The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-06-29
is CONGRESS OR
WILSON

liz
dent in his telegram to the railroaI
brotherhoods. has taken no import
ant remedial action with respect Z
the problem of the cost of living"
is probable that the Democrats viii
try to bring, as their chief indictmen
against the Republican congress, th'
fact that the cost Of living has no
been reduced, although it has beer
in control of legislation for NOR
than a year. What are the facts?
Since the converting of the sixty
sixth congress-, on May 10, 1919, the
people of the country have been saved
the stupendous total of $2,374,46O,'
817.O6 through the denial by the Re
publicans in congress of extravagani
sums demanded by the Democratic
administration to continue the pro
gram of expenditure 1t had mapped
out. That is a direct reduction IN
the cost of living of more than twenty
dollars for every man, woman a3c
child. The railroad act, returning the
roads to the more efficient ma-agc-
ment of their owners, and the sin'-
lar return of the telegraph, telephone
and cable lines, both very materially
although indirectly, held living COSTS
down. Several acts extending uae
reclamation ard developm ent OF
Western lands bear a very close re-
lation to stimulated food production
and consequent lowering of prices.
The Lever food control act was ex-
tended and penalties provided against
profiteers. The army ganlzatlon
bill cuts our present huge military
establishment to $4,000 men, max
ing possible great savings in the up
keen of the army. All of those bills
the approval of the Presi-
dent and became laws, and all have
played, or will play, a substantial part
checking high living costs.
Had Mr.. Wilson seer fit to give his
assent TO other acts of the Republi-
IAN congress-, further steps could
beer taken in that direction, but
le chose to deny the people the bene-
il of those measures. The water
over bill, designed to make avail
bile the immense quantities of cheap
stored in III streams, was
,iyen a pocket veto" The budget
ill, under the terms of which hun
reds of millions would have been
aved the people annually, received
he condemnation of Mr.. Wilson. The
esolution repeating the executives
ar time powers, which would have
ut an end to much unnecessary ex-
enditure, failed to get the Presi-
signature. Mr.. Wilson's re-
lsal to vitalize those acts on con
makes wholly unnecessary adj
itions to the cost of living. and post
ones for many months more the re-
lef they would have brought.
Not only has the President refused
0 assist congress in reducing living
osts by Withholding his signature to
Important legislation, and neglecting
o direct his encouragement to en-
orce effectively the laws placed in
lis hands by the Republicans, but he
las directly added to the high cost
# living in various ways. 1t is gen.
rally admitted that the fixing of the
rice of Louisiana sugar has placed
toll of almost a billion dollars on
American families. Mr.. Wilson's con-
ient that the countries of Europe
.hould postpone payment of interest
IN their obligations to us makes
necessary the raising of $500, 000, 900
year in taxes from our own people.
rhe President has acquiesced in the
up of war department con-
ract payments in the sum of $780,
100, 900; he has permitted the issu-
nee of excessive amounts of paper
currency by the federal reserve banks
md allowed those banks to assist in
he depreciation of Liberty bonds that
las brought a loss of more than 3d. |
000, 900 to their holders; he has
,onnived at the grossest extravaganza
md misuse of the public funds, both
the war and since; he ap-
proved a tax measure, written by
partisan supporters in a former Dem
congress. that put almost in
.olerable burdens on the people-but
why extend the list. A willful refusal
to admit the facts a be the only
reason for any man charging con-
gress with, and generating Wilson
from, responsibility for the present
high cost of living.