New-York tribune., 1913-11-28
Canadian Statesman Puts
Tariff in Forefront of
Liberal Platform.
HIGH COST OF LIVING
THE VITAL PROBLEM
Rushing of Food Products South
ward, Under New u. S. Tariff,
lnjuring the Dominion.

Ottawa, Nov G-Sir Nilfrid Laurier,
the Opposition leader ut great meeting
in the Conservative city of Hamilton last
night, announced an out-andout free
trade-in-food policy and i'm doing so re-
ceiyed one OF the greatest ovations Of
his career His speech is considered the
keynote Of the Liberal position to he
taken at the coming session of Parlia-
ment and clearly indicates that the tariff
question has suddenly, as q result OF the
new United States tariff. jumped into first
place ms an issue in Canadian politics
completely dwarfing the navy issue. Sir
Wilfrd said:
The situation requires action, prompt
unhesitating action. The policy ] believe
every patriot in Canada ought to support
OF the government 10 inaugurate immedi-
atcly is policy OF absolutely free food
food free from customs duty.
What is Of immediate interest TO the
people of Canada to-day is not the price
Of Dreadnoughts. There is one thing
which at this moment engages the minds
Of the Canadian people from the Pacific
10 the Atlantic coast: II is a far more
prosac and far more vital question; 1t
is the question OF the high cost Of living.
"A table OF statistics lately compiled
by the British Board of Trade which is
known for its accuracy. has stated that
the cost OF living has increased I per cent
I'm Great Britain during the last decaoe
and in Canada 81 per cent. Now, just one
npipf har n Ia prpdnpac
yearly 100000 bushels OF wheat. while
the consumption Is only 100000 bushels,
and that the surplus has 10 find a market
abroad. Up TO this time practically the
only market has been the market Of
Great Britain If. then, We reflect that
Great Britain has to import all the wheat
which she consumes. and. further that
the price Of wheat and the price Of bread
are cheaper in Great Britain than IN
Canada. then YOU have 10 agree with me
that there must be something rotten I'm
the State Of Denmark-Ganada.
And we have not reached the end OF
the high cost Of living. The cost OF living
will he higher in two or three months
than II is to-day What is the cause?
The recent reductions I'm the American
tariff Mix. cream swine. sheep beef
and many other articles have been placed
upon the free list In the United states.
Therefore. these products are already
rushing toward the United States. We
know, i'm the matter Of cattle alone they
are rushing carloads every day from all
parts OF Canada where there are cattle
tow ara the American market
But these articles | have named car
rot come back free from the United
States into Canada; and II no products
of the same kind can come back from the
United States into Canada. the result Ia
that all ~ the articles which are IN"
staple food OF the people are growing
scarcer I'm Canada and the price n
creases. as that is the natural condition
Of things.
IF YOU alter tho tariff. are YOU not
going 10 interfere with the farmer Not
at all Nobody finds fault with the price
which the farmer gets for his products
The trouble is this. that the price which
s paid 20 the farmer is not the price
which is paid by the consumer. The dir
ference between the price which is paid
to the farmer and the price which is paid
by the consumer leaves wide margin for
the trusts and comb!ncs.'