
ss&s{ 70 fs@e&ssn ez aBeeeh ~zssa&T che
ssameas esssssusk@m &a& aszagssz#eaa
ssssk xsMhs 80 gha wssa 81 sssazse
sApssal sa@bsass.