The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-09-22
THE COST
OF LIVING
Conditions Do Not Support the Pros
perity Proposition-Living
Higher.

CnaG an area OF great prosperity,
such as administration stump speakers
picture, is existant.
1t costs the citizens Of the United
States considerably more to live now
than it did few years ago.
To be exact, the advance in the past
five years in the cost of the commodi-
ties necessary to sustain life is seven
teen per cent, while, if there has
been any advance during that period
in the averge wages paid to the man
who labors, it is not appreciable.
The increase in prices is attribu-
table to the combinations which have
been formed for the control of food
stuffs, clothing, coal. household goods,
ETC., which combinations are fostered
and protected by national legislation.
The increase in the cost of living
has increased steadily in the five years
referred to. In 1902 the price of food
was sixteen per cent higher than in
1896, the year when food was cheapest,
and nearly eleven per cent. higher
than the average for 1890-99, and now,
in 1904. things cost more than they
did in 1902. AS result of this in
crease family spending 81 900 in 1898
would have to spend 81, for the
same quantity of things if purchased
this year, and if their income be only
ST. 900 per annum, they must necessari-
ly curtail their mapner of living to
escape debt
The latest combination to boost
prices for one of the necessities of life
is that composed of the anthracite coal
companies of Pennsylvania. Begin
ming with last week egg, stove and
chesnut coal will sell for from 81. so to
$5. Is ton. This is the advance for
the fall. When winter comes the trust
may decide upon $6 rate Tor the best
coal. No scarcity Of output or strikes
are responsible.
Coal only takes its place with other
necessities, for which the public pays
more and more every day.
Wages have not changed materially
one way or the other.
Workers in the sweatsbops draw the
same pay they did, but the rents fer
their East Side tenements have gone
up, and the loaves of bread are small
er.
With the trusts the statistician place
the burden of responsibility for advan-
ces made on necessities They point
out these as some Of the reasons why
ST., ITO buys today what 1000 did
few years ago.
A combination of packers has formed
beef trust which has practically put
the western farmers at it's mercy and
dictates the price of meat. The pack
els also control the price Of eggs.
The formation of the National Salt
company under the trust laws Of New
Jersey, controlling ninety per cent OF
the salt plants of the United States,
was Immediately followed by an in
crease in fine salt from eighty five
cents to ST. 80
The formation of the National Car
pet Trust resulted in gradual in,
crease in prices until soon the public
was paying twenty per cent more for
carpets than formerly. Eighty per
cent of the carpet mills in the eastern
and middle states are controlled by the
combination. 1t operates in harmony
with the wool trust
The wife and nail trust, the chemi-
cal trust, the lumber trust and the
iron and steel trusts have made it more
expensive to erect residences, stores
flats and hotels, and therefore figure
we'll up in the factors responsible for
the cost of living. Just why these
trusts are responsible is seen after q
moments reflection.
The drygoods or department store,
at which the laborers wife buys a
few yards Of cloth, is forced to
charge her trifle more because Of
the operations of these trusts. To
the first place, the chemical trust
has increased the prices Of the dye
stuffs used in coloring the clothes
The lumber trust has added its mite
to the prices Of the pine boards out
of which the packing case in which
the cloth is shipped is constructed.
The wire nail trust has added some
thing to the cost Of the nails with
which the boards are fastened togeth-
er. The nail trust makes this increase
partly for its own profit and partly to
cover the increase charged by the steel
trust for the raw material. The iron
bends, which are nailed around the
packing case to strengthen it. cost q
trifle more than they formerly did.
In addition to these the operations Of
1.-The wool Or cotton mill trust have