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DECEMBER 24, 190 '
The Commoner.
EDUCATIONAL SERIES
THE COST OF LIVING
According to Bradstreet's, the cost of living
la still advancing. It is now within a fraction
of one cent of the highest mark in our history,
and at the present rate of increase, soon will
establish a new record in altitude.
This increase can not be attributed to tho
l1,1?1!";' lncrease in the tariff under tho Payno
Aldrich law. It is more largely due to the con
stantly increasing greed and daring of the bene
ficiaries of the tariff system in taking advantage
of that system to form extorting combinations
and to raise the rates of extortion.
It is true that a good many necessities of life
are not directly affected by the tariff. But all
are indirectly affected. Once eliminate the out
rageous provisions of the tariff and the whole
market would adjust itself to a more reasonable
basis the basis of lower prices to tho consum
ers and smaller profits to the trusts.
While the trusts exact more and more, penny
by penny, they continue to divide enormous
profits and watered stock, and enjoy the increas
ing values of their shares, and they marvel that
the country should be conscious of the cost of
living. It is a great system, this system of
tribute. It insures luxury for the needy rich,
and as for the poor, they neither ask it nor ex
pect it. Kansas City Times (rep.)
HIGH TARIFF TO BLAME
i Following is an Associated Press dispatch:
; New York, December 17. "President Taft, In
life message to congress denies that the recent
and constantly increasing cost of living is due to
a protective tariff, a statement which proves
nothing so clearly as that his training as a law
yer has not' .made him a statesman, still Jess a
political economist."
J John Bigel ow, former ambassador to France,
statesman', diplomatist and author, thus criti
cises the president in a letter written to tho
'.'civil Jorum," whose annual banquet was held
In New York, Mentally alert, though in his
ninety-second year, Mr. Bigelow gave his views
by letter because he was unable to attend the
banquet. The civil forum, which counts many
distinguished men among Its officers, encour
ages the freest utterance of opinion from its
platform.
"Of course, under these auspices," continues
Mr. Bigelow, "I see more prospect of a revolu
tion than of any reform in our government. For
the last two years there has been a larger army
of wage earners on strike; that is, in revolt,
against their employers, than was at any time
engaged in our civil war by the confederate
states, thus far less bloody because enforced
concessions to the demands,of the wage-earners.
How will he (Taft) oxplain the extraordinary
impulse given to the white slave traffic, except
by the tariff, which compels women to abandon
their proper home life and take refuge in fac
tories of protected industries for their daily
bread, or else if not in consequence, abandon
themselves to a life of shame."
THE GOUGING OF THE CONSUMER
If the tariff is responsible for the high cost
of living why are prices kept so high, and kept
advancing, on foodstuffs that are not affected by
the tariff?
Some light on this question is shed by a num
ber of the wholesale grocers of New York. They
have made complaints, to the United States at
torney, that what amounts to a criminal con
spiracy exists among a good many manufactur
ers to maintain high prices to the consumer. By
virtue of this conspiracy, it is charged, they
compel wholesalers to keep up prices at an ex
orbitant figure. The New York World has se
cured copies of some of the contracts and affi
davits manufacturers have been compelling
wholesale dealers to sign, the effect of which,
the World shows, has been to increase prices
from 20 to 30 per cent to housewives on many
of the staple articles needed in every kitchen.
"Not content," says the World, "with receiv
ing their own profit, and seeing that wholesaler
and retailer receive a profit on the goods
handled, the manufacturers have been Insisting
on high prices to the consumer." Those prices
represent profits, at every stage of the transit
?L, i arlc from producer to consumer, far
beyond what wholesalers and retailers, if loft
,Vii bu8,Ie8S according to business principles,
would care to exact.
The contracts cited by tho World bind tho
wholesalers to sell at a certain figure a flguro
beyond all reason. No orders aro filled unless
that contract Is signed. And the contract con
tains this clause:
"Wo further agree that when requested by
the company we will refuse to sell tho commo
dity at any price, or loan or exchange them for
other goods to any dealer who Is selling or hns
sold same for loss than the contract price."
The head of the largest wholesaling house In
Boston is quoted In tho World as follows:
"The attitude of tho manufacturers is bad.
Wo do not try to dictate to them at what prico
they shall sell their foodstuffs and claim they
have no right to enforce prices on us that affect
our dealings with tho public. If wholesalers and
retailers are satisfied with a profit that will en
able the public to buy for seven cents an article
for which they have been compelled to pay ton
cents, we believe it is our right. The difference
of nearly 30 per cent is just about tho average
difference housewives aro compelled to pay on
many staple articles that they could buy cheaper
if it were not for these objectionable contracts.'
What chance has tho consumer?
Tariff trusts tax him for tho last penny tho
tariff enables them to gouge out of him. Aud
proprietary concerns tax him by means of con
tracts which refuse to allow dealers to handle
the article except under an ironclad agreement
to charge an outrageous profit. And these man
ufacturers are combined" In an organization
known as "The Specialty Manufacturers' Asso
ciation," representing a capitalization of nearly
$150,000,000 and when any luckless dealer vio
lates his contract with any one of them ho
has the entire combination to fight. There is
therefore no competition, and no chance for
any. The combine fixes the price, and the con
sumer must pay for it or go without. And tho
man who attempts to fight a foodstuffs combine
by refusing to eat has heavy odds against him.
The Sherman act is still on tho statute books.
It has been there for some seventeen years. Un
der its provisions all such combinations as this
in restraint of trade are illegal. Tho penalty
is not only fine but imprisonment. It is also
possible, under the act, to compel a' dissolution
of the trust. This law has been upheld in the
courts. The nation pays a president, and attor
ney general, a department of commerce and
labor and hundreds oi law officers generous sal
aries for enforcing the law. But they don't
enforce it. They don't want to "Interfere with
prosperity." They say wo must have "peace."
But the president has told us, himself, that he
has a largo fund of "sympathy" with tho men in
the bread line!
The consuming millions are entitled to the
kind of government they vote for. And that is
the kind they are getting. Omaha World-Herald.
THE PRESSING. DANGER
It would appear that the only way in which
big business can be allowed to throttle competi
tion and dictate prices in the United States is
by the enactment by the congress of legislation
similar to that which the president in his Des
Moines speech advocated. We are now coming
to a crucial period. If big business Intimidates
or overawes congress to modify the anti-trust
law in the way the president suggested, we may
just as well submit to have the prices of every
thing we buy and everything we sell fixed by the
aggregation of capital which now rules this coun
try. Our readers may assume that because
President Taft was exalted to his high position
on tho recommendation of Roosevelt therefore
anything that he may suggest Is in the line of
the Roosevelt policies, and may therefore fail
to read his recommendations closely. We point
ed out at the time of this speech that any such
legislation as the president urged would give
the big business free scope absolutely to do as
it pleases with the people. If Aldrlch had made
this suggestion the entire country would have
cried out against it, but coming from the presi
dent, the supposed friend of the Roosevelt poli
cies, people have assumed that it was all right.
Nothing has surprised us more than the ap
parent blindness of the American people and the
political leaders to the real effect of the presi
dent's suggestions. As wo said before, to wo
ay now that his position l Inconceivable cx-
lZ n? h0r "l00ry l,.int hc hn" Kathorc1 around
Jim a lot of corporation lawyers and turned over
wi- J?i tnm .of ffftmlnG loKlntotlon, such
nmi Si S AB W,n 5? Jl,C0I,lal,, to Mr. Aldrloh
and Mr. Cannon. Wallace's Farmer.
THE IXCOMI3 TAX IN KENTUCKY
To tho Editor of tho Courier-Journal: I am
surprised to And from tho riwponiio to your In
quiries ncldrosno.1 to the inemborit of tho Incom-
L"rm. f?,?,ntUir0 "!nl t,,Or0 " to 1)0 Homo
ground for doubt as to what action that body
will tnlco on the proposed amendment of tho
constitution authorizing an Incomo tax.
tt i,r, JQ hl,ll(,rod yft It was hold by tho
United Stntcs supremo court that congress had
tho power to levy an Income tax. During Mr.
uovolnnd s last term congress pnsnod an act to
lovy such tax, and Mr. Clovoland signed tho bill.
By a chnngo of mind of ono of tho Judges over
night a baro majority of tho supremo court hold
this net unconstitutional, thus rovorslng a cen
tury s decisions. From that tlmo until tho
present every democratic national convention has
declared in favor of a fodoral Incomo tax. Pub
lic opinion has forced evon the republican con
gress to submit tho amendment now offered to
the Slates. This tax tend to placo a larger
burden on those most able to bear It.
Even tho monarchical countries of Europe im
poso such a tax. Our tariff tax falls most heavily
on tho poor. An Incomo tax would fall most
heavily on tho rich, and thus servo to equalize
tho injustice of the tariff.
Tho states most likely to vote against tho
amendment are tho northeastern states, whoro
millionaires and multimillionaires most abound.
Is it possible that Kentucky is to be lined up
with those states? Is thore to bo a doubt whero
our next legislature, which Is so overwhelmingly
democratic, is to take Its stand.
Tho voters of Kentucky overwhelmingly favor
tho amendment. Let us trust that their repre
sentatives will act in accordaneo with their will.
, , , W. B. FLEMING. . 4
Louisville, December 13," 1909. ' ""
HOME RULE AT IAST
h
Tho announcement recently mado by Premier
Asqulth that tho liberal program Includes homo
rulo for Ireland will be gratifying to tho world
at largo and especially to Americans. In this
country there has been almost universal sym
pathy with tho aspirations of tho Irish peoplo
to govern themselves and thero will bo general
rejoicing that victory now seems In sight.
Democracy democracy In a larger than par
tisan sense seems on tho eve of a great triumph..
If tho right of Great Britain's representative
body to speak for the people is vindicated, tho
burden of landlordism lessened and homo rulo
to Ireland granted It will make the coming elec
tion memorable In tho annals of English history.
IS IT SO IGNORANT?
If the boys at the forks of tho democratic;
creek do not take kindly to Mr. Bryan's siig-'
gestlon of prohibition as a party Issue, wo sup
pose Mr. Bryan Is ready to offer transmigration,
predestination or infant baptism, If any of these
appear to bo more satisfactory. Houston Post.
If the 'Houston Post does not know that Mr.
Bryan has never made a "suggestion of pro
hibition as a party issue" then tho Post Is not
entitled to rank among even the moderately In
formed newspapers. If It did know the facts
and deliberately mlstated them, then "tho boys
at the forks of the democratic creek" will know
how to classify that publication.
THE STORAGE PROBLEM
Tho storage of water in tho mountains Is In
its infancy. It is difficult to estimate tho
amount of desert land that can bo reclaimed
by the saving of tho waters that go to wasto
during flood periods waters that not only go
to waste but do great damage in the lowlands.
Here Is a field for creative genius, for every
acre reclaimed Is a valuable addition to tho
nation's possessions.
And the storage of water suggests the stor
ing of energy. What a tremendous increase
there would be in worthy effort if tho energy
expended in idleness or on vice were saved
for virtuous undertaking! Our schools, our
colleges and our churches are engaged in tho
storing of human energy that otherwiso desert
lives may be converted Into fruitful ones.
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