The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-11-01
Editorial Comment
on Current Subjects
THE HIGH, HIGHER, HIGHEST
COST OF LIVING.

COST OF LIViNe.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Kindly read the following quotation.
1t may serve to amuse you:
The high cost OF living is . seri.
GUS problem In every American
home. The Republican party, in
its platform, attempts to escape
from the responsibility for pres.
ent conditions by denying that
they are due to a protective tariff.
We take issue with II on this sub.
ject and charge that excessive
prices result In large measure
from the high tariff laws enact
ed and maintained by the Republi.
can party, and from trusts and
commercial conspiracies fostered
and encouraged by such laws, and
We assert that no substantial re-
lief can be secured for the people
until import duties on the neces.
saries Of life are materially re-
duced and these criminal conspirn-
cies broken up.
Ever met with this bright and scin-
tillating gem Of literature before? oh,
yes, you have. 1t is a plank from that
Observation-Disclosures Democratic
platform Of 1912 concerning which
Candidate Woodrow Wilson proclaim.
ed In all seeming seriousness that It
was not made OF "molasses to catch
flies"
The people were told that the Re.
publican policy OF protection to Amer.
lean industries was responsible for
high prices. All through the cam.
paign they were told that. And the
moment the Democratic administra-
tion came into power 1t proceeded to
provo its argument. 1t put the Wilson.
Underwood near-free trade law on the
statute books. Now! exclaimed the
administration, Just watch and see
what will happen! We have emanci.
pated you. The cost OF living will come
down.
Did 1t come down?
In speech the other day Mr..
Hughes said:
Our opponents told US four
years ago that they were going to
decrease the cost Of living. The
cost Of living they charged to the
Republican administration. They
held US accountable for II. But
that seemingly inseparable COM
panion Is still with us. They have
not touched the cost Of living. But
what they did do was to decrease
the chances Of making living.
They made It higher" shouted
some one in the gallery. That's it."
Mr.. Hughes agreed. 1T Is not now
simply the high cost Of living, but, as
~. oaptIao,on rav,, rl,od a. d. A..
higher cost Of living that we are deal.
ing with tonight"
Right. First the Democratic I'D.
ministration, with its assault upon
the protective tariff. drove hundreds
of thousands Of industrial employees
out of work, where they would be to.
day but for the protective barrier ere.
ated by the war. And while the ad.
was driving the mills into
and the workers in them
to tho free bread line and the soup
house, it saw the price of food constant.
ly increasing until it has reached the
highest level with which this country
has ever had experience.
High. higher, highest!
And Mr.. Wilson rs a candidate as.
sured us that the Democratic plat
form was not "molasses to catch
flies!"
You men and women who stand be-
hind the counters, who work In the Of
fices, who are paid regularly weekly
salaries, you who compose the great
body Of American life, what do YOU
think of the situation?
What has the Wilson administra-
ton done for YOU that you should
desire to see it remain in power?