The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-11
WAGES AND THE COST OF LIVING.

The Democratic campaign textbook has
adopted new plan for convincing the peo-
pie that they are badly off. The fact that
the country is prospecting as never before
and that every person who is willing to
work is employed at good wages is too
patent to be denied. But the Democratic
campaign committee proposes to convince
the people that this prosperity is imag
mary and fallacious. 1t says to the mil
lions of workingmen who have steady en-
ployment at good wages, You think you
are well off. but you are mistaken. True.
you are employed at good wages, but dur
ing the last few years the cost Of all the
necessaries of life has increased in a much
greater ratio than your wages. Prosper
harmony between prices and wages. We
have no such harmony now. Therefore,
our present prosperity is more apparent
than real. The man with a fixed income
from wages or salary has been having his
income chopped ever since 1897 by the in
er his income has been increased during
the past three or four years. If it has not
been increased from 10 to 100 per cent. then
he is losing money, comparing his condition
now with 1897 and 1885, In support of this
theory the committee cites, first, figures
compiled by the Massachusetts Bureau of
Labor Statistics, showing that the pur-
chasing power OF a dollar has materially
decreased since 1897; second. a statement
from a miner in West Virginia named
Camack that the price of everything his
family uses has increased since 1898; third.
letter from Senator Simmons. of North
Carolina. inclosing a statement from one
F. p. Sales, chief of the sanitary depart
ment of the city Of Raleigh, N. c., who
says he interviewed a number of persons
on the subject and they were unanimous in
the opinion that the price of most of the
necessaries of life had materially advanced
during the last three or four years. On the
strength of this highly important and val
liable testimony the committee concludes
| that. as far as wage earners are concerned
| they are no better off now than they were
four or five years ago. Just how valuable
some of this testimony is may be judged
| from the fact that the Virginia miner says
| that flour. which was $3.50 per barrel in
1898. is now $50; potatoes, which were Z;
cents a bushel. are now $50; salt, which
| was l cent pound, is now Az cents; tea
which was 40 cents pound. is now II
cents. etc. At the present time -four car
be bought in this market for $3.50 per bar
| rel, potatoes for so cents a busheI, salt 70,
1 cent pound and a good fair tea for s
cents pound
The Democratic committee holds tn,
trusts responsible for the alleged increas,
in the cost of living, which II says ha.
cut workingmen's wages in two. There Il
no trust I'm flour. potatoes, nor in any farm
/ or garden products. Neither is there in tes
or coffee, and IL is not true that any o
these articles are higher than they wer,
two or three years ago. There is suga
trust, but that article is cheaper than 1
was In 1888. All kinds of meat have ad
vanced considerably during the last year
but 1t is still mooted question whether 1
is due mainly TO the combination or q
other causes. Whatever the cause may be
meats are the only necessary OF life IL
which there has been q distinct advanc