The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1900-08-25
Tremendous Advance III The Price Of
Commodities.

tai deyetes ionr or five columns of
space to interviews with the leading
retail merchants and iohhers of that
town on the advance in the price of
commodities. Almost without ex-
eeption they hold the trusts respon.
sihle for the tremendous advances,
which range from Toto 100 per cent.
What is true of Topeka is true of
every other city and town in the
United States, and the far-reaehing
influence oil the trust organizations
has not been so clearly set forth in
any speech orpamphlet dealing with
the trust question to which the at
tentien of The Chronicle has been
called as is done in the Capital art
iele. by way of illustration, dry
goods, groceries and building mate
rails, which must enter into the cal
eulations OF every citizen who has or
expects to have home. can be sum-
married as shown by the Capital in-
terviews.
One OF the leading dry goods hons
es in Topeka is that of Crosby Bros,
Mr.. E. II. Crosby, the head of the
firm, is thus quoted; IF You doubt
the fact that goods have gone up,
listen to these prices; In August |
bought Blackstone, brand of mus
lin for 49, cents a yard. In Septem-
Der paid 5as cents for the same
goods. Lonsdale cambria, bought
in August for 51a cents, cost IA cts
a yard in September, and the end is
not yet. Woolens have advanced
10 per cent and lace curtains 25 per
cent while tableeloths and linoleums
have taken rise OILS per cent. Fur
niture is going clear out of sight,
and this applies to iron beds parte.
eularlv. All kinds of carpets have
gone up in price, except body brus-
sells. We have not raised the price
on carpets as yet, because we bought
heavily at the old prices. But we
must surely raise the prices on
carpets after thel first of the year,
and we tell all of our customers SO
plainly. It is all foolishness to say
that this advance in prices is due
wholly to the increased demand
That is very great, admit, but the
combinations among the manutac-
turers are far more potent factor. y
The advance in groceries is equal
" as pronounced, as is shown by
this interview with the buyer for one
of the leading grocery firms; I'm the
grocery line canned goods have in
creased from 10 t. 25 per cent and
dried fruits about 33ts per cent.
The advance is the result of a scarcity
, of stuff. to can, likewise an under
standinEamong the i5eavy operators,
Beans nave gone UP 60 per cent.
This is attributable to the war in
which the United States has been
engaged and the trouble in the Trans
vaal. The United States army has
4 consumed the old crop, while Eng
= land in buying all the beans she can
hnd for her troops in Africa.
l Cheese has advanced 80 per cent
r and butter nearly as much. The
: price of each is agreed upon by as
sociations of manufacturers. Sugar
:, and coffee mot in packages) are con-
trolled by the trusts, but have not
e materially advanced, Package cof-
+. fee, however, has advanced 10 per
cent The oil trust has increased the
: price of coal oil 45 per cent and of
$ gasoline 33 1-3 per cent. Another
: advance is expected Jan. 1. A trust
:. has been formed to control the man.
ufacture of matches. Dealers have
been notified that there will be an
advance. Starch has goneup 20 per
cent and soap Is cent. Both are
trust products. Brooms, buckets,
tubs, clothes baskets, churns, wash
boards and rope, all trust products,
! have advanced about 25 per cent.
The molasses trust has increased the
price Of sirup 20 per cent. Gener-
ally speaking, the rise in staples is
due to a large extent to combina-
. tons and agreements among manu-
facturers.
AS it is with dry goods and gro
ceries so it is with building mater
ials. Lumber has advanced from 10
to Is per cent. Says the Capital;
Cement, tin and in fact everything
used in the construction of house
has advanced from 10 to 40 per cent.
I