The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-07-14
The Cost of Living.

Inc LOST OIgLlVln2.
To THE EDITOR OF The JOURNAL:
What has all the discussion and investi-
cation of the question Of the high cost
of living done but confirm what all
thoughtful and intelligent men knew
before? that they are but the result of
natural causes, and as plainly to be fore
seen as any other results of far-reaching
causes. With 3, 44S, 900 less cattle in the
country last December than there were
two years ago, what could we expect but
high prices for beef? And when we take
into consideration the increase of popu-
lation in the meantime the conditions are
only accumulated, for then it means an
actual shortage of fully 5000, 900 head. So
also with hogs, with a shortage of about
100000 head, and when the increased
population is considered, an actual short
age of about 10000, 600, or some 20 per
cent, what can we expect but swollen
prices? and with the increased prosperity,
rise in wages and complete employment
of lator, it is remarkable that prices
have gone no higher. 1t is very evident
that the tariff had no effect on these
prices. The reduction of rs per cent on
dressed beef by the tariff OF August 5,
1909, had tendency to lower the price
rather than raise it, if the ''theorists"
are correct. Neither can the high prices
be laid to the condition of the foreign
trade, for there were four times as many
cattle imported in 1909 as there were in
1907, and not one-half as many exported
last year as there We're three years ago.
That supply and demand govern in all
those things is evident from the price OF
potatoes the past season. When it was
known last November that there were
IS, OOO 900 bushels more pototoes har-
vested than in 1908 it was perfectly clear
that prices would rule low. | told at
least rs of the farmers here last Novem-
Der that if they held their crop until this
spring they would have to sell it for 20
or Is cents bushel. 1t was just as evil
dent to me then as it is now, and the out
come has been as predicted.
One may go over the whole list of high
ly protected goods, or trust-made artl-
cles, and it will be found that they are all
relatively cheaper than other classes OF
products Take coffee, free of duty.
About rs of all the coffee consumed in
this country comes from South America,
and it costs less than cents a pound
landed in Boston or New York. Roasting
and shrinkage is less than two cents g
! pound; and yet this same coffee retails
at from 20 to So cents per pound. Elk
perts testify that there is from 100 tc
/ $50 per cent profit on coffee between the
importer and the consumer The same
holds with tea. The import price of tea,
free of duty, ranges from IL to "a cents
per pound landed in this country, and yet
this same tea retails from 10 cents to one
dollar per pound, or from 200 to 300 per
cent advance. And yet we never hear
the cry going up from the calamity fell
lows how the poor are being robbed in
regard to these articles. Take spices
pepper costs less than six cents to i'm
port. 1t costs four times that at retail,
and all other spices are relatively as high.
These are all free of duty in the unground
stage. Now if they were made by trust,
or were highly protected, rivers Of tears
would flow from the eyes of those editors
who are so much distressed over the
wrongs of the dear people, as they re-
gard them near election time.
The fact is, all these things are plainly
to be seen by every intelligent, thought
full person, and they will not be deceived
by such bald Misrepresentation as are
being placed before them.
C. E. SMITH.