The daily gazette., 1874-11-24
(From the Baltimore Sum-
The Decline in Prices.

Both in this country and in Englan
there has been a very large decline in tn
value Of products for consumption since
1864. The New York Express of Saturday
publishes under the head of IA Startling
Table" an exhibit Of the change in values
in the great staples of the country, whether
OF food or clothing. since 1859, Just before
tue war, ut the closing OF the war, and now;
but, on all analysis, it is not so startling ns
to the first and last years named. While
in breodstuffs New York extra flour stood
at $5a6. 10 In 1929, and at 50 5Oa9 80 in 1854
1t is now at 81 80a5. rs; Ohio trade -four at
$5.50a7.60 in 1859, at Sl1a1 .75 in 1864, and
now at $5.20a6 so Wheat at $l.15al 20 in
1859, at $2.20l2 26 In 1864, aud now at 81 IA
al 1T cotton at l13a11 cents In 1869, at
u 30 In 1854, and now at 14E. In provi.
slons, mess pork at $l5.l2iasl52S per Dbl.
In 1859. at $3S.25a39.75 in 1864, and now at
$2Oa2l; Smoked hams at 9a9k cents In 1850.
at lSa2l In 1864, and now a. lBal35; mess
beef at Slo. .50al! in 1889, at l9a24 in 1864,
and now at $12. 2.60a13 per Dbl. butter com.
mon to fair, at 14a2l in 1859, at 42la45 in
1864, and now ut .28a32 cents; cheese at
Sail in 1859, at 20l25 in 1864, and now at
15a15a. :; rice at 4a4s in 1859, ut 13al34 in
1864, and now at 64sS cents sugars at GA
81 in 1853, at 18a26 In 1864, and now at 7ia
1Os coffee, Rio, at llal2s in 1859, at 40a
Az IN 1864, and now at l6Ll2O. In drv
goods standard brown sheetings at S4aS1 in
1850, at 60 in 1864, and now at 10 cfnrs
York Mills muslin at 10 in 1859, at O5 ia
1864, and now at 10 cents prints at 10a1Ol
in 1859, at 3Sa40 iu 1864, and now at s
cents ; mousseiine delainc at lsalo in
1853, at 423 in 1865, and now at l9a22
cents per yard. The above prices are taken
at the date OF Nov. 10 in each OF the thrae
years named. In 1859 gold and paper
money (ali bank notes. were on q par with
each other. In 1864 gold touched 2S5. the
the highest point reached during our late
war, and imitation was then rampant. Az
the present time gold is lllaallls. The
year 1853 was just previous to the war, and
1854 was Just previous to its close. Com.
menting on these figures the Express saws:
sat the present time wheat Hour is sellinn
| for about one.Lait its value IN 1854, and
prices are actually lower than in 1850.
| whom the liuances oil The country woro on a
specie basis. Wheat is now worth only
one-half Of what it was in 1864, and is sell
| ing at about the same prices in Inflated
paper that 1t did in gold ia 1859 Corn also
rs selling tor half what 1T did in 1854, al
| though little higher in currency than 1t
was in geld in 1859. Cotton shows ar
enormous shrinkage as compared With 1864,
but the present currency quotations are
someweat higher than the gold prices OF
! ISaa. Provisions, sugar and coffee show q
heavy decline in prices as compared with
1864, but the present currency quotations
are above the gold prices of 1855, but the
| difference is slight in many cases. Dry
goods show falling off, which may well
account for all the failures and suspensions
which have happened OF late years.. Prints
are below the price Of lS5u, aud immensely
below prices at the close of the war, In
the prices aboye, for 1874, those Of coffee
are giyeR,ip gold, but everything else in
currency"
With regard to England, the London
Economist calls attention to the fact that
the wheat supply Is due not merely to good
harvests all over the world, but to the
large and steady increase of the foreign area
OF cultivation and as this increase OF area
is likely to be continuous and permanent.
1t argues that still lower price OF wheat
may be expected in future. But in almost
all articles there is decline In prices
abroad. Scotch pig iron, for instance, is
o2s. Cd. per ton, against ll0s. Cd. In October
1873 coa's. 27s. against 36s.; wheat, 44s.
Id. against 50s. lOd.; cotton z l5-l6d.,
against sgd; wool els 81. against .e20 ,5s.
Meat and sugar are either stationary or
have risen little. In England, while
prices generally have been falling, the
movement has been undisturbed by violent
fluctuations, and, consequently, says the
London Economist, steady.