The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-10-13
WHY IT COSTS TO LIVE.
Absurdlty of Making Tariff Goat in
Discussing the Subject in Face
Of Many Other Factors.

HDsuroiey OF waking Tariff Goat in
Discussing the Subject in Face
Of Many Other Factors.
II. L. Ram in Manchester Press.
A good Republican said to us the 9TH
er day; III the tariff is responsible
ior the high cost of living, am for
Its reduction, and it can't come any
too quickly to suit me-
It has become popular pastime
10 make goat of the tariff. 1t is
blamed for all the Ills of life, from
the jump in diamonds to an attack
OF the shingles. But other things may
nave something to do with it. For in
stance:
Incidence and luxury have increas-
cd in this country out Of all proper
tlon to the incomes of the people.
twenty years ago it was the rarest
thing in the world to find a shoe
SHINING "parlor" outside of the larg-
est cities. They are now in every
hamlet, and thousands Of men and
boys do nothing else. There are prob.
ably not less than fifty in the city of
Des Moines. all doing thriving bust
ness. Men are too lazy or too proud
TO shine their own shoes and have
bred new industry.
Nothing used to be thought of 1t if
a man or woman was seen with
bundle going to or from market. Now
everything must be delivered to the
house. It is almost impossible to per-
suade a young chap or pretty girl to
be seen on the streets with a pack
age. Somebody else must do the work,
and father pays the freight.
The towns and cities are full Of
moving picture shows, nickelodeons,
vaudeville, 1920 and 3O-cent theatres
Whole families go, night after night,
and follow it up with little supper
that consumes a days wages. The
parks are crowded and the street car
takes its toll. Nobody thinks of walk.
ing for two blocks nowadays if he is
anywhere near a car line. The old
fashioned wife who used to press her
husbands and children's clothes has
gone out. Pantoriums have sprung up
and taken her place. The girl of 1890
who would expect to weave silk stock
ings and petticoats and the boy who
demanded FIVE or six suits of clothes
year would have been considered
crazy. but now they are as common
as pinch bugs in June. Everything
eatable must be dressed and trimmed
up nowadays. People want their
crackers In pink box. with 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
stores are filled with expensive nov
elites and CONNECTIONS, which go like
hot cakes. A few years ago oysters
and grape fruit and oranges out OF
season and cantelopes and ice cream
were considered luxuries. They are on
every table now every day. The young
man who doesn't take his girl a 60
cent box Of candy done up in curl pa
pers and pair Of tongs is a tight
wad Father buys porterhouse steak
where piece off the neck used t.
look good to him.
Nobody thinks of keeping his own
horse or cow or planting his own gar
den or digging his own potatoes. The
most popular song of the era is LET
Somebody Else do the Work. The
automobile has cost its thousands
where the tariff has cost its tens. A
man can't ride distance of fifty
miles without patronizing the parlor
car. Nobody thinks of carrying a
lunch on the train IL there is din
ing car anywhere on the division. The
man who wears the same necktie two
days in succession is called a Rube
and the woman who can't show up
half a dozen party dresses costing
from $40 to $50 per has about as
much show in the society push as a
shoat People used to have their
shoes half-soled. Now they wear them
until the gloss is dimmed, then
throw them in the attic. The $3.50
electric vacuum cleaner has pushed
the broom off the map, and the cleo
trio fan and ironer have put the palm
leaf and the sadiron out OF business.
Thus ad infinitum.
While your neighbor Is cussing the
tariff for the high cost of living, re.
mind him of these things and ask him
if Jim Hills definition, the cost OF
high living" isn't closer to It, No
body wants to go back to the old
ways. All of these things mean better,
happier living, more ease, more rec
reation. more leisure, better meals,
more beautiful homes. But is it fair to
shoulder onto the tariff the blame for
our own wastefulness and incidence
Advertising keokuk In the Magazines
Knoxville Express: Keokuk Is the
latest Iowa town to break into the
Ilimelight via the big magazine route,
II recently having a half-page adyer-