Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-31
PRICES MAY
SOON Be PROBED
CONGRESS EXPECTED TO RE-
SP0ND TO DEMAND
Sweeping Resolution Will Carry
if President Manifests No
Opposition
Special to he Herald. ]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-It is freely
predicted in congressional circles that
within a short time congress will re-
spond to the demands from all parts
of the country and institute a rigid in
vestigation into the high cost of liv-
ing.
Representative Martin of South
Dakota, who is frequenter of the
White House, already has presented
joint resolution for this purpose,
which is as sweeping in it's provisions
as that under which the Ballinger-
Pinchot investigation is being con-
Quoted.
resolution was approved by PRESIDENT
Taft. He said: Il haven't talked
with the president about it recently,
but 1 rather think if the two houses
of congress should pass it he would
not refuse to sign it.
The Martin resolution provides for
a joint committee of six members of
the senate and six of the house, the
vice president to appoint those from
the senate and the house to elect
those from the house. In the latter
provision he has recognized the prin-
ciple established a short time ago
when a combination of the Democrats
and 'insurgent" Republicans prevent
ed Speaker Cannon from appointing
the house members of the Ballinger-
Pinchot committee.
Absolute Powers
Under this measure the committee
would have practically absolute powers
to summon witnesses, and nothing
could stop it getting at the facts.
In all parts of the country the people
continue to clamor against the in
creased cost of living, and the protests
hurled at the big industries said to be
responsible for the existing conditions
have become general.
Substantial reductions in the prices
of meat and other necessaries of life
have been announced in many cities
where the boycott against meat has
been put into effect. In Chicago eggs,
butter and potatoes have dropped, and
in Cleveland a reduction of ten cents
hundred in all live stock has been
reported. From Pittsburg, Cincinnati
and Omaha have come similar an
nouncements.
Cardinal Gibbons has given it as his
opinion that the tariff is an important
factor in the high cost of the neces-
saries of life.
Place Embargo on Meat
George H. Pettee of Providence, at
the head or the worcester ana 1ToNl-
dence Public markets, one of the larg-
est consumers of beef in the east, says:
with the United States government
trying to corner and even imprison the
packers, with an occasional well mean
| ing but wrongly impressed citizen de-
cfaring against any and all men in the
meat business, and with the public of
of the country thoroughly aroused over
the present high cost of foodstuffs,
and particularly beef, 1 feel that the
man behind the gun ON the high prices
seems Just now to be escaping the
well deserved wrath of an indignant
public. In justice to the farmer, 1 do
believe that the packer has hand in
high prices, for l believe that one of
the most effective ways this govern
ment could get prices on meat slashed,
and slashed very quickly, would be to
put an embargo on the expectation OF
meat and in this way throw all our
own meat production on the market.
The supply then would be such that
the men in control would have to seek
a market with the public of this coun-
try"