Cost of Farmers'' Supplies Increased. 67 



take barbed wire, wliicli has been an absolute monopoly 

 for four or five years. The prices of this and kindred 

 articles are exorbitant because of the monopoly, as I 

 have discovered." When asked how much too high the 

 price of these articles was, the Governor replied: "About 

 100%." He also added: "The tariff question is more or 

 less involved in what is called the trust question, because 

 of the market tendencv of the times. This tendencv is 

 towards combination. ' ' 



The Outlook of October 25, 1902, presents views of 

 other western men. These were interviewed by a staff 

 correspondent of that paper. We give extracts. Ex- 

 Senator Washburn of Minneapolis "declared himself to 

 have been what may be called an extreme protectionist. ' ' 

 ' ' I believe the doctrine of protection has been vindicated 

 by results. Under its influence great industries have 

 grown up from small beginnings. They have now 

 reached a point where they no longer need protection. 

 Unnecessary protection, however, has enabled them to 

 develop into great monopolies. Certainly those pro- 

 tected industries which have smothered competition have 

 forfeited any rights which they now have to the benefit 

 of protective duties. Sheltered as they are by the Ding- 

 ley tariff, they make profits of from 25 to 100%." "A 

 tariff revision is inevitable; the sentiment for it in this 

 section of the country is general, deep, unpartisan, and 

 is daily increasing in force. The revision planks in the 

 Eepublican platforms in this State aiid Iowa were in- 

 spired by a desire for wider markets on the part of mill- 

 ers, lumber-dealers and other business men; while there 

 is a righteous indignation on the part of farmers, house- 

 builders, railwav contractors and others at the enormous 

 prices of barbed wire, Imnber, glass, steel rails and 



