Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1913-06-28
DEMOCRATS FAIL
, KEEP PROMISES
Party Seems To Be Determined To
Take Employment Away From
The Working People


The Working People
Washington, D. c. June 24-Letters
and kilograms which they have been
receiving from their constituents In
all parts of the country, making in
quiry as to the reason the Demo.
cratic Party has not yet reduced the
cost of living, in accordance with ita
platform and campaign promises,
have aroused President Wilson and
the Democratic leaders to explana.
tions and more promises.
Some Of the letters which are
reaching the leaders frankly state
that instead of reducing the cost Of
living, which is as high if not higher
than ever, the party seems to be de.
termined to take employment away
from the working people by remov.
ing the tariff protection that kept
wages In this country higher than in
Europe.
The fact is being held up to the
Democratic Party in Congress. that
1t came into power on a promise to
reduce prices, and that now the tar
if bill is being burdened with non
essentials over which time is be-
ing wasted in wrangling, while pro
ducts in which the masses are inter
ested are being neglected.
Majority Leader Underwood, whose
name the new bill bears, when ask
ed to answer the query of the crit
les as Ito what progress has been
made by Congress towards lowering
the cost Of living, and when these
reductions would be made said:
''To point out in detail the reduc
tons in the tariff bill, which passed
the House, that will reduce the cost
of living, would take many hours. Blu
will say that we have either plac
ed every food-stuff on the free list OF
halved the present tariff upon it
Neat and bread are placed on the
,ree list. These are commodities il
which the masses are certainly in
| terested.
'"The tariff on sugar has been re
duced twenty-five per cent, and i
the bill is passed in the form IL
which 1t went to the Senate will bt
entirely eliminated within three
years. This present reduction,
think, will probably lower the price
to the consumer one-half cent PEI
pound.
AS to when these reductions vii
become effective no one can say
The bill must first pass the Senate
and do not think that there is an!
daubt that it will. It will then g
to the President for his signature
and Immediately be a law.
"No one can say, however, wha
benefits will result to the genera
public from these reductions. Tn
tariffs will be lowered on all ar
ticles, but the middlemen. must b.
considered before one can say wha
saving the consumer will enjoy
There is no doubt that many product
will be materially lowered in price
but the lowering Of the tariff ma.
not in some instances effect an
change in the prices made to con
sumers."
| Speaker Clark replying to the sam
query propounded to Mr.. Under
wood remarked:
). "The entire tariff bill passed tn
House would nave to be analyzed t
answer the questions. That measur
4 as it went to the Senate effects
reduction in practically everythin
used by the consumer. Whether tn
Senate will improve upon it, or ey
en- pass it, yet remains to be seen.
"As to the length Of time that WI
elapse before the benefits of the re
ductions will be enjoyed, one canno
make answer until it is determine
how long it will take the Senate t
pass the bill and then one mus
pause still further to find out ho'
long it will take the measure after
is made law to become operative"
Representative John ]. Fitzgerald
of New York, who is generally cor
sidered to be well qualified to dis
cuss the tariff. and what the Demt
cratic policy with regard to legisls
tion on this particular subject wi
result in, when approached, replied:
Il do not care to make any state
ment on the subject or enter int
, any discussion Of It."