The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-01-14
The Cost OfLiVinQ.

why the nigh cost OF living hi 8
become the most discussed question
Ia the country, to which various
unsatisfactory answers are given
ChaSp Clark of Missouri agrees with
j. j. Hill that the cause is the
retirement Of prosperous farmers from
country to town, and the consequent
decrease in supply and increase In
demand Of agricultural products, the
basis of the cost OF living and the
raw material for fnished products.
These prophets have another guess
coming, although they may have hit
upon one of the causes. Secretary
Wilson is conducting a widespread
investigation into prices to ascertain
why til continue 10 advance, and he
has anticipated the results of the
inquiry to some extent by saying that
TOO many people are engaged In
distribution and too many farmers
rushing to town." much the same
theory as Mr.. Hills. "Too many are
try ing to get along without work, and
not enough of them are Ia the bust
ness of producing something" He
adds that there are too many grocers,
all of whom have to get a livirg z, and
so prices are run up.
A Wisconsin banker, writing to the
Wall Street Journal, thinks that the
cause is extravaganza, and we will
suffer for it yet, and the Wall Street
paper, which is an authority on ecc-
Monies, agrees with him that eXtrava-
CANT living is one of the contributory
causes of the high cost.
Many things probably enter into
the extraordinary rise of prices, which,
as President Taft stated Ia his mes
sage, is not altogether national, but
eXtends'over The world. There must
be worldwide cause for a worldwide
condition, and the main cause of the
rise in prices is undoubtedly the
stupendous increase In the worlds
gold product. People are apt to have
superstitious notion of the infalli-
bility of gold as standard OF value,
viewing it as something wi fixed
and unalterable value in itself, but it
is just as subject as any other product
to the forces of demand and supply.
The increased output Of gold In the
last twenty or the last ten years
compared with previous periods has
been unparalleled in the history Of
the world, and as result gold has
fallen In value with relation to other
commodities, OF general prices have
risen. That is the fundamental cause
of the new price standard.
The rise of prices has been accentu-
ated by what always accompanies a
great new supply Of basic money, that
is, enterprise, much new capita,
speculation and extravagance. IL
has been further accumulated Dy the
monopolies, which take advantage Of
favorable circumstances 10 boost
prices artiticia.ly. 1t has been furth r
accumulated by tariff duties designed
to permit OF monopolistic extortions.
1t is ridiculous thing, for instance,
that with New England ard Penasyl-
vania wooden mills declaring 60 per
cent dividends and yet laying aside
large SURPRISES, woolen goods should
still advance, and that tariff should
be framed to promote that extortion.
President Taft al Winona admitted
that the wooden tariff Is "lnsefeus-
ible," very strong term Of reproach
to come from his lips, but justified,
since clothing is an important Item
of the cost of living.
SO far as the movement OF farmers
to town is concerned, no amount Of
arguing by Mr.. Hill or Secretary
Wilson is going to prevent a we'll to-
do farmer, who can afford to retire,
from doing so. And yet the situation
could be improved by Inducing a
counter movement Of the overcrowded
people of great cities to the farms.
Especially some OF the European
peasants who come here to enjoy