Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-01-07

tries. IQeSe are qultc uuIAcious ~"
the more important powers being reI-
resented by six or seven persons. They
all come in the uniforms of their sew
eral countries with gold lace and de-
corations, composing bedizened re-
gala that our army and our naval Of
ficers cannot attain. The smallest
South and Central American republics
display an area of gold lace and decora-
ton that outshine the uniforms OF the
representatives of Germany, Austria
and Russia, although those countries
are anything but simple in their full
dress official clothes.
After the diplomatic corps has wished
the President and Mrs. Taft a happy
new year and received their greeting in
kind, the members of the Cabinet fol-
lowed by the Justices of the Supreme
Court in the dark robes in which they
SIT in court and the Senators and Rep
resentatives in Congress or those who
happen to be in Washington during
the holidays, pass the President and his
wife and exchange greetings.
Then come those in the civil service,
chiefs of bureaus and the officials OF the
District of Columbia, followed finally
by private citizens who have formed
long waiting line.
The scene has been enacted for fully
a hundred years, every President OF the
United States taking part it. 1t was
Mrs. Cleveland, who, in the midst OF
the reception, stated that she wanted
to rest moment and change her smile
and many a President and his wife has
had swollen hand and stiff arm for
week after the ordeal.
Congress will resume its sessions in
few days and it is expected that then
the political situation will be interest
ing, for with the determination of the
insurgents to make themselves heard
and felt and with the Ballinger inves-
tigation and with the imminent breach
between the Speaker of the House and
the President, there is promise OF dis
closure and matter of much interest in
the coming months.
The question of the increased cost OF
everything that man and woman used
internally, externally and eternally is
being Investigated by the venerable
Secretary of Agriculture, the question
is vital and widespread. 1t is pretty
generally conceded that the original
producer does not get more for his pro-
ducts than he is entitled to and there is
a strong suspicion that the last retailer
has succeeded by means OF combina-
ton, in reaping an undue profit The
number of green grocers in city, town
and village, it is said, is out of all pro-
portion to the population and it is
argued that the great and increasing
lists of these middlemen between the
purchaser and the consumer indicate
the great extent of rich pickings. Com.
binations and trusts are under keen
suspicion nowadays and the food-stufts
trust is doubtless one of the most intol.
cradle of all. 1t proposed to organize
a league to fight the high prices in the
necessaries of which have been increas
ing from year to year and have now
reached abnormal rates. DR.. Scharf, 8
well-known economist, has suggested
the formation of league similar to ar
organization formed in Germany years
ago for the suppression of the exorbi
family high price Of coffee. The mem
bers of this league abstainad from BUY
ing coffee for !tiil s2fie ali over the Ger
, IAN raj Empire with the result that the
price fell to a normal point, competl-
ton was resumed and the trust was
broken. A number OF distinguished
men in Washington, including men,
bers of Congress were present when
preliminary organization was effected.
A national propaganda is proposed and
women as we'll as men will be enlisted.
The plan of procedure will be that when
any article of food is forced too high in
price, the members will be notified
secretly that on certain day all will
discontinue buying that article. 1t is
believed that this would soon bring the
trusts to terms. If, for instance, sew
eral millions of people should discon-
tinue for a week the use of beef, there
is no doubt that it would have a very
serious effect upon the market. The
promoters Of the league believe that nc
trust could long survive such drastic
tactics.
DR.. Scharf expects this league to
spread rapidly over the country and
that it will be able to force the food
trusts to put fair price on their pro
ducts. A few years ago there was M
country in the world where food was
so plentiful and so cheap as in the Uni
ted States. Two months ago the pa
pers were full of reports OF the mos
bountiful harvests of corn, wheat
barley, oats and vegetables that thu
country has ever known, for some rea
son these bounties of nature never react
the table until the purse of the family
has been we'll nigh exhausted in sup
plying them.
Mr.. Er1csons old House.
Go see it, it's beauty. 1t stands