The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1916-09-28
HIGH COST OF LIVING
IS SERIOUS PROBLEM

Washington, D. c., September, 26-
Reduction in the high cost of living
as promised in the Democratic plat
form of 1912, is myth" declared
Representative Julius Kahn of Cali
fornia, ranking minority member of
the House Military Affairs Committee
In a statement given out here today.
I'm 1913 the Democratic party pro-
missed the people of the United States
to reduce the high cost of living" said
Mr.. Kahn. They Illuminated against
the protective tariff and blamed the
latter for contributing to the increase
of prices of food products of all kinds.
This is the plank of that platform.
THE high cost of living is a
serious problem in every American
home. The Republican Party, in its
platform attempts to escape from res
possibility for present conditions by
denying that they are due to a pro-
tective 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 Rep
ublican Party and from trusts and
commercial conspiracies fostered and
encouraged by such laws, and we as
sert that no substantial relief can be
secured for the people without import
hn -, 80
materially reduced and these Grimm
al conspiracies broken up
Like many another plank it seems
to have been inserted in the platform
in the nature of 'molasses to catch
fiies.'
Instead of reducing the price of
living under this Democratic admins
tration the cost of food products has
constantly increased. Uncle Sam
himself feels the pinch. He is the
greatest purchaser of commodities in
the United States. He can buy
cheaper than anybody else because
he buys in such large quantities. In
1913 at the time the Democrats took
possession of the country and promis-
ed to reduce the cost of living he
was paying twenty-three cents a day
per ration for every enlisted man in
the United States Army. That was
the cost of the Army ration at that
time. The ration itself has not been
changed for eight years. The same
articles of food that were given the
soldiers in 1909 are supplied to them
today. Acting Quartermaster Gene
raj H. G. Sharpe, who testified before
the Committee on Military Affairs
last March, said that for the year
1917 the cost of each ration would
be thirty cents. Its cost has increas-
ed steadily since 1918. Every year
saw an increase until now the ration
amounts to thirty cents per day.
There are approximately 100000
men in the regular army and the
National Guard at the present time.
An increase Of seven cents per ration
means that the tax payers of Uncle
Sam have to pay s17,5OO day more
than they would have had to pay in
1913 to feed Uncle Sans soldiers. At
that rate the increased cost to feed
the army amounts each month to
$525,000, or $6,9O0,000 per year
more than when the Republicans
were in control. The taxpayers are
called upon to meet this heavy in
crease. But it is not only the food
for the Army that has increased In
cost The cost of clothing, shoes and
equipment generally has gone up in
: proportion.
"The Records of the government
disclose the fact that under the I'm
derwood tariff bill, which is probably
r the lowest tariff this country has ever
had, prices have advanced steadily
J and the end is not yet
"The Democratic party proclaimed
:. in 1872 that the protective tariff was
. responsible for the high cost of liv-
: ing. 1t was beautiful theory with
: which they fooled many Of the voters
e Of this country The people are wis.,
s er today. Under Democratic free
q trade prices have risen to the highest
point in American history.
will the voters again be fooled
by Democratic sophistry in Nevem-
l. ber?"