Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-23
70 q Il Ike and not Ike towards and simple charac-
tor assassins.
THE FRO0REssIvEs WILL REDUCE THE. HIGH
COST or LIvNG.-No Z.

COST or LIvNa-No. Z.
duce the high cost Of living through reduction Of the
tariff and proper distribution Of its benefits where re-
taned how they propose to secure still further reduc
ltion we'll as better service from public uteseec-
trio light telephone, telegraph, railway and express
lnes-through the creation of effective public utilities
commission; how they propose to still further
reduction by just equalization and reduction in the tax
burden and how they propose to accomplish much along
the same lines through regulation and control Of the
trust questions
These proposed remedies do not cover the evils of this
great and vexng question and they do not constitute all
remedies proposed to apply do they close the dis
cussion but these remedies alone believe will reduce
the cost OF living to the average taxpayng family at least
$3.50 per year. In that belief have prepared estimates
in accord with the arguments heretofore made and in
cord with proofs which believe very easy to pro-
duce. %#&
Through reduction in the tariff in all of it's various
ramfcatons through clothing cost, farm Implements
household goods building and fence materials the metals
and with the consequent additional cost Of railroad
building and equipment and the thousands of other items
all Of which finally fall upon the ultimate consumer it is
very low estimate to place the saving per Individual
$lO making for the average family Of five total annual
saving of $50.
By public utilities commission it is easy to under
stand by every of electric light telephone water
who has made Of rates and charges
elsewhere that it would be small reduction to figure
decrease OF 80 cents month per family for telephone
like amount for electric lights and the same amount for
water This would aggregate saving of Sc per for
each of these three utilities This is small amount
taken separately So each of the other savings pro-
posed That why the remedies offered by the Repub
lcans and Democrats never do much good if the
pledges not forgotten broken and the promises
kept The reason is that they do not far enough The
Progressves propose down the line that in the
gregate the relief will be noticeable. #&
For the average taxpayng family have already es
mated there could be- and should be- reduction of 25
per cent through the practice of economy and through
proper equalization of the burdens This for the
taxpayer would save at minimum $25 per year. For
some would be aand for it would be less but
we believe this sum is fair average.
The biggest single saving should be made under trust
control and regulation with the attendant evils of middle
men, railroad favortsm and the like In the last 10 years
the cost of living has increased to double what was then
That is the cost of the things require to eat
average cost for family of five at OO per year for
esstes, which is certainly very low estimate then if
the cost OF such articles has doubled through trust manp
ulaton and otherwise there should be saving to such
family annually of at least 5000 by the removal of these
causes But let be than fair if necessary and
let us again cut that figure in two, and have saving
OF 500 for an average family of five persons
Through proper control of the railroads, including
of all articles which could be lessened in this manner
1t unreasonable to estimate saving of 81 per month to
each individual SIS per family? This would make $50
per year for the family, and do not believe it is
much 1t will be remembered that coal alone recent
reduction ordered of so cents ton That should
have Melted alone saving of S. per year to each
family 1t is true that the has been deprived
of the benefit but the Progressves propose remedy
which will prevent the suffering and some spe-
cia interest beneftng every time it is proposed make
saving
Now to recapitulae the saving proposed by the Pro-
gressve program which is the only practical program
presented to the people by any party have the fol-
lowing savings per year for axpaying family of five:
by the tal1II .Y 5000
On telephones ......................... 600
fOn electric nights ..........: 600