Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-12-20
Outside Point of View

that of Vice President Sherman, not
long ago. before Utica audience. He
stood before his fellow citizens and re-
marked. in substance: To-day I pur-
chased this suit of clothes I have on
from one of our clothing dealers for S..
Ny collar cost Is cents, my shirt so
cents. my stockings 10 cents. my four
in-haud tie 20 cents, my total expense
was $3.50 and I ask you If am not a
well dressed MANI" The point to be
brought out was that even IN these
days of the cost of high living a man
can dress well for a very small amount
CT money. Even i'll these days Of pro-
lection on everything a man wears its
nonsense for the wage Garner to think
the republican party is to blame in any
way" What follows is no part of a
discussion on the tariff. But il IL to
notice the efforts of such politicians as
Sherman. to attempt to fool the peo-
pie. There WAS not man in his
audience but knew as we'll as Sherman
did. that this $3.50 outfit was an ex-
travagant purchase. That at that
price it must he OF a shoddy make, and
in three months time OF ordinary wear.
would only be fit for working suit.
and would only hold together q short
time for working clothes. Sherman
knows all this, his audience knew il, ="
what was the result Simply that it
proved Sherman to be an unfit man
for the high position he occupies.
Exactly in this line is the democrat
ic member of congress or editorial
writer OF the democratic school OF po-
litical economists that tell the dear
people how ito put US in power" and
we the great democratic party will give
YOU the benefits OF free trade. Every
thing the wage Garner buys will be
lessened in price. thus enabling him to
save up money for old age or If he
spends II as he goes along TO get more
for his money. Such men know and
those who listen to their arguments
ought to know. that where the prices
Of what we eat. drink and wear are
low. the price OF labor is also low. In
fact where prices Of all commodities
including labor go down, the price OF
labor is the first to he reduced, and
when prices go up. labor is the last to
get the advance.
And that the democratic party or
that the republican party can per.na-
nently advance wages and lessen the
price Of necessities is political poppy
cock. To illustrate. How much has
the republican party 10 90 -!.a the
present high cost of living in Alaska :?
When the rush to gold mines was made
in 40. can any political partisan tell
whether the party then in power was
to blame because onions sold for 81
each in some OF the mining camps. To-
day In some towns in Texas drinking
water sells for % cents a gallon. Is
this because of President Taft being in
power We ride for cents mile on
the railroads of Iowa. In Alaska. IS
cents a mile is the regular fare on one
railroad II we elect a democratic pres
ident will he fix the fare in Alaska the
same as in Iowa? All this seems nom
sensical II is not a bit more so than
Shernan's talk at Utica, OF the free
trade orator in congress.
It Is true that legislation by one o-
the other party may temporarily e!-
feet prices. But we are learning by ex-
pensive experience, that the price OF
sugar. coffee. and manufactured leather
are beyond the control OF tariff tinker
ers Only the mos. credu!ous ever ex-
pected that reciprocity with Canada
would give US chea per lumber. Some
years ago. an 1rishnan. employed as
porter in a New York store, expressed
his intention OF voting the democratic
ticket His employer tried to convince
him OF his error. Told Patrick that the
republican party was not to blame for
the high prices Of food ana clothes.
And as chicken remarked the law OF
supply and demand settled such things.
Then" said Pat, when we democrats
get III power well repale that law"
1t is an old story, but suggests that
Others besides Pat promise to do the
same