Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-08-20

fael xs.7s -Aa
/ That ts, the cost OF food has increased
since 1897 by II 10 per cent, etc: sae
since is72 n has decreased 10 VI per cent.
etc. The most rsEnarksbas change OF al
for tie past nSs years n that Ia rant, and
does not appesr to be satisfactorily sx-
| plslaed.
Price index numbers currentiy tsba-
lated by Dunns and Braasirest's com-
nsercial agencies saow an increase In CON.
modisics covering wider range than The
sbove, Of some % per cent, or more In the
past hsif-dozsn years; while the Msssa-
ehnsests bureau aSurss oa, an average In.
crease OF only some Is per cent.
IL 10 explained that sbe larger increase
relates 10 wholesale prices, while tue
b~zresu deals with retail prices. TIE
latter rarely move consequently wRh
Wholesale quotations for obyious reasons.
and II Is made to appear that tbs price.
In wholesale have osiy as jet partly FL
tered down throagh to the consumer, sn-
dicating that fhs micaiensan or dealer has
been the one 70 suffer most.
Doubtless IN most cases the retailer hes
been compelled TO pocket some Ioss o.
tue rise, or been ansbis to pass he v hole
rise along 90 the consumer; bat there are
msny wsys OF visiting a rise OF hoie=sis
prices upon the consumer lihoat sp-
pearing 10 do go, in he case Of many
commodities. ss "a ehsspening the quality
offered without changing the designation.
This consideration must be given wsax III i.
eut ii does not figure in tue barexa's
discussion.
As TO the number CT dollars the svsr-
age workingrnsn has been resolving ios
his labor ia the years mentioned. no Ger
tain knowledge Is conveyed; bat the f.es
seems 10 be that not only wnI the dollar
OF to-eay so much farther In the purchase
OF most OF the necessities snc lnxaries Of
life than in 1872, bet the average pAn i.
getting more dollars for given time Of
labor.
1t Is made strikingiy evident. however.
from comparison o, family budgets in
the two periods, that any gsfa In real
wages experienced BY tie wsge-esraer
has been attended by q still greater ae-
vance in expendisare or In the standard
OF living, and as = result the average
family Is saving les to-day than thirty
years ago. This may be partly due TO
child labor, which vas quite factor Ia
increasing the family income baek In the
'T0s.
For example IL was foand By the bureau
In lss5 that in a majority OF cases the
earnings OF the hesd Of the family alone
did NOT suffice to support IL; bat In 1902 II
Is found that IN only twenty-five cases
out Of i52 did the head OF the family earn
enough by himself TO support 1t.
On the other hand, Is per cent Of the
families whose budgets we're Inquired in
TO in 1875 exceeded the expenditure, while
In 1909 the income exceeded expenditure
In 60 per cent OF the eases. But q much
larger percentage Of the families showed
deficiency Of income ia 1902 than in
lslo- 30 Q per cent against $50 Tai.
leaves larger percentage OF sccounts
that just balanced IN 1875 than Ia 1872.
We srE 10 conclude. then, that the ebo-
iittoa OF child labor hss been followed by
more general employment OF the wsfe
outside of tie household. or how ether
= iss reeonei.s tEs two facts as reported
that fewer families, relatively speakin Z.
are now SUPPORTED entirely by the hes
than IN 1875, whi'e more families rsi-
lively show 81 excess Of income over a.
peuditareg
The important fact to be c0ussdere
however, h that the standard OF iivin.
for he masses Of the people tends to riss
faster than real wages The people are
living up to their income more CLOSELY
tbsa ever, and ascordingly they are more
discontinued than ever. notwit hstanding
the improvement that has gone on Tn the
comfort sBd scope Of their livelihood.