The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-11-02
The Youths Companion, which will

] The OuthS' Companion, which will be
accepted everywhere as competent au-
thority, careful as to its facts and con-
sentative in its views, recently had an
editorial on the cost of living, in which it
pointed out that the present condition is
world wide. This of course disproves
the charge Of Democratic politicians
that the increased price of the staples of
life is due to Republican legislation.
| Republican legislation had nothing to do
with the increased cost of food in Great
Britain, France, Austria, Germany,
China and other foreign countries.
Various reasons are given for this in
crease, including the epigramatic re-
mark of Mr.. j. j. Hill that the trouble
is really "the cost of high living" and
that certainly applies with some force to
this country. In summing up the re-
suits of an investigation by Massachu-
sets commission The Youths Compan-
ion says:
Of all the facts on which these reasons
are based, there is general agreement on
one only-the extension of manufac-
lures. This has been one of the Won
ders of the present generation. The de-
cline of agriculture in England is
another. During the last ten years the
farm area in America has increased only
about four per cent, the population more
than twenty per cent. Along with the
comparative decrease in farm products
has come a rise in our standard of living
that has caused the demand for food to
increase faster than the production of it.
There has been some unfavorabe com
ment over the fact that Names Secre-
tary of State, Cyrus W. Davis of
/ Waterville, went to Chicago to deliver
an address before the national conven-
ton of brewers; and over the address it.
self. But, whatever may be the opinion
of tn honest, self-respecting, lawabid-
ing citizens of Maine, Mr. Davis was
certainly in congenial company. In fact,
he could have done no less than to carry
what crumbs of comfort he could gather,
or fabricate, to those who are alleged to
have largely financed the Plaisted cam
paign as we'll as the campaign last Sep
TENDER, and who will no doubt be called
upon next year to contribute still further
TO the campaign fund of party whose
success would mean open saloons in
Maine, and by means of which their con-
tributions would be returned many fold
money taken from the mouths of women
and children.
Here is one crumb of comfort Mr..
Davis gave his friends the brewers.
After discussing the history of prohi-
/ bition in that State and the recent cleo
ton, he said:
1.-THE wedge has been driven and
prohibition by law is doomed 1t mat
tiers not whether the result in ballots
be few hundred more or less either
been consigned to the junk heap of abor-
tive legislative enactments."
Of course here in Maine we know bet
ter. We know that the people have de-
clared by their vote that prohibition
shall remain in the constitution, and no
OIc uOuUCS puC tudL IL CIG QutSLlOu was
again submitted the No vote would be
greatly increased. Many people were
fooled and misled by the promises and
fallaclous arguments of the paid agents
and newspaper organs of the brewers
and liquor dealers, but whose eyes have
been opened since to the danger that
threatened our good old State. They are
not likely to be fooled second time.
The rum trust and the brewers trust may
buy the leaders of party, but they can
not buy the people-certainly not the
people of Maine.
The Grange, the clergy, the Y. M. C.
A., the w. C. 7. u, the Civic League,
the Good Templars, and other organize
tons that fought valiantly on the side of
law and order, were characterized by
Secretary of State Davis as fanatics
and mud singers; and as to the farmers
he said that the Maine law could not be