Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-17
"oEseNKINo" A pEMAcoeuE

"oEe0NkING" A OEMAGO0UE
'"Debunking' finds a suitable niche
in political nomenclature. Indeed. II
error and misstatement are to be
overtaken and treated Is they de-
serve. "debunking" becomes a very
important feature Of this canpailh,
which the Republicans are waging,
for they are obliged to contend with
two as prolific sources Of bunk az
ever afforded this country a specta-
Gle. the campaign bureaus Of both
thu LaFollette party and the Demo.
cratic party.
Chairman Butler OF the Republican
National Committee has turned his
attention to the statements Of La
Toilette about a System" sucking
the life blood out Of the country. and
which includes "the combination
which rules the coal industry Of this
country and which fixes the price OF
the coal to the consumer"
EJr. Butler points out that in the
bitdminous part of the coal business.
which comprises So per cent Of the
whole. no group controls more than
fve per cent of the output. that as a
matter OF fact there is no more COM
petitive industry. all OF which Is
boone out by the controversy which
has since arisen between Stone of the
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engi-
noers and Lewis OF the coal miners
organization.
He then turns to what LaFollette
had to say about sugar and the tariff
and reminds the public that three
years before the war sugar sold at
wholesale for a little over four and d
half cents per pound. that now with
wares 100 per cent higher and the
increase In the price of other COM
moditics around forty five per cent
sugar averages at New York a little
over six cents per pound. There ia.
he sees. a growing danger of monop-
not have control, in that Some 20
per cent of the production of Cuban
sugar 10 in the hands Of four or five
groups which the Sherman law can
not reach. And these are the groups
that. along with LaFollette. are clam
oripg for a reduction in the duty!
II the beet sugar industry were not
projected. he contends the Cuban
Erdwers could dictate the price of
sugar.
- to oil monopoly he calls attention
to the competitive conditions and to
the overproduction. which has result
ed IN lower prices, though LaFollette
prophesied a year ago that We would
have dollar gasoline.
Then to LaFollette's charges OF .
barking combine controlling the Fed
eral Reserve Board causing a shrink
agd in farm prices. Mr.. Butler calls
attSntion to the fact that the def1a-
tioi was begun by the Democrats.
that the interest rates were lowered
whom the Republicans came into Of
Ace that there had been a steady in
creAse in the prices OF farm products
sincx the Democratic policy was re-
versed.
Then a. to the alleged railroad
monopoly he calls attention to the
fact they have earned less than four
per, cent on the average, a fact Of
width railroad stockholders are well
informed. And labor. over which
LaEollette processes to be so deeply
CONCERNED. 10 20 per cent Of the rail-
road costs.
Referring to what LaFolletts said
aboht the "meat packing combine"
Mr.. Butler shows. thdk the Ave big
packers to whom probably reference
10 made have not earned a pront Of
one per cent on the goods they have
in the past four years.
1t Is q good job Of "debunkins' Of
which the above is only small part.
1t includes 4 statement Of what the
have done toward en-
forcing the laws against monopoly.
such as - cases Of violation Of the
law. a Of which have been
prosecuted to terminat ton. a greater
activity on the part Of the govern
ment than had been shown during
the previous 10 years. He cites the
Water Power Act under which in =
period OF three years there has been
put to work over q fourth OF the
total, developed water power In the
United states.
The extent of distortion OF truth
20 whi n 1aFollette has resorted for
his campatgn Is well illustrated In
Ihis:s
Mr., LaFollette says:-sThe farm
er AZ tins country receives an average
6 Only 60 cents Of the dollar paid BY
the SHS AonAuslier for farm products
While the farmer OF Denmark re-
etlvss an average OF 50 cents.' He
SeGssess g state that the farmer in