The Carbon County chronicle. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1924, 1924-10-01

He neglects TO state that the farmer
in Denmark Is within l25 miles of al
consumers while in the United States
there is an average OF LOO miles be
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 little over 6 cents
a pound the average, for three years
before the war was little over IA
cents an increase of 80 TO 80 per
cent. The average Increase in the
price of all commodities has been 40
per cent. Seventy per cent of Cuban
sugar tour chief supply is controlled
by four or five groups which operate
on foreign soil beyond reach OF our
Sherman antitrust law. But for the
competition OF American beet sugar.
these four or five groups would CON
troll absolutely the price of sugar in
the United States. The Republican
tariff has preserved aud fOstered the
beet sugar industry. The Cuban groups
want to destroy the tariff on sugar
50 does Mr.. LaFollette.
s. lie said: I'VE mean the trnns-
p0rtatlon monopoly" etc
The railways of the United States
during the last four years have never
earned more than 5ia per cent on
physical valuation, and on an average
have earned less than 4 per cent.
There cannon be much ext0rtion In
these earnings. Remember, labor com
prises 40 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. Agrl-
culture needs reduction in freight
rates. but that does not Justify mis-
statement of the facts. The only way
for Mr. LaFollette 10 bring about the
gigantic rate reduction he talks about
Is TO reduce the wages OF railway EN-
pIoyees, and II he does that he viii
decrease consumption Of the farmers
produce.
o.. Tie 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 rs cents; Ii is now 10 cents,
an Increase of about 10 per cent. Re
member the average advance in all
commodity prices was 10 per cent.
10 Mr.. Lafolette charges that the
Republican administration failed TO
enforce the laws against combinations
and monopolies.
The fact is congress during this ad-
min.sIration passed bills to curiect
evils attending meat packing and
stockyards. aud the dealing in grain
futures. Under this same adminis
tration 10 suits were brought TO check
violations Of the antitrust laws. and
~ Of them have been cleaned up (;
this Is greater record thnn was
made in the previous ten years. The
Federal Trade Commission has han
died 30 per cent more cases of UNI
fair trade practices during the pres
ent Republican administration than IN
any previous four years.
Senator LaFollette said:
8. I'VE mean 10 conserve those nat
ural resources and 10 make available
to the people at cost the light. heat
and water which can he developed
from the water power sites now
owned by the government"
What Mr.. LaFolette really wants
is government development and oper
ation of public utilities. The govern
ment has never been able to operate
| public utilities as cheaply as can pri
vate enterprise. What Mr. LaFolletts
means, but is afraid to say. is social
ism.
The federal water mower act. II
force since 1920, lnsures permanen
public ownership and control of powe
sites on public lands and power priv
Ileges In navignhle and internatinna
streams. which contain 81 per cent o
the water power resources of the coun
try.
Mr.. LaFollette did not on this &c
casion mention his proposal OF tw'
months ago about government own
ership of railways. nor his propose
thar congress should override the Su
preme court. Under government OWL
ershlp of railways would he give en-
ployees the right TO strike and disrup
al transportation whenever they waui
ed an increase in wages. or would h
suppress strikes among government
employees and thus thrust all Of tn
railway employees in the country int
entire subsection to congress for thei
fundamental living standards7
: In the case of the plan to let cor
gress override the Supreme court.
would he interesting 10 know whethe
the various mInorlties In the Unite
States are prepared to sacrifice the
right to freedom OF speech under M
present Constitution and subordIrat
such right 10 the will Of q eongrei
sisnal nrajurity.