The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-11
Every Necessity Has Gone Sky
ward.
TRUSTS ARE BENEFITED
FEW INSTANCES OF INCREASE
IN PAY.
What Year Ago Could Be Bought
For a Dollar, Now Costs a Dollar
and Thirty Cents-Increase Is
Particularly Notable In Many
Things of Common Use.

The plain workingmen of Salt Lake,
in common with their brothers all over
the country, are feeling the full force
of the economic truth that the laborer
| is the last man In the whole social
] fabric to feel the good effects of i'm
proved industrial and business condi-
tons. although always the first to sur
fer from the grip of hard times.
While the bread-winners of Salt
Lake are now paying on the average
fully 80 per cent more for the necessi-
ties of life than they paid during the
depression of few years ago, their
daily wages have not been increased
at all, or if increased, the gain has
creased cost of what they have to buy,
and the only improvement noted in
| their condition is that they have
steadier work, and even steadier work
means greater household expenses.
Pays 80 Per Cent More
When the workingman on Saturday
night goes into the market TO buy what
he must have in his household he finds
that on the average 1t costs him now
$3.50 for the same articles he bought
for. 81. co under low prices. And this
added 80 cents represents his tribute on
each dollars worth he buys TO the
trust magnates of the east-not all
goes there, but the lions share. The
added cost goes from the consumer to
the retailer, who gets a small share of
it; then to the wholesaler. who gets
another share, and finally to the Golfer
OF the trust, where it lodges. Thirty
per cent Is a very moderate figure to
place upon the advance; in some arti-
cles the advance has been 200 per cent
The late increase in the price of coal
H.. L. H.
how the workingman fares by such adj
vances. This advance was from $3.50
to $500, or so cents a ton. 1t is given
out that half of this advance goes to
the retailer and half to the operator
of the mine. The miners at Diamond
vile thought 10 cents a ton would not
be an unreasonable share for them,
leaving 10 cents for the mine-owner.
They are offered cents a ton, and be-
cause they cannot get more they are
on a strike.
Skilled Labor In Demand.
Skilled labor and some lines of I'M
skilled labor are receiving slightly adj
vanced wages in Salt Lake under the
stress of much work to be done, ere
ating q demand for their labor; but the
increase is not due to any desire on the
part of those higher up to pay more,
but to the strenuous demands of the
men, demands based upon necessity.
In hardware the average increase in
price is fully 80 per cent. Many arti-
cles of structural iron and iron pipe
are advanced over 100 per cent. Brass
goods. bronze goods and copper goods
are advanced still higher. and all goods
in which brass or copper is used are
accordingly advanced. Grangse ware
is up 30 per cent. Tinware is up 80 per
cent Some lines of plate glass are up
800 per cent. All glassware has nearly
doubled on the average. A young
couple buying an outfit for housekeep-
ing at a hardware store must pay $50
now for what cost 81 few years ago.
High Prices For Furniture.
In furniture almost the same figures
hold true. Iron beds are up 60 per
cent Other furniture from 20 to so per
cent Carpets are increased from 20
to As per cent. the increase being great
est in the better quality Of wool car
pets.
In dry goods the increase in price
runs through the whole line. Woolens,
in some instances. are up 100 per cent.
Cotton goods of all kinds are up from
10 to 80 per cent. Muslin underwear,
80 per cent; dress goods of all kinds
are advanced in a similar way. 1t is
true here as in other lines that the
goods imported from abroad have not
advanced. Dealers account for this by
the statement that the prices on all
such goods are regulated by the tariff.
Groceries Show Increase.
In groceries there is wider diverg-
ence. Canned goods are all much
higher. running from Is to so per cent,
according to the voracity of the trust
controlling the article. The oatmeal
trust has added 40 per cent to that ar
= H..
up SO 1-3 per cent. Canned oysters
are up 40 per cent. Canned goods on
the average are about % per cent high
er. This is accounted for in part by
the big advance in tin and solder, the
latter fully 10 per cent. Smoked meats
are up fully 20 per cent. Lard, sugar,
flour and few other staples are about
the same as last year.
Boots and shoes have advanced from
10 to % per cent. Clothing is up fully
as much: drugs have advanced still
higher. Building material has advanced
on the average 20 per cent. That is. a
house that cost $1,000 to build last year
would cost $1,000 this year. This is very
conservative. Brick are up 81 per 1000:
lumber from 10 TO 40 per cent; glass
from 30 to 800 per cent: metal trim
mings at least 50 per cent; paint from
% to 40 per cent. House rents are up
fully % per cent.
Merchants Pay More.
The figures given above were OBJ
tanned from reliable merchants in this
city Thee men state that the prices
have gone up in the east, where they
buy. so that they are forced to raise
their prices. This is only another way
for saying that they pay their tribute
TO the trusts and are forced to collect
from the consumer to protect them
selves.
And this is but another way of say
ing that the tax, no matter what it's
nature. at last settles down on the
consumer. The worker meets the tax
gatherer today In Salt Lake wherever
he turns. He pays his tax, and high
tax at that, on every article of food,
clothing, furniture or anything else
that's necessary to keep his soul and
body together. The tax, however. does
not go to the support of his govern
ment, but goes to swell the dividends
of organized greed in the east.
The wave of prosperity seems to be
passing over the laborer and crowding
him down lower, rather than raising
him up.
Hard On Farmers.
II is particularly hard time on the
Utah farmer. He is not receiving as
much for his wheat today as he re-
ceived one year ago. and the outlook
for the future is not bright. While this
is true as to what he has to sell, which
represents his labor. he is caught in the
same trap as other workingmen when
he comes to buy. Barbed wire. nails.
binding Irvine, rope. harness. imple-
ments, tools, clothing. lumber, furni-