The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-05-20
THE COST OF LIVING.
Col Wright Shows That It Has In
creased in Late Years.
sTRIcKINa FACTS AND FIGURES
Presented by the Commits. ioner OF
Bureau OF Com mercc and
Labor, Which Will Inter-
est Every Ono
Presented by the
est Every One.

ished the Columbia State by it's Wash
ingtpn correspondent is very interest
ing reading:
How greatly the cost of living has
increased in the last 10 years is strik-
inGly demonstrated In bulletin just
issued from the department. of com
merce and labor, by Col Carroll ID.
Wright, commissioner OF the bureau
OF labor. The bulletin shows the cost
OF living in 1908 and for l3 years pre-
ceding.
Wholesale figures are used by Col.
Wright in his comparisons and in his
explanations for using them as basis
for his results the commissioner SAYS:
Wholesale prices have invariably
been used for the purpose of showing
changes in the general price level.
They are more sensitive than retail
prices and more quick to reflect changes
in conditions. Retail prices usually
follow the wholesale. but not general
ly in the same proportion. The mar
gin between them in the case of some
commodities is SO great that Slight
changes in the wholesale price do not
affect the retail. Changes in the
Wholesale price which last for short
time {do not usually result in CORES
ponding changes in the retail prices. :"
The method used by Col Wright
III making his report is the same pur-
sued by leading statstcians the world
over, and in comparing the prices for
1903 With former years he reduces the
price 1or the preceding l3 years 10 an
average price for that period.
AVERAGE HIGHER.
The average prices of all commodi-
ties wpre higher in 1903 than at any
timeysince and including 1900. Farm
products reached the lowest average i'm
1896 and.the highest in 1902. Cloths
and clothing were lowest i'm 1897 and
highest in 1890 Fuel and lighting
were lowest in 1894 and highest i'm
1908. Metals and Implements were
lowest in 1898 and highest in 1900.
Lumber and building materials were
lOwestfin 1897 and highest in 1903.
Raw commmOdities and Manufac-
tnsed 8nmtnodites have been seperat-
ed roIEIurther examination. In the
groups designated as raw'' are in
cludg tl.rnS prod ductsi beans. coffee,
-.-vi IHH, flce, huJmeeS, pepper, tea,
Nl9A s-es, raw silk, wool, coal, crude
petrol I'M. copper ingots, pig lead, pig
iron, bar silver, spelter, pig tin, brim-
stone, jute and rubber. total Of so
articles.
The average price for all these com
modities during Januarv and FEBRUARY,
1903, was 33 percent. above the aver
age price or'thc preceding 10 years,
and the average price fer the year was
22.7 per cent. higher than for the
same period.
Manufactured commodities advanc-
ed to level only exceed cd in the year
1890 They were higher by 2l.5 per
cent. than in 1897, by IL per cent.
more than in 1899, ami about per
cent, higher than in 1902.
Under the head of ftrm products.
consisting Of l6 articles, it is shown
that wheat increased 81 per cent.
steers, good to choice, go pey cent.
timothy hay, 1872 per cent; corn 81 Il
per cent; barley, 2l , per cent. hides,
pa s per cent; oats, 3l.7 per cent.
hogs, 81 per cent; cotton, All per
cent; New York hops, 90 ) per cent.
There was decrease OF l.3 per cent.
In sheep, 20 per cent. in rye and 80
per cent. in ilaxseed.
FIFTY-TIIREE ARTICLES.
Fifty-threc articles OF food are
given, and on 30 OF these there is an
increase over the average for the pre-
ceeding - years ranging from ) per
cent. on bread, in the Washington
market, to - per cent, on pepper from
Singapore.
A 5 per cent. increase is noted on
dried Goldfish ana potatoes, per cent.
on butter and 10 per cent. on canned
salmon, New Orlean molasses increaS-
l25 5 per cent; crackers. Boston X,
12.5 per cent; milk, l2.9 per cent.
mess beef, Is per cent; western ham,
II per cent; tallOw, LIP per cent;
eggs, %. 2 per cent. mackerel, ,3. > pei
cent; cornmeal, 23 and % per cent,
smoked hams, "a per cent; lard, 81
per cent. BEANS 30 per cent. bacon
and salt pork, ~ and 43 per cent.
herring, 81 per cent. There was de.
crease in sugar Of from | , to 5 pei
cent; in soda crackers, o.. per cent.
In -four, 6 4 per cent. in vinegar, /.
per cont; In cvaporated fruits, about
% per cent. The price OF coffee fel
57.4 per cent.
or 70 articles OF clothing the price.
of 56 for 1903 were higher than Tho
average price for the preceding period
since 1890. The increases ranged from
per cent. for ginghamS to POS pei
cent. for sheetingS. Women's dres.
goods were IA. 3 per cent. higher; over
coatings, l7.3 per cent. higher; blan
cts, l76 per cent. higher.
FUEL AND LIGHT.
The table Of fuel and lighting show.
an astonishing increase in the cost tt
the consumer. The increase during
1908 over the average price for the
preceding 10 years Of petroleum, re
fined, $50 degrees fire test, was 53
per cent petroleum for export 32 {
per cent; anthracite coal, 26 , peI
cent; anthracite stove coal, 2I.l pc
cent; anthracite chestnut coal, 81.
per cent; anthracite egg coal, 81;
per cent. The only item in tie clas
showing decline is parlor matches
which fell of 14.4 per cent. Iii,
average increase for 1908 over TN,
period since 1890 was 1913 per cent.
In another series OF tables givinl
the prevailing price for December
1903, rs the year closed, the rcpor