The Prescott daily news., 1913-02-15
STUDY HIGH PRICES
PARTY THAT CAN DEVISE PLAN TO REDUCE THEM WILL WIN
 IN NEXT ELECTION.
so BELIEVE THE LEADERS
Democrats Say Reduced Tariff Win Solve Problem, Republicans Assert This Will Lower Wages AIso-PFo- gresslves Have Other Ideas.
Ru GEORGE CLINTON.

BY 6GSnoG SGI'N O'N'
 Washington Washington leaders or the three parties, Republican, Demo cratic and Progressive say that the party which can present the best plan to bring down the high cost Of living will be the party to be assured of vic tory the next time there is chance for the people to vote on national ls- sues. The leaders add that while the parties and the people are talking about the tariff, the trust, currency, battleships and other things of inn portance, they are thinking mainly on the price of beef butter, eggs. clothes and machinery.
 In a measure the Democrats seem to believe that the high cost of living can be reduced by reducing the tariH. Now just as naturally as rain falls out of an overburdened cloud. the Repub- licans answer that If the customs are cut prices will go down, but wages will 30 down with them and that men with less money will be no better on with low prices that they were with more money and high prices. The Progressives say that there Is way to solve the high cost of living and that 1t IS not to be found through the tariff The duties. they say, should be cut to a considerable degree, but not as much as the Democrats desire, and that this cut with other things yet to be definitely determined will reduce the cost of living without reducing the rate of wages.
 All Studying the Problem.
 The high cost of living is to be in- vestigated by non-partisan body, but whether it will reach any conclusions of value of course remains to be seen. The Democrats are going to study high prices in connection with legislation affecting the trusts, the tariff and the currency. They say that the trusts keep up the high cost of living and that the tariff Is the mother of the trusts, and so they hope through trust legislation and tariff legislation to ac- complish the thing which seemingly all people want to be accomplished.
 The Progressive party, as has been noted before in these dispatches, has established a working bureau for the purpose of studying the problem of the high prices for food, raiment and rent There are a good many men and women connected with the Pro gressive party who are at once econ omists and social service workers. Th6ua have ct pH the economic problems in the hope that they might find some means of relieving the condition of the poor in the congested districts of the big cities where wages are comparatively small. families are large and prices are big
 Some of the Republicans say that the Progressives can go ahead along these lines of investigation if they choose to, but they will find that the lines will lead into the realm of sup ply and demand and natural causes generally. It is only a few of the Republicans who say this as final an swer. There are leaders in the party in Washington who maintain that the high cost of living Is the real big problem of the day and that the Republican party can get back into power if 1t shall present plan which seems adequate to it's solving. For this reason Republican economists are to study economic conditions and to present them to the congressional leaders some time in the future, but in plenty of time to make them avail able in the congressional campaign one year from next fall.
 Reunion of Parties Involved.
 still discussing the matter of the pos sible coming together again into one united party. There is no seeming possibility at present that this can be accomplished. apd the leaders of both sides apparently are of the opinion that some time must elapse before overtures can be made from either one side or the other with view to securing harmony and reunion. There Is some sort of suggestion however, from both Republicans and Progress sives that there is a possibility of re union which may be forced by the rank and file of the members of the old party and the new party, in case the Democratic party shall fail through the tariff, trust and currency legislation to do anything to bring down high prices without bringing