The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-16
THE HIGH COSTrOF LIVING
AND SOME OF THE REMEDIES
BY r. j. M'CUNfBER.
United States Senator From North Dakota.

By r. j. N
United States Senator
The public speaker or writer is SO
promo to eXaggerate the importance OF
whatever may he the temporary issue.
and to SO vehemently declare that this
or that is the greatest problem the
country has cver had to solve. that l
hesitate to use an expression so much
misised and abused even when Il
mighty problem is upon us. But | feel
that this thought should not deter me
from giving the actual truth. l.. there
fore. state with as much force as is in
my owe that the agricultural inter-
ests of the northwest and the food PRO-
durinE interests nf the whole country
are nearing a most critical period:
danger that ii has ever had to meet:
that in order 10 avoid that danger tho
people Of every agricultural state
should he made 10 comprehend its inn
p%ortancr. should make earnest and
timely effort tn meet it. and should en-
list the c"-opcration and active sup
port of all those h represent in con-
gress the agricultural states of the
union
me ISSUE IL ShdlI 1Hc 'aTHleI, III"
food producer. share his home mark
cts with tn" food producers of the
whole world? Shall he share this
market which he has developed with
n" little sacrifice with the foreigner
who has sacrificed nothing for it. who
pays no axe to support our extensive
school system. who is charged Moth
ing for the higher standard Of living
maintained in this country. and who
owes no allegiance to it in time Of
need? Shall he compete freely with
the world in everything that he sells.
while a customs duty is levied on no.
of the things that he buys?
Reciprocity is Dead.
Reciprocity with Canada is dead at
present. But the spirit which actu-
ated the agreement and brought it in
to existence in this country is not by
am" means dead. Let us not for IL
single moment deceive ourselves with
the thought that President Taft origin
atcd the reciprocity agreement. Presi-
dent Taft took the necessary steps TO
irrystaliZe into q law that which had
grown TO be a clamorous demand in
all the large cities Of the country and
majority of tho people Of these cities.
| alludc to the demand for cheaper
food products. The most effective cry
In thc world is the cry for cheap food.
Rents may increase 100 per cent:
every other item Of expense may ad-
vance accordingly; our city extrava-
gances may run riot, and We will pour
out our earnings to meet those de-
mands with little complaint; but let
the cost of our God advance ten per
cent and an alarm cry is heard from
n end Of the country to another If
the riner product advances to keep
pace with the higher cost Of his lands
! aud tl,- Sr1- .rrv- L. r-n -,
hor. CONSERVATION seems to seize the
average city mind.
The Canadian people defeated the
reciprocity arrangement entered into
between the representatives of this
country and the Dominion Of Canada.
an agreement which would soon have
enabled them to swamp our north
product Of the kind produced in the
northwestern states. They defeated it..
not because they did not recognize
that u market would be a great
benefit to the agricultural class Of
Canada. but because they believed it's
final result would be the ABSORPTION
OF Canada by its greater ncighbOr. 1t
was the spirit Of Canadian nationalism
that won yer the desire for a mere
commercial advantage. But the ac-
ton OF Canada has not abated the agi-
tation in this country against present
food prices. an agitation which ignores
the real causes n seeks to hold the
food producer responsible for Them.
The great question which now con-
fronts the American food producer Is
not. shall h Canadian food product
come into this country free. but shall
We permit the whole worlds product,
including that Of Canada, TO pass our
custom houses without the payment
of a cent Of duty: Let no one de-
ceive himself with the idea that this
question will not have to be met and
met soon.
Those who complain of the prices
paid for food for the most part fail to
comprehend that the farmer receives
but a meager share of the amount
farmer receives -four cents for the food
which constitutes an average meal.
After the foo product has left tho
farmers hands it increases in price
from Il hundred to several Thousand
per cent by the time it reaches the
consumer.
That portion of our population who
know nothing about raising food pro-
ducts. but who cat them three times
q day, do not generally appreciate this
condition. and they are therefore per-
sistently demanding that our own food
producers shal compete with the food
producers Of the world.
Will We l3c Injured?
There ~ no use OF any one. Demo.
cfat or R%epublican, attempting to de-
ludc either himself or the pubic with
the idea that free trade in food pro-
ducts will not harm US. 1t will harm
us. and greatly harm us. No informed
man could have failed to observe the
effect OF the reciprocity contest upon
the market price of our cereals. Dur
ing the many months the subject was
under discussion before the American
congress h markets responded to
every prophecy of success or failure
OF II project. Whenever it's passage
looked encouraging, our grain prices
went ho"n: whenever its prospects
looked doubtful. prices vent M.
When the Sixiy-tirst congress adj.
1"urned without Its pnssa G.. grain
prices took u great leap upwards. and
. when it became certain that 1T would