Daily Arizona silver belt., 1910-02-04
THE COST OF LIVING

Why is the cost of living increasing so fast il the United States!
 In answer to this most popular question of the day, protectionists and protectonst newspapers are citing every possible explanation save hgl tariff rates. President Taft declares the, in crease in the cost of living is due to the 'propor tionate increase in the output of gold, '' and See retary of Agriculture Wilson, at the command of Senator Aldrich, Shoot and other of the higl priests of protection, is now making an ''inves hgatiOn" for the purpose of whitewashing pro lection and fastening the blame on the corner grocer.
 The only place where there is any doubt as to what is the principal cause of the increase il the cost of living in the United States is in this country. The leading economists of the world are united on the subject. Almost without 6 dissenting voice, the great thinkers of the day attribute the fact that the cost of living is in creasing twice as fast in the United States as il other countries, to our protective system.
 The protectiOnists of the United States arc The only prOtectionists who refuse to ccncedt that the impolt duty is paid by the consumer The leading protectonists of Europe, including Joseph Chamberlain of England, admit that as general rule the price of an article is enhanced by about the amount of the import duty, or tax" as Europeans designate tariff.
 At political meeting at Manchester, Eng. land, last summer, workman interrupted a protectionist speaker to ask question. If we should change our policy of free trade for one of protection" asked the workman, "would not the cost of living be increased?' ''There is nc doubt about that, replied the speaker, frankly - But you must take into consideration that if the home manufacturer can charge more for his product, he can pay more wages, and you will be better able to meet increased prices. ''
 When the German government introduced its tariff law of 1902, it published with it, as is the custom in Germany, printed explanation of the reasons for its introduction. This official document reads in part, as follows: CA means whereby the agricultural interests are enabled to cover their cost of production is to be found under the given circumstances, by creating a factor which will determine the inland selling price through relative protective duties. IN LAND PRICES ARE RAISED, so far as a consideration of the circumstances of the last ten years will allow us to judge, IN PROPOR- TION TO THE DUTIES. This is seen from the following tables:''
 The tables showed that the Berlin price of wheat and other protected products, was higher than the London (free trade) price by about the amount of the import duties.
 In France, Italy and some other European countries, part of the municipal revenue is raised by duties on goods entering the town. At the gates of such towns there is an official who collects this tax, and it is found that the differ ence in price on articles purchased outside the town and within the town, is in nearly every in. stance exactly the amount of the duty, The same happens in trade between nations.
 In Holland there are no import duties on food or raw materials, the sole protective element be ing tax of per cent on imported manufac tured goods. In Germany there is high duty on food and an excessive tariff on all the neces saries of life.
 household of six persons can buy for $5 .O4 m Gederland tone of the eastern provinces o1 Holland) the necessaries of life which, in Ger many, just across the frontier, would cost $6 76
 As result, village of 4,000 inhabitants has grown up at Glanerburg, in Holland, near tn, German frontier. There German manufacture CTS have built houses for colony of thei, workmen, because they can live more cheapk and better across the frontier in the foreier country, where food is not taxed
 Recently published statistics of the British Board of Trade show that while the cost of iv ing has increased 34.3 per cent under protection