Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-18

VOICES OF THE PRESS.
The Cost Of Living.
IN. Y. Tribune.l


There are some grains of truth f,oati,o
ABOUT in the following statement by .The
Boston Herald" but so hidden NV ali
Known kinds of untruth that the au.hor
may be promptly acquitted of any ineen-
ton TO approach verac.ty. His ssa4a-
ments may be profitably considered SEN
arateiy. In comparis on with facts.
II we are In the midst of prosperity.
why Is 1t that the cost of living has been
SO greatly increased? Why are all the
staples SO much higher than a year ago?
Flour is fully SO per cent higher than at
the lowest point a year ago
Patent hour is now quoted AIT $3.50,
! AGAINST $40 year ago; which is not
per cent instead of '.55 Der cent higher
Corn is to 10 per cent higher.
Cofn Closed on Saturday at 3237 cents,
against aosl year ago; which is no. ).
insteau OF 10 per cent higher
1ranulated sugar is over II per cent
higher. -
Ire actual price is cents, against 4.50
year ago: which is Ill per cent higher.
While crushed, at 5.62 against 5.12 a year
ago Is " per cent higher. and the raw
sugar. 30 degrees centrifugal. at 3.S,
against 3.44 a year ago. is los per cent
higher. The difference of three-tenths of
cert per pound or about $40, 900 600 year
y. is an additional tax required by the in
crease of bonded debt under one Demo-
cratic administration as the interest on
bonds issued by Cleveland is $11, 400 900
yearly.
Molasses is I to 9 per cert higher.
Porto Rico morasses is now quoted at Is
cents, and was quoted at the same price
a year ago.
Pork is over 331a per cent higher
Mess pork was quoted on Saturday at
$S2o against $3.50 a year ago; which is
lower, and is not 'ao1a per cent higher"
Hogs are quoted at 1915, against $3.50 a
year ago.
Mutton is over % per cent higher.
This grain of truth is apparently intro
duced to conceal the far more important
fact suppressed, that beef, now $4.57. and
year ago SAL, is not per cent higher.
Potatoes are more than 100 per cent
higher.
The average of quotations in the mar
ket is N.S5. against $1.06 year ago. an
advance of 20 per cent. and not more
estly suppressed that the difference is
wholly due to the failure of the crop
Apples are more than 100 per cent high
er.
Apples. in fact, average g, against s1.os
per barrel year ago: which is not "over
100 per cenr." but again the failure of this
crop is dishonesty suppressed.
Butter is more than 10 per cent higher.
Best state butter is quoted at 20 cents.
against IS cents a year ago; which is
not more than 10 per cent higher
Eggs are over 10 per cent higher.
The best state eggs are quoted at %
cents, against &c cents a year ago: which
is lower, and not 'over 10 per cent high
err"
Wool is from so per cent to 100 per cent
higher. ard the trade in wooden goods is
struggling to get the prices of woolen
cloths up to a par with wool. Who is tc
pay for this increased cost of woolen
cloths?
The average of 100 quotations of domes-
tic wool by Coates Brothers is o073 cents
against 1882 year ago: which is SO per
cent advance. and not from SO to 100 per
cent higher" Also. the truth is dishon-
es'.ly suppressed that wooden cloths are
setting only AL per cent higher than a
year ago, taking the average of many
representative goods of standard grades.
and tLlat the cost of made-up clothing has
not yet advanced at all. When the peo-
pie do pay a higher price for clothing
they will pay it for the restoration of
work and prosperity to more than a mill
lion people dependent upon woolen-mill
operatives. of whom about Il third were
idle a year ago.
Hides are 40 per cent higher, and boot
and shoe makers are trying hard to get
this increased cost out of boots and shoes
Is this of supreme benefit to The great
majority?
The average of quotations for hides at
Chicago is 1876 against 1852 year ago;
an advance of II per cent. but not of 40
per cent" The fact is dishonesty sup
pressed that the average cost of leather
is today shade lower at Boston than
year ago. ard that the average selling
price of boots ard Shoes taking the
standard grades of each class. is 1is per
cent lower than a year ago.
Would anybody suspect from these as
sertions by THE Boston Herald that the
aggregate cost of several hundred ar
tic.es. covering more than nine-tenthS of
the cost of living, is now less than 2 per
cent higher than it was October 81 last
year? Yet that is the fact; the same ar
ticles and quantities mentioned in the ar
ticle of The Tribune last Tuesday, which
cost November l. $77.649. cost in the same
markets s76211 October 81, 1886, rise of
1.S9 per cent Men who labor hard to
cram many falsehoods into small space
have one excuse. Without some really
startling feat of Justification nobody
would forget that labor has more employ
ment and gets better wages than in re-
cent years.