The Lamar register., 1911-10-25
Living High, Not the Tariff, the
Cause of High Prices

that the tariff was he cause of
meet the added Increase he is
compelled to go on the lecture plat
form. This statement is taken up
by his party followers and they re-
assert the statement and the howl
of the discontented reverberates
across the country like the howl of
the coyote on the plains. This fel-
low Gore did not point out one
single item that is making living
higher through the tariff. but like
the others of his party, makes the
statement and let's it go at that.
We challenge any one to show
wherein the tariff has increased
the prices on the things that go
into the ordinary living expenses
of family, says the Pueblo opin-
ion.
Living High is quite another
thing, and here is where all the
complaints against the tariff should
be switched, and not make the tar
iff issue the goat for all the in
creases that have been put on by
the labor unions, the jobbers and
the retail dealers. AT no time
have wages been SO high in this
country as now, and union labor
must be given the credit for not
only getting tremendous increases
in wages but at the same time in
securing shorter hours of labor. all
of which counts nightly in the
production of the things we con-
sumo. And the wage earners have
less cause for kicking against the
tariff than any other class. Here is
something we clipped from a paper
in Iowa that covers a lot of points
about living high and high living.
"Indolence and luxury have in
creased in this country out of all
proportion to the incomes of the
people. Twenty years ago it was
the rarest thing in the world to
find shoe shining ''parlor" out
side of the largest cities. They are
now in every hamlet. and thous-
ands of men and boys do nothing
else. There are probably not less
than fifty in the city OF Des Moines,
all doing a thriving business. Men
their own shoes and have bred
new industry.
Nothing used to be thought of
1t II a man or woman was seen with
bundle going to or from the
market. Now everything must be
delivered to the house. II is al
most impossible to persuade a
pert young chap or a pretty girl
To be seen on the street with n
package. Somebody else must do
the work. and father pays the
freight.
THE towns and cities are full
of moving picture shows. nickelod-
cons. vaudeville. 10. 20 and 80
cent theaters. Whole families go.
night after night. and follow it up
with a little supper that consumes
the days wages. The parks are
crowded and the street car takes
its toll. Nobody thinks of walking
for two blocks nowadays If he is
anywhere near a car line. The old
fashioned wife who used to pres
her husbands and children's clothes
has gone out. Pantoriums have
sprung up and taken her place
The girl of 1890 who would ex-
pect to wear silk stockings and pet
ucoats and the boy who demanded
five or six suits of clothes a year
would have been considered crazy.
but now they are as common as
pinch bugs in June. Everything eat
able must be dressed and trimmed
up nowadays. People want their
crackers in a pink box, with the
picture of ballet dancer or
pugilist on the cover, and they
not only pay for the box when
they buy the crackers but they
get fewer crackers. The grocery