The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-24
THE COST OF LIVING.
Has it Been Reduced Within the Past
Year2

A reporter for the ARGUS was accosted
last evening by citizen. Now" said
he, 81 have something to show you, and
he pulled out a copy of the Chicago
Tribune and showed 1t under the report
er's nose, and said ''readt" at the same
time pointing to long article containing
an array of figures.
Read that" said the citizen, and then
say that the price of living has not been
reduced within the last year"
''See here, what have done" said the
reporter, to be punished in this man
ner?"
us it punishment said the citizen.
Il can't see what other head it can be
classed under AS far as know have
made no howl about the cost of living
and therefore can see no reason why
should be waylaid and column from the
cross-eyed Tribune showed under my
chin"
You mistake my meaning sir. l
thought perhaps that you might care to
have the article, and make some COM
ments on it. l believe what it says is
true. have been trying to preach for
the last six months that the cost of living
has come down, but no one seems to be-
lieve it, and | would like to have some
thing published to support my theory"
You should start a newspaper, then
said the reporter "In these days of en-
| lightenment if a man has a hobby, he
starts paper, and tries to hammer it into
the people. BY the way, how many men
do you employ2"
Ten" said the citizen
Tried to cut down wages lately, did
you not?"
That's nobody's business If did"
You based your argument that the
price of living had been reduced?"
If had it would have been very
strong argument"
Give me the article. and I'll see what's
in it."
The reporter took it, worried over it all
last night and for the life of him couldn't
see what the Tribune was trying to get at
The article endeav0red to show that So
per month will go as far to-day as $s5 &
month would year ago, il
providing for the necessaries Of
life. The array of figures were
incidental to the comments of the Tribune
on the telegraphers' strike and Its long
array of figures made quite a consolins
showing for the reader accustomed tC
| figure closely on his living, for they Ger
tainly seem to show a considerable ant
quite uniform decrease Of prices in all the
leading food necessaries. Without going
to the length of detailed quotations, The
Tribune declared that clothing. boots an(
shoes and dry goods have dropped all the
way from five to ten per cent, and sum
ming it up it svowed that ''the samt
wages to day will buy 10 to Is per cen
more of the articles necessary to supper
family than they would have bought
this time last year"
This reads we'll but we are inclined tx
question the facts stated and should pre-
fer the statement of practical experience
by those whoar accustomed to live close
The. only quotations given by the Iribun
are of food articles and it gives wholesalt
prices only. Now, it is well known tina
retail prices do not very quickly respond
to changes in wholesale quotations anC
we doubt if the consumer has realized
J much of the decline in values which tn,
Tribune says has taken place within tn
past year, though it will be realized il
time if the decline is maintained
The citizen has the reporters opinion
on the Tribune article. There is no one
certainly no close observer, who will sa
, that the price of living has decreased
/ within the past year. Wholesale prices
, it is true, have came down notch, bu
that cuts no figure with the retail dealers
As an example, pork and beef are nue.
+ cheaper according to market quotations
e than they were several months, or eveI
0 weeks, ago, but butchers still maintain
their old prices for meat. In fact, it
doubtful if the price of living will b
+ reduced for some time to come. Tn
/ high tariff prohibits clothing from bein
reduced in price, and it never will b
reduced till the tariff is taken off A
arguments to the contrary will ava