The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1910-01-22

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At the present there Is no subject
which is so engrosing the attention Of
the general public as the question Of
high prices and the increased cost Of
living. Many and various theories have
been advanced as to the real cause Of
these conditions being as they are. and
careful sitting of the opinions of men
whose political and economic acumen is
such as to entitle them to high consid-
Grafton in the matter, shows that the
following causes are highly responsible
for the unprecedent high prices Of the
necessaries of life.
First, the increased gold supply and
its:consequent depreciation as purchas-
ing agent. Regarding this particular
pharse of the matter, such men as Pro-
fessors Summer, Day and Fisher Of
Yale. jerks and Wilcox of Cornell,
Taussig and Harvard and Jas. w. Crook
of Amherst are well agreed. Professor
Taussig said in recent interview:
The fundamental cause of the gen.
eral rise in prices which has taken place
in the last decade in all civilized coun-
tries is increased supply of gold. So long
as the gold supply increases faster than
the population, production and conse-
quent volume of things bought and sold,
so long the rise in prices will continue.
Due allowance must of course be made
for the uncertain development of credit
instruments that is, so called currency
imitation which, though likely to be
roughly in constant proportion to the
gold basis on which it rests, fiuctuates
in different years and with changing
money practice. These expressions of
opinion by this eminent scholar are prac-
tically tn. same as those of his brother
scholars mentioned above.
Secretary Wilson of the department
Of agriculture takes a somewhat diff
ferent view of the situation and one
which, perhaps, will strike the general
reader as being somewhat nearer the
mark. His explanation is that too
many people are engaged in distribution
and too few in producing. Too many
people are abandoning the farm and
going to the cities to work for wages.
Too many are trying to live without
working, thereby becoming non-produc-
ers. His opinion is that where there
are today twenty distributors, one would
suffice. That Secretary Wilson is at
least partly right can be verified by
visiting any place where men of leisure
are wont to congregate. Their CONVEX
sation is always Of sport or of the easy
accommodating of other peoples hard
earned dollars, but never of the good,
healthy improvement of time in some
honorable calling that should make for
the betterment of the world at large.
These people are to be met everywhere
and their constantly increasing number
is considered by many nothing short of
a menace to the peace and welfare Of
the nation.
Still another view of the matter is
voiced by certain well-known newspa-
pers, such as the Portland Oregonian
and the indianapolis News. The for
mer says: People are living more ex-
travagantly than they formerly did.
The plain raiment that sufficed afore-
times will not suffice now. Houses
must be heated and lighted and elegant
ly furnished. The candle and stove will
suffice no longer. There must be gas
light and electric light and water all
over the house. In former times we
used to 60 out and break the ice on
the wsshbench by the well and dozen
persons would wipe their faces on the
towel. Yes, the cost of living has in
creased, and it is likely to increase
more yet. But they say the times have.
changed and we can get these things
and must and will have them. Very
well, then, don't complain about the in
creased cost of living. That the fore
going is true there is no gainsaying;
but what are we going to do about it.
Legislation will never compel men to
be economical in private matters, and
nation given to extravaganza in private
affairs can hardly be expected to pratice