Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-04-12

Under the Present Law the Cost of
Living Has Vastly Increased In
vcstigate the Republican ard DEM
ocratic Policies and Act For Your
Own Interests.
The purpose Of the protective tariff
is to make things dear. The higher the
cost OF living the more the projections
lists rub their hands with satisfaction.
There is no one more interested in the
tariff than the American oman who.
as a rule, is the treasurer of the Amer
lean home OF the average family. But
how few women know anything about
the tariff and the trusts that have been
fostered by it. They all know that the
wages OF their husbands DO not buy
as much as formerly, but the connec-
ton between wages and the increased
cost of living through the protective
tariff tax they have to pay on about all
they buy has never been brought to the
attention of most housewives. The Or
binary wife thinks the tariff question
is Il political one and leaves it to the
husband and voter. But just the same
politics m home to every woman's
pocket, whether she knows it or not.
Every dress you buy, my dear mad
am, every hat, every pair of gloves,
your boots and shoes, and, in fact,
everything you Wear, is made dearer
by the tariff. You have to pay twice
as much for the suit of clothes for your
boy because of the tariff. and those
clothes. thanks to the tariff again, are
half shoddy and the other half often
cotton because the tariff has so in
creased the cost Of wool. The clothes
for the girls is taxed in like manner.
The meat and other food you buy for
your table, except perhaps the vege-
tables. have increased in price beyond
all reason because the tariff shields the
food trust from competition. The rent
| you pay is higher than it would he if
the tariff did not make building ma
terial cost so much. The sugar tariff
alone adds $3.50 q year to the cost of
living to the average family. It adds
9 cents a pound to the price of every
pound Of sugar and thus makes the
canned fruit and preserves, which the
children crave, that much dearer.
The wife Of the mechanic and labor
ing man never before found it so hard
to supply the household needs from her
husbands earnings and is Obliged to
curtail the purchase of clothes for her
self and the children. The wife Of the
farmer finds the cost of groceries and
clothing more than keeping up With
the advance in the price of the wheat,
corn and cattle or other products OF the
farm. The wife of the business man
has discovered that her weekly allow
ance will not provide as good a table
as heretofore, and she dislihes to ask
her husband to increase the allowance.
which has sutticed for years before. and
she has to cut down her own pleasures
and ~adornmcnt.
The tariff therefore is American
home politics and is worthy Of an
investigation by the women as much
as the men. Under the present tariff.
which was enacted in 1897, the cost Of
living has increased e 40 per cent.
On account of the tariff the trusts have
increased and fourished exceedingly
and are able to send their goods abroad
and sell them cheaper to foreigners
than they do to you here at home.
which is a plain plundering of our own
people.
The tariff is a political question that
every II is interested in, and the two
political parties are distinctly divided
on this issue. The Republican, poll
ticians are protectionists, for II YOU ask
any OF them, even the most liberal,
they will tell you they believe in the
protective policy. The trusts and COM
bines. fostered by the tariff, furnish
large sums to elect Republicans to con-
gress and to elect legislatures that elect
United States senators. 1t is charged
that the corporations and trusts ave
influenced the votes of Legislators by
corrupt means to vote fer United
States senators who will prevent tariff
reform. The Democrats believe in tar
if revision by reducing the protection
the trusts enjoy to the point that will
raise enough. revenue to run the 0
eminent when economically admins
tered.
The tariff can only be changed by
politics." by men and women learn
ing about its trust breeding and trust
protecting qualities. The women can
only vote in three states, but they can
urge the men in every state to vote on
election day in favor Of doing away
with its plundering. by which the peo-
pie are taxed to make the trusts grow
fat.
ROoSevelt's Legal Adviser.
Sapntau IS1laX 1.iao Inc laAnr- .ancil-