The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-12-22
Terms So per AMMAN, IA, adrance.

al that A fair beeEsteak costs now about
thirty cents; If paid in gold, at present quota
tlons' 1t would cost about twenty-one cents,
This price may seem low to those who do not
send their memory back, but not to those who
remember 1880, and beef-steaks and other
choise cuts at from ten to fifteen cents a
pound. Surely we do have high prices, indie
pendent OF all imitation of the paper currency,
because If paid in gold the prices rule from
fifty to seventy-fve per cent. higher than be-
fore the war. When gold was quoted at ESQ,
so that paper dollar was worth but thirty
odd cents, prices ruled much lower than now
When gold Is quoted at las, and paper dol
lar is worth sixty-nIne cents, and we find the
cause in the new and pressing demand which
mas sprung up, and not in an inflated curren-
| W 'or the currency is very much less inflated
nov 'nan then, when Government was manu-
iacturinS IL almost without limit to pay off our
troops and 10 meet other unavoidable expenses
of the war, and when the process of absorp-
tion into bonds was slow and sometimes al
most discouraging. -
Z. One year ago gold,-in which or its
equivalent all imported goods must be paid
for,-was quoted at about ESQ, making pa
per dollar worth 43 IL cents. Now tits quite
steady at about 1.45, and the paper dollar Is
worth sixty-niue cents. Is it wonderful that
an imported article which then cost $40 can
now be purchased for 81 If sT." win make
figures he win find ttat his ten-dollar import
ed broadcloth of twelve months ago should
sell to-day, If it follows the decline in gold, at
s6.SOl We submit ii his Illustration is not
against him.
.. 1t may be very consoling to tenants to
inform them that rents have advanced no
more than twenty-five per cent, and no doubt
Hwouid be even more comforting If they could
be made to believe it. Perhaps undesirable
rents, of buildings out of repair, may not
have advanced more than here stated. but
when we know all around us of houses.
the rents of which have advanced from 5000
to $500, and of office rents advancing from
$3.50 to s7o0, and others in like ratio, we can
rot set aside the force of such facts by mere
assertion. s5 .f sos-f ..-- re.-.5
8. In answer to this, and to show whether
prices, even ofstaple articles of American pro-
duction, have or have not advanced ON the other
side OF the Atlantic--whether prices actually
rule high in Europe-we give the following
figures copied from the Liverpool Breadstuff
and Provision markets, as given by the latest
arrival, along side of those given just one year
ago. Wheat, one year ago, was quoted at
Is. Cd. g 9s; by the last arrival, los. I'D. q los
lid. Corn, mixed, one year ago, 25s. q 27s.-
Cd; by last arrival, S0s. q 30s. Cd.
We find neither -four nor pork definitely
quoted in the last reports, but we have no
doubt the same general fact would be shown
as in grain, had We the exact figures. We do
find lard quotel-a near relative of pork--as
follows: one year ago, quiet at Sos. q 53s; by
last arrival, quiet and steady at 72s. q 74sl 1t
would not be fair to quote beef, because in
Europe the price has been greatly enhanced
by local cause; the prevalence of the cattle
uiSeaSe. .s.lsf.s ..l..|