Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-08-06
ADVANCED PRICES,

The cost OF living is the subject of
comment throughout the press But,
though figures do not lie the con-
ciusIons based upon the published stat
isiics are quite divergent
Commissioner Wright of the depart
ment OF labor. recently issued a state
ment designed to show the movement
OF wholesale prices during the period
Of is9O-lg0l. Two hundred and nifty ar
tices were covered by the inyestiga-
lion. or 10 items classed az farm
products" ~ had advanced In price
and had declined OF 50 articles
classed as FOOD" "a showed an increase
and 10 decrease, In the clothing
group there were 20 items; 40 showed
an increase, go q decrease and one re-
malned stationary. OF the entire
field covered, az per cent showed an
increase, 27.6 a decrease, and LIZ per
cent remained stationary.
The Massachusetts Bureau OF statist-
les in It's annual report presents the
change In retail prices in the various
towns ana cities Of that state, and the
conditions there noted are fair indi-
cation Of the conditions all over the
country. According to the report there
has been an increase Of 1854 per cent
IN the price of provisions In 1902, as
compared with the prices prevailing In
1897.
The Massachusetts statisticians find
that the purchasing power Of a dollar
in 1902 is considerably less that 1t was
in 1891. As regards meat, for instance
the quantity Of roast beef purchasable
now for 81 shows a decrease Of 1854
per cent: Of veal, $3.50 per cent; OF
mutton. 90 80 per cent. Of lard, 1913
per cent. of butter. 20. 10 per cent OF.
potatoes. i2.l2 per cent: OF milk
Ia per cent. In 1897 the buyer could
purchase 6S5 pounds Of roasting beef
for ST. lie can get only 5,7l pounds
In 1902. one dollar IN 1897 would buy
1855 pounds OF soup beef The pur-
chaser IN 1870? must be content with 4
pounds less. one dollar Ave years ago
would buy 1895 pounds Of veal fore
quarter. or li.0S pounds OF mutton
forecuarter. or S.j5 pounds OF mutton
leg). or 10 pounds OF fresh pork Now
the marketer must be content with 9.7l
pounds of veal foreQuarter, or $50
pounds Of mutton forequarter or eli
pounds Of leg Of mutton, or 7.l9 pounds
Of fresh pork
The advance in dry goods is also said
to be marked the Increase being
sheeting Drown. 52.A per cent;
bleached sheeting. el.lO per cent; cot
ton flannel, $50 per cent ticking. 22.1j
per cent; prints 1873 per cent Rents
have risen in sympathy with the
general advance, the increase being
iO.57 per cent for 4-room tenements,
and 66.2i per cent Tor Groom tene-
ments.
The report closes with these observa-
tons
Undoubtedly earnings have in
creased also, and In some cases In
greater proportion than this, taking
into account the diminutlon OF unem-
ployment II earnings increased In
greater proportion than prices. and
the standard Of living were unchanged
sav,r=s would be possible In the later
wear In cases where the account Just
balanced in the earlier II. however
the standard OF living is raised so as
TO take up the surplus II would be as
difficult TO live within the income as
before Economically. the family may
be said 20 be no better on than before,
Socially. however counting as gains
The things the family consumes in the
latter as compared with the former
year. the gain Is aDpareut"