The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-09-24
The Campaign Leaders Admit
That High Cost Of Living
is MOST SERIOUS FEATURE
Tariff Benefits Failed Of Purpose-Mos'
Favored Districts Have Developed
Unexpected Opposition to
Regular Order.

washiu ton, Sept, 24.-When all is
said and done, the high cost Of living
is the thing that is causing the Repub-
lean congressional campaign leaders the
most trouble this year. They find il
hard to contend against. Campaign lit
erature and the usual campaign argu-
ments are Of little avail in disposing
Of Il. The Democrats, Of course, are
making the most Of IL and fomeuting
As mucn discomfort as possible on ac.
count Of it,
II the Republicans lose the House, as
Il il perfectly<clear they are in great
danger Of doing. it is not unlikely that
the high cost Of living viii be found 70
be the real cause Of It IL is more
likely to be this than insurgency Of
deep seated dissatisfaction over living
conditions in many sections, where the
spirit Of insurgency or progressivism
fas little real hold.
II was entirely logical to expect when
the tariff bin was passed that New
England and other parts Of the east
which got The high tariff duties they
wanted would be entirely satisfied with
what the Republican leaders IN Con.
gress had done. and that for any loss
Of Republican strength one would have
ia look elsewhere, as 70 the midle west.
Put this has not proved to be the case.
II has been a great and painful sur
prise that the Hast viii probably throw
moro seats Ia the House to the Demo-
Gratis than any other part Of the United
States.
OF course the Republicans are making
use Of the argument that the average
Of duties is lower under the new tariff
law than toe old. They take a specific
article, the price of which has gone up,
and they are able TO snow perhaps that
the duty has not been increased. Hence,
they argue, the tariff in this case has
nothing TO do with The higher price.
The Democrats are getting around
this by arguing that the high cost OF
living Is not so much a matter Of wheth-
er the tariff Is a little higher or lit
tie lower On a given product, but that
the difference rests In the whole vast
fabric OF the protective system, as il
has been wrought out BY the Republi-
cans.
The spread Of insurgency or progress.
sivism il obviously one Of the leading
ceuses. OF the present dissgpraging out
look for continued Republican control
Of the House. But the congressional
campaign leaders say It is not so great
ali obstacle to continued Republican
control as many imagine IN some cases
| Il will be only By reason Of progressive
aseendency that the voters win consent
longer to stay in the Republican party
This Is quite generally true Of the states
where the progressive movement |.
strongest and best organized, as N Kan
sas. Iowa, Wisconsin. and the Ike.
II Il true that much Is heard OF reg
u.ar Republicans in districts where they
have been defeated, throwing theii
strength to Democrats for the purpos'
Of Furnishing insurgents Undoubtedly
there will be good deal OF this. BHl
the congressional campaign leaders deny
there will be as much Of it as is gen
orally believed.
President Tsft's course has on th'
whole been an asset to the Democrats
IN this campaign. Some Of the congress
siOual leaders will say 50 frankly. Thai
i, they say the dissatisfaction witt
the president ON the part Of the pro
qressiyes, die, among other things, &
the Withholding of patronage from IN
srrgent senator's and members Of th'
House, has hurt the party. This is i
spite OF the fact that there was !
lot OF applauding among regulars a
Washington when the insurgents wer
slut of from the patronage crib.
Then, there il Roosevelt. Eastern Re
pubIicans Of the regular and old lin
i type hate the former president NOR
cordially than ever They are arouse'
deeply by his recent western speeches
especially his Denver speech. criticism
the supreme court, and by his Osawato
| mi speech. They fear Rooseyelt's pur
roses rs we'll "a dislike his speeches.