Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-02-07
COST OF LIVING AND WAGES.
Some Facts Regarding prosperity
Cleaned from n Reliable
Source.

Dun's Review of January 4, 1902,
contains tables based upon QUOTA
tions for $50 articles, with due allow
ance for the relative Importance of
each, showing that the cost of nv-
ing is now greater in this country
than ever before. The following are
the "index" figures for January i,
1890, July 1, 1897, January /, 1900, and
January l, 1902:
1890. January 1-Breadstufrs L. les; meats.
1870; dairy and garden, 1855: other food.
9935; clothing, 14.S45: metals, 162AQ: mis-
cellaneous, 15.l1l Total, 90.1e1.
July Qow)-Breadstuffs. 10.5S7; meats.
1850; dairy and garden, STA; other food.
cellaneous, 12.2SS. Total, 72455.
1900. January l-Breadstuffs 13.64; meats,
7SS; dairy and garden. 13702; other food.
$500; clothing. N.4s4; metals. 18.0e5; mis-
cellaneous, l6.ale;. Total, 1926.
1902 January 1-Breadstufrs, 2o.oo2; meats.
B.s5G; clothing. 15.547; metals, 1886; mis-
cellaneous. 1878. Total, 10L6S7.
The totals show that the cost of
living was six per cent. greater in
1900 than in 1890; 81 per cent. greater
in 1900 than in 1897; and 40 per cent.
greater in 1902 than in 1897.
Judging by the cost of living we
are certainly in the midst of record
breaking prosperity. This is also in
dicated by the distribution on the
first of the year of the greatest
dividends ever made on the bonds
and stocks of railroads and-industrial
companies. We may also observe
what even the blind can see-that
the last four years have been the
greatest transforming period in our
history. Nearly every commodity is
now controlled by some trust and
is carried by railroads working In
harmony. OF course, we know that
trusts cheaper production and lower
the cost of living, and that that is
their chief reason for existing; but
somehow prices nearly always go up
when trust is formed, and here we
are at the beginning of 1902 with
more trusts than ever before and
prices at the highest notch ever re-
corded.
But of course we are enjoying un-
heard-of prosperity! Let no one
deny this statement! If some pessi-
mist tries to stir up antagonism be-
tween wage-earners and employers
by pointing to this remarkable in
crease in the cost of living and by
telling the wage-earners that the
manufacturers are pocketing all the
difference in price and that the wage
earners are not earning or getting
more money now than formerly, tell
this old croak that mot only are the
wage-earners receiving much better
pay than at the earlier date, but they
are well employed" This is the Lam
guage of Dun's Review, which fur
ther treasures us that "the rate Of
wages is of trifling Importance when
there is no work. It was estimated
by labor experts at the time that
100000 men were unable to find en-
ployment. This means that 100000
persons were living on as little as
possible, and consequently the com
sumptive demand was reduced to the
lowest point. At the present time
there is little difficulty in meeting
the higher level of quotations, for
there is full employment, and each
man has only his own family to think
of instead of a host of unfortunate
relatives and friends, as was the case
during the earlier period"
On the other hand, the wage-earner
benefits by lower rents and better
accommodations, which have fol-
lowed the increase of money seek
ing Investment and consequent fall
in interest rates."
The Review also hastens to remind
the wage-earner, who may not like
the look of Dun's figures in regard
to the cost of living, of the phenome-
nal growth in the deposits in savings
banks and the increased amount of
life insurance policies. These it says
do not indicate that "the manufac-
turers and the capitalists are pocket
ing all the profits"
These statements are very comfort
ing to the millions of workingmen
who are too busy to read census
statistics but who, although they are
working harder than ever, find them
selves falling behind from year to
year and who are becoming so
troublesome that some of the rail-
roads are raising wages slightly to
prevent strikes. In fact, not only
has the cost of living greatly in
creased during the last ten years, but
wages, money wages, have been de.
Ginning.
About the middle of December the
Journal of Commerce and CONNER
cial Bulletin of New York contained
the following statement:
Census bulletins for the manufac-
lures of "a territories, agricultural
states and four small manufacturing
states - Connecticut, Rhode Island,
New Hampshire and Delaware-show
in ten years an increase of 81 per
cent. in capital invested and 81 per
cent. in the value of output, of 81
per cent. in the number of wage
earners land 3s per cent. in the
amount of wages"
According to census statistics then
money wages were about three per
cent. lower in 1900 than in 1890. Re-
ports for South Carolina and Tennes-
see were made public December 80
and 81. The figures for South Caro-
lima showed that average money
wages were 20 per cent. lower in 1900
than in 1890. Those for Tennessee