Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 April 1910 — TARIFF RESPONSIBLE. [ARTICLE]

TARIFF RESPONSIBLE.

Byron W. Holt Says It Adds 12 Per Cent to Cost of Living. Mr. Byron W. Holt has an important article in, the New York Independent of Feb. 24. entitled “Tariff and Cost of Living.” He assigns to the tariff the second place as a factor th bringing about the current high prices, the other two factors being gpld depreciation and rising land values. He admits, however. that “it might be shown that the tariff is responsible for some of the increase in land values.” He continues: “From somewhat careful estimates made by myself in 1903, the cost of living in this country was then nearly 12 per cent higher than it would have been had there been no tariff. It was estimated that the 17,000,000 families then consumed foods worth $15,999,000,000, or $941 per family. On this basis the tariff tax was about slll per family, or $94.48 after dedusting the $16.52 per family which was the amount of tariff taxes actually collected by the government.” Mr. Holt does not think that the amount of the tariff-trust tax per family is less now than it was then. Then follows an Interesting list of the amount of the tariff tax which the average family had and still has to pay, as calculated from the best data available. It ought to Interest the consumer just now. “.Taking some of the more important items, the tariff-trust tax per family was, on woolens;>s9.2B; on silks, linens, laces, furs, rubber goods, gloves, etc., $9; on cottons, $6.37; on furniture, etc., $6.24; on beer, whisky, wine, etc., $5.34; on building materials, $5.20; on implements and tools, $5.05; on sugar, confectionery, etc., $4.72; on tobacco, etc., $3.72; on sickness and death, $2.55; on beef, veal and mutton. $2.49; on vegetables, $2.40; on bread, $1.94; on amusements and recreation, $1.75; on hogs and hog products, $1.74; on travel, $1.35; on boots and shoes, $1.23 Other items brtng the total up to $94.48.” ; The elimination of the tariff graft, according to Mr. Holt, would be equivalent to an advance of 11 per cent in wages and salaries throughout the country; strikes would diminish, and railroads could secure cheaper materials and, more freight. “Our railroads.” he “would to-

day start an agitation for free trade if they knew their own interests. Fully 95 per cent of the 90.000,000 of consumers in this country would do likewise.”

If each article sold to was plainly labeled with the natural price and the artificial price separately stated the people would make short work of the tariff.—George S. Merriam.