Arizona republican., 1919-08-08
FRIDAY MORNING. AUGUST 8, 1919
The Governments Most Trying Task


 2 This government is about to be tested and on the outcome the it will be judged whether ii is a good government. Such serious test has npi been proposed since the civil which only showed that notwithstanding that wrack,ng, the ton was still intact the political rights of the people had been preserved Slavery which had pro- toked the war had disappeared in the storm. Its abolition was not an object of the war but a mere heident of it.
 E ! It is now to be determined whether this govern nent protect it's people, not against encroach- ment and invasion but against the rapacity of one Another against extortion. If it cannot. there will be Another kind of government. The people will be found trying to settle their troubles among them- Selves according to no rules laid down in the books e prescribed by the constitution. We do not like to sss, what that would mean. Some may call it voiution something more less than revolution aaainst government found to be nadequate-a resolution against system
 Thus we are led gently back to the subject of the High Cost of Living of which doubtless you have heard your neighbors speak. We have had other troubles in the past largely troubles of the magina tion psychological or political worries some wholly manufactured and unsubstantal. A dozen years ago we were troubled the lack of popular rule and a great disturbing wave swept the country-and reeeded leaving here and there unsghtly and ill., smelling debris. Our reformers and dreamers have seen things with which they tried with the aid of denagogue to scare the "peepul' and sometimes sue seeded We have lately been thrown into panic for the safety of democracy and humanity and posterity. All these things more or less fimy But now we up against something solid and tow ermg growing higher and more forbidding every day. is threatening not only comfort but the stand ard of living which has lately been so proudly ele- vated. something real and substantial. Tho opiy thing be said in its favor is, that when we complain of it, know what we are "hollering about" whereas in the midst of our other worries and fears we generally knew nothing except what the ireamers and demagogues told us.
 Some of the causes of the high cost of living understand We know that there is changed rela ton between the volume of money in the world and the volume of commodities which has raised the the money values of the latter That is in eyitabe and incurabe except by time We know. too. that the burden of taxation which has been put manufacturers. producers and distributors has in creased the of production. Of that shall speak later as a not whole irremedabe thing one of the curable grievances Higher wages for skilled labor is assigned by another of the higher cost of living though others regard it with good reason of the effects.
 But it is generally agreed, and satisfactory proo has been shown that shameless profiteering is the chief cause that in the natural disturbance of prices produced by legitimate causes the opportunity ha been seized upon advance prices further with out reason return to the subject of taxation another cause.
 Ordinarily the is regarded as item which should be included in the overhead expense of pro- dneton or distribution freight, rent and other expenses to be reckoned the of produc tioh and to be passed along to the consumer. In inn posing the heavy tax the government had two things in mind One to raise the money it needed from the accessible sources, and the other was 10 lay the tax on those the best able to bear it. Theoretically it was not finally be laid upon those who were the least able; it not contemplated, instance that profits should be left intact, the tax them to be paid by consumers who them selves already contributed to these profits
 Another cause of the high cost of living which been advanced is the extravaganza of the people, carnival of spending No doubt there such a carnival inaugurated during the war and it is still continuing, participated in by those who can afford that orgy But that is not excuse for profiteer- ing but rather an admission that there profiteer- ing the poor profiteers having yielded the tempta ton spread before them by the spenders.
 Whatever the there has gone up to the gov ernment mperous and a threatening demand that the of living must be lowered. The govern must either find way by laws to do it or else confess that it is not the kind of government the people have; that it has shown itself to be inadequate to the task.
 By the government do tine admin stration or this the preceding congress Though doubtless mistakes have been made. they may be set down unavoidable and inconsequential We mean by the government. the existing system which must meet present conditions acknowledge failure.
 We do think it will fail We there is enough wisdom in the country and enough strength