The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-28
FOOD PRICES ARE STILL GOING UP ALI OVER NATION
 --- Voters Are Liable To Hold the Republican Party
 Responsible
 
SHORT CROPS WILL
 BE THE CHIEF CAUSE
Bearing Out Penrose's Assertion That .'Ev.r Fates Seem To Be
 Against the Republican Party
BY WALTER HARPER

Washington, September 27-(speelai)-- Senator Boies Penrose, leader of the
 standpatters. made the remark last win
 ter that It seems that even the fates
 are against the republican party" 1 + really does seem so.
 1 But it was always so. When man
 or an institution starts downward, every
 thing seems to eonnive in the downfall
 of that man or that institution. Senator Penrose perhaps did not lave
 this years crops in mind when he made
 his complaint, but I am sure that he E
 not surprised at their outcome. The statisticians of the United State. 1 department of agriculture say that owing
 to short food crops all over the eountrg
 prices will soar higher this winter than ever they did during the past two win
 ters. In other words, the cost of living
 promises to reach a new high mark. In. deed we are to see some dizzy new records.
 And the department of agriculture Is
 not pessimistic in it's nature. It is in
 clined to turn the bright side to the peo-
 pie. It may be aceopted as fact that
 the statistlcians hare not told all shat
 might be saie.
 l We have already had demonstra-
 ton of the accuracy of the figures given
 out. Here in Washington the price of
 sugar has advanced from 5ia cents to
 s cents per pound in the last 10 days
 And the dealers declare that the end is
 not yet.
 The shortage in the corn crop is esti-
 mated at 4Oo,0Oo,O0O bushels Think of it :, Six times as much as was raised in the
 entire state of Alabama last year.
 This shortage will affect the price of
 meat. The hay crop Is also short, which
 will add to this meat burden. The potato crop shortage is even greater | than that of corn. Last years potato
 crop was sss ooo,ooo bushels. This years | will not exceed 252,0Oo,0oO bushels. Anu there are more mouths to feed. too. | The wheat crop was good. canada Iro- duced a bumper crop of wheat and biz lsurpius but the failure of reciprocity will I enable the American millers to continue to squeeze the blood from the American l consumer.
 l These conditions are very unfortunate 1 for the republican party. Of course this l party or the democratic party cannot he l held responsible for short crops but con 1 sumers have q habit of looking into their dinner pals just before they go to the polls to vote.
 They have come to believe that the tar fir has something to do with the cost of things they have to buy. They know they have to pay the tariff whatever 1t is. If it is high it costs more. If it is low Il should cost them less.
 They may take a fool notion also that free meat and free bread from Canada would have made these luxures come cheaper. They may be unllind enough to remember that these were refused them when President Taft vetoed the free list bill. While they are paying higher prices for bread and meat next winter and on through the long spring and summer they will have but little patience to sit down 1 and listen to statistical preachments about l delayed reports from tariff boards. | The people want action. They like to 1 see results. They want to find fatty
 bread and greasy bacon in their dinner 1 pails. This is what counts with them. 1 And with the insufferable conditions l that aready exist and that are promised l for the coming F months the American 1 cosumer is apt to get mad and do things l that may jar the standpatters.