Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-10
Declares Present Conditions Are a Me-
mace to Prosperity and Can Not Con-
tinue-Thnks Ship Subsidy Would
Help situation-Livins in Age of Ex-
travasance.
Especial Correspondence

wages and incomes and it is going
aheal CT them in many cases."
This was the reply of Senator
Stephen B. Elkins, of West Virginia,
chairman of the senate committee on
interstate commerce, when he was ask
ed about the measure he has laid be-
fore the senate for an inquiry by Sc
lect committee into the increase in
prices and the causes therefor since
1900
The question of why the cost of liv-
ing is going upward and upward is at
tracing general attention in congress-
From without, the pressure on that
body for an investigation is strong
Generally speaking. the old time leaders
in the senate and house are in little
sympathy with an inquiry of this sort
Senator Elkins is one of the wealthiest
men in congress. He is force in the
senate. He employs thousands of men
in his various line of business in West
Virginia. And resolution from a
source of this kind for congressional
investigation into the upward move
ment of prices and the reasons there
for inevitably is causing comment. Sem
ator Elkins is getting many inquiries
about it and many letters of approval.
Inquiry Will Be Forced.
That in the end a congressional in
quiry of some sort will be forced seems
certain. The widespread discomfort
over the growing cost of living makes
it difficult for the leaders in congress
TO stand in the way of it.
81 don't see how this situation can
go on" said Senator Elkins in dis
cussing the conditions and his reasons
for desiring in inquiry. LAS / say, the
cost of living is outstripping wages and
incomes. That brings want and misery
to large mum bers of families. 1t means
that women and children are not get
ting proper food and clothing and that
children can not be sent to school and
get either an education or the founda-
tions of an education. And that means
that our civilization is being injured.
Food. shelter and clothing are the three
absolute essentials of every family.
Shelter includes rents and fuel. The
cost of all these has advanced alarm
| ingly. They are absolutely fundamental
to comfort and health. 1t Is not to be
wondered that the people are concerned
about conditions. 1 hear from it con-
stantly. Men complain to me that the
cost of living is getting higher, that
wages are not keeping pace and that
their families are in straits In conse-
auence And yet so far as my own
business is concerned. the returns from
if are not such as to warrant me in
putting UP wages. What is to be done
in such situation?
An Age Of Extraxagance.
81 look upon it as the function OF
craftsmanship, or whatever you may
call it, when it is clearly. perceived that
a disaster is threatening the whole ma
ton of S000o00o of people to attempt
to do what can be done to afford a
remedy. AS to the increased cost OF
living. congress can at least find Out
some of the causes and make them
known What those causes are, I am
not prepared to say. For one thing, we
are living in an age of extravaganc
Speculation is rife. The expansion OF
the currency supply and the increased
production of gold are no doubt fac
tors. All these facts tend to make high
prices. The country is being settled W
so fast and the population is growing
so rapidly. especially the urban popu-
lation, that we are reaching state
where the agricultural production i!
tested by the demands of our own peo'
pie. Nations do not exchange gold
They exchange commodities. Our con
sumption of wheat is up to the limit o
production and we have PRACTICAL.
ceased exporting. Of course, we sent
abroad cotton to the value of 100000,
900 or more But we pay out s2O0.000
600 a year to foreign ship owners. Am
erican tourists take s100000000 abroa'
every year. They spend much of 1t II
luxury and extravaganza. Laborer
send back to the old country ever.
J wear 500. 600 900. We send $50 90
. out of the country every year for Christ
mas presents Altogether we pay out II
one way and another in actual none
/ which goes abroad, about s500,00o,00
, every year In ten years, this mean
five billions of dollars.
Ship Subsidy to Help?
"This drain on US is doubtless on
OF the causes cf the increasing cost G
living and the failure of wages to kee
pace. And there are many contributor
causes. We must own our own ship
and we must come to more economics
ways Of living. Think how we ar
wasting money in comparison with tn
French. You don't see the averag
Frenchman going travelling about fo
pleasure. The French people live o
t what we waste. Consumption is over
!. taking production. My resolution pro
? vides for an inquiry into the questio
. how far the trusts and monopolies hav
;, caused the present conditions l don
know to what extent they have dor
So"
i "The American people are too ez
travagant. They are recklessly extrava
giant. We must learn to get more OIL
Of our farms and to contract fewe
debts and to find more ways Of payin
: them. ] have introduced this resolutio
3 because feel that here is a situatio
2 that absolutely demands the attentio
!. Of congress. ! want thorough and i'm
partial investigation that will go to tt
roots Of the whole matter. don't Sc
how things can go on as they are an
: believe 1t is our imperative duty
Q look into the facts"
q Senator Elkins proposes to broade
1.-The scope Of his resolution In q fe