The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-07-08
Washington Letter

Washington, July THE cost ol
living advances as private business and
government revenues decline. The
foreign food producer gleelully profits
the free trade margin promised the
consumer. The farmers prices are
set by his foreign competitor, and the
laboring man is without the wherewithal
10 purchase from either. These are
facts brought to light by government
reports.
The argument which stood out more
prominently than any other in the tariff
controversy Of the past five years was
the contention OF the democrats that
the prime influence on the cost OF
living was the tariff. They denounced
the protective policy as raid On the
pantry Of the wotkingman, and tribute
exacted from the very warp and wool
oil the clothing which he wore. Speak
er Champ Clark cried from the house
tops, the cost Of living By reason Of
the high tariff and trusts has become
so high that it is with extreme difficulty
that millions Of people manage 10 live
at ALL"
The first plank in the democratic
platform OF 1912 declared for tariff
REFORM" and read as follows;
The high cost Of living is a serious
problem in every American home. The
republican party, in its platform, at
tempts to escape from responsibility
for present conditions by denying that
they are due to a protective tariff. We
take issue with them on this subject,
and charge that excessive prices result
in a large measure from the high tariff
laws enacted and maintained by the
republican party and from trusts and
commercial conspiracies fostered and
encouraged by such laws, and we
assert that no substantial relief can be
secured for the people without import
duties on the necessaries Of life are
materially reduced and these CONNER
cial conspiracies broken up"
The Underwood law placed nearly
all food products on the free list, and
the occasion ol its signature by Pres
ident Wilson, Oct. 8, 1918, Mr.. I'm
derwood said: II have the utmost
confidence in the new tariff law. &.
am absolutely confident that this law
will reduce the cost Of living in the
United States"
The most recent confession OF error
on the part Of democracy is contained
in a retail price bulletin issued by the
department Of labor. The analysis
Of the bulletin states that September
1914 the price Of all food was I'll pei
cent higher than the average price ioI
1913" Further on: For the eight
years 1907 to 1914, considering all
food combined, the highest price was
reached in 1914"
Fresh meats were placed on the free
list by the Underwood law, since the
enactment OF which our importation:
from Argentina, Australia and Uruguay
have reached astonishing figures, and
yet the snalySis informs US that al
meats were higher in 1914 than in any
Of the preceding seven years." The
Crop Reporter" recently published
by the department Of agriculture show
that the prices received By raisers o
food animals had declined since tht
enactment Of the law, but the price o
meat to the consumer in 1914 was tt,
highest in eight yoars. The duty OF
sugar was reduced Is per cent and j
will come in free after May /, 1916
and yet the refneis' wholesale NJ,
cash price on granulated sugar, jun
1o, 1918, was 3.ll6 cents per pound
and on June IS, 1914, il was AL
per pound, quotations from Willet
Gray's Sugar Trade Journal. Thi
rs per cent reduction represented 70
the year ending March /, Last, los
OF revenue 10 the Government c
slS,0Oc,00O.
II free trade does not reduce tn
cost Of living, then the wto'e bottor
drops out Of the Democratic tari
.,ournen. and that IL certainly dnf