The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1924-10-24

He neglects to state that the farm
$ In Denmark Is within 125 miles of 0
! consumers while in the United Stat,
; there is an average of l,200 miles b
tween farmer and consumer.
Z. He said: I'VE mean the suga
monopoly" etc.
The wholesale price of sugar at Ne
York since the 1922 tariff was passe
has averaged little over cent
pound; the average, for three year
before the war was little over AZ
cents; an Increase Of 80 to 80 pc
cent. The average increase in tn
price OF all commodities has been a
per cent Seventy per cent of Cuban
sugar (our chief supply is controlle,
by four or five groups which operat.
on foreign soil beyond reach Of oul
Sherman antitrust law. But for thu
competition of American beet sugar
these four or FIVE groups would con
troll absolutely the price Of sugar il
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.
s. He said: 1--WE mean the trans
portation monopoly" etc.
The railways of the United States
during the last four years have never
earned more than 5H per cent Oh
physical valuation, and on an average
have earned less than 4 per cent.
There cannot be much extortion in
these earnings. Remember, labor COM
prlses 20 per cent of railway operat-
ing COSTS The average railroad wage
Is now 80 per cent above pre-war
yet the railways, by great economies
of operation, have held rates on agrl-
cultural products to a point only 40
per cent above pre-war level. Agri-
culture needs reduction in freight
rates. but that does not justify mis-
statement of the facts. The only way
for Mr. LaFoliette to bring about the
gigantic rate reduction he talks about |
s to reduce the wages Of railway en-
)loyees, and if he does that he will |
decrease consumption of the farmers |
produce
g. He said: I'VE mean the oil mo-
lopoly, which dictates prices on gaso-
inc throughout the land" Il
The average pre-war price of gaso-
Inc was 16 cents; 1t Is now 10 cents,
n Increase of about - per cent Re
lember the average advance in all
commodity prices was As per cent.
10. Mr.. Latollette charges that the
republican administration failed to
nforce the laws against combinations
nd monopolies. i
The fact is congress during this ad-
Illustration passed bills to correct
ills attending meat packing and
ockyards, and the dealing In grain {
lturcs. Under this same admins
alton 40 suits were brought to check Z
olations of the antitrust laws, and
of them have been cleaned UP; i
is is a greater record than was +
ade in the previous ten years. The
'deral Trade Commission has han
ed ~ per cent more cases of I'M O
ir trade practices during the pres O
| Republican administration than I'm
Y previous four years. iS
Senator LaFollette said: a
}. I'VE mean to- conserve those nat n
al resources and to make available
the people at cost the light heat *
water which can be developed $
IN the water power sites now a.
ned by the government"
What Mr.. LaFOlIette really wants ~
government development and oper-
Oh of public utilities. The govern
nj has never been able to operate
'lic utilities as cheaply as can pri-
e enterprise. What Mr.. LaFollette "u
ans, but is afraid to say, is social pr
he federal water power act. In 70,
,e since 1920. insures permanent
lie ownership and control of power
s on public lands and power priv da
eS In navigable and international az
ans, which contain S. per cent Of 25t
water power resources of the co,n-
r. LaFollette did not on this oc-
on mention his proposal of two
tbs ago about government own
ip OF railways, nor his proposal pal
congress should override tie SUI hill
ne court. Under government own
Up of railways would he give en-
ees the right 10 strike and dsr,IDt la
whenever they want out
n Increase In wages, or would he dig
ress strikes among government ooS
oyees and thus thrust all OF the
'ay employees in the country into "
e subsection to congress for their
amental living standards? ~,
the case Of the plan to let con- -
override the Supreme court, it o.
] be interesting to know whether ups,
'ari0us minOrities in the United Cha
6 nraxarad 70