Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-14
The Former Going Up and
the Latter Going Down.
THELATEST STATISTICS
BULLETIN BEING PREPARED BY
THE BUREAU. OF LABOR.
Labor's Rewards Still Increasing-Im-
portant Campaign
Material.


Juror throughout the country. and es-
recially in labor circles, by exploiting cor
tain statements contained in the recent
publication of the bureau of labor relating
to the Course of Wholesale Prices, 1890
1903 The fact that the average of whole
sale prices of the staple articles going into
the support of the masses of the people has
increased 49, per cent from 1897 to 1903
has been heralded broadcast with the in
tention of showing that the working people
of the country are that much worse off
than they were when the country was In
the depths of a panic.
This exploitation of the increase in the
prices has been made without any refer
ence to the explanatory statements OF the
bulletin and often within declarations
to the effect that there has been no cor
responding increase in wages. These
statements have received such widespread
circulation and have called forth such ex-
tensive editorial comment that republican
managers have become greatly interested
to learn the facts. If these conditions are
as stated by democratic organs, repub!f-
cans realize that there will be danger In
the coming campaign Of the loss OF many
votes that would ordinarily be regarded as
safely republican.
A Different Story.
and wages is very different one from that
which has been circulated within the past
few days In the matter of prices the
bureau of labor has constantly endeavored
to impress upon the readers of its bulletins
that the wholesale prices are not the ones
on which to form opinions as to the IN
crease in the cost of living. In order to
show exactly what has been the Increased
cost of living the bureau has prepared
hui these
show such a wide difference as is shown
in the wholesale prices.
The increase in the average prices OF
commodities from 1896 to 1902 was 16 per
cent The year 1896 was the period of low
est retail prices since 1880, as 1897 was the
period of lowest wholesale prices in this
period.
Many persons suppose that wholesale and
retail prices keep in parallel lines, but sta
tistics that have been gathered with the
greatest care prove that while wholesale
prices are exceedingly sensitive retail prices
have Il stability that tends to keep them
from reaching relatively as high or as low
levels rs is the case in the larger transact
tons. That fact operates to make the In
crease in the retail prices but 10 per cent
from 1896 to 1902 while the wholesale prices
increased from 1897 to 1903 26.2 per cent.
Fall in Prices.
That Is only part of the story. A bulle-
tin in the course OF preparation shows that
In 1908 retail prices went downward, SO that
for the year thu average, compared with
1902, was one-tenth of one per cent lower.
This downward tendency was regular, SO
that the indications are that it will be
shown to continue during the year 1904
when those statistics are available later.
The course OF wages has not yet been in
| dictated, but probably by July or shortly
after that date there win be published a
| bulletin which will show that wages have
Increased at least equal to the increase in
the cost of living This has no reference
to the fact that during the past year the
stability of employment, which Is as great
a factor in prosperity as is the change in
the wage scale itself, was far greater than
in the years of lower wages about 1895 and
1897.
Wages for 1908.
Schedules of wages in fourteen lines Of
employment for 1893 compared with wages
of 1902 show that in each instance the
rate was greater in 1903 than in 1902. In
other words, the statistics gathered by the
| bureau of labor and in course of prepara-
| ton for publication in the near future show
| that the tendency of the cost of living Is
downward while the tendency of wages is
upward for the latest periods covered by
| these figures.
All these facts will be available for use
| in the next campaign. and they Will make
| a very different showing from that suS-
gested by the statements recently circu-
| lated based on wholesale prices and gen.
| eral statements about wages.