The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-10
Are Prices High =?


heavy advance IN prices since prosperity
returned to the country that the popu-
lar impression is that prices have reach
ed figure very much higher than has
been known for years past The truth
is. however. that while prices have re-
acted from the level reached during the
long period Of depression, they are still
very far below those that obtained dur
ing the period Immediately preceding
Yet never at any time was there such
an excuse for high prices as there is to-
day, when in many manufacturing in
dustries the demand is exceeding the
supply. and orders for delivery in the
near future have TO be refused on ac-
count Of inability to supply them.
The federal bureau of labor has just
issued bulletin on wholesale prices
from 1890 to 1899, prepared by Mr. Car
roll D. Wright, covering food, cloths and
clothing fuel and lighting. metal and
implements, lumber and building mate
rails. drugs and chemicals, house fur
nishing goods and miscellaneous arti-
Giles, from which IL appears that as a
practically uniform rule prices were at
a very much lower level during 1899 than
they were during 1890: the exceptions
being confined mostly to such articles as
sheet copper and copper wire, the prices
of which have advanced slightly under
the stimulus of the most extraordinary
| demand ever known.
Taking a comparison OF prices on jan
rary I, 1890. and July, 1899, 1t appears
that beans have decreased about Is per
cent, bread has remained substantially
unchanged. butter, cheese and eggs have
| fallen off many points, coffee is nearly
two-thirds lower than it was, salt fish
has fallen off in price about per
cent. wheat flour about Z per cent
dried fruits nearly 20, lard about ~, and
salt meats from 7 to IL per cent; while
beef on the hoof has advanced nearly
% per cent, and on the block about 70
per cent, forming an exception to the
| rule. Salt has remained unchanged
spices have fallen of more than one
half in wholesale prices, while sugar Of
all grades has shown a substantial de-
crease. Shoes. carpets, thread. denims,
drillings. calicoes. fiannels and ginghams
are all very much cheaper in 1899 than
| in 1890. Harness and sole leather have
each advanced, but in nothing like the
proportion that dry hides have. All
classes of wooden clothing decreased IN
price. as did also anthracite and btu
minous coal. Taking all the commodities
together, on standard of 100. the prices
in January, 1890, stood 1920: in July,
1899, 92.9. This average can be compared
to that of July 1897. the period of ex-
treme low prices. when the average
stood at 1919. Since the middle of 1897,
the tendency of prices has been steadily
upward; vet in July. 1890, they had gain
ed but little more than half enough TO
bring them back to the level which ex-
listed prior to the depression.
Another peculiarly interesting feature
of the report is the opportunity AFFORD
ed to contrast the prices Of articles con-
trolled to a greater or less extent by the
trusts. II will be found that these arti-
Giles form no exception to the rule that
prices are at lower level than ten
years ago. Sometimes II is the articles
! which the trusts control to the largest
extent which show the largest percent
age Of decrease in price. Dry granulat-
cd sugar fell cent and three-tenths per
pound. anthracite pea coal twenty-five
cents. and stove coal thlrty-ive cents a
ton; bituminous coal dollar ton both
being nearly at the lowest point touched
during the term OF ten years, Parior
matches come about as close to being a
trust product as anything which can be
named. They were dollar a gross
cheaper In 1893 than in $780, and this
was also the lowest price recorded for
the term Steel rails were 81 per ton
| lower, wire nails twenty cents a key.
! l!nseed oil twenty-one cents gallon,
and white lead a dollar and quarter
a hundred pounds. Not single trust
controlled article showed as high price
| in 1899 as In 1880
Taking the figures of the bureau ~
| labor, Il would seem that the complaint
| OK high prices Is based upon the relative
meaning q the term high. and that.
! considering the extraordinary and IN
| precedented demand for manufactured
articles. consumers are SITTING fair
| Treatment from the manufacturers. Both
| are prontng by the economy IN pro
cesses which has Iessened the cost ~
| production 81 most articles. while the
| prosperous condition II the manufaetur-