Evening journal., 1904-02-17
WILL COST OF
LIVING INCREASE
Indications Point to an In
crease in the Price of
Necessaries of Life
STAPLE PRODUCTS CORHERED

ONNoSN ~. iSST 6foSoe'a9 9'n9- apic
of Expenses of Family in Moderate
Circumstances Shows the Conditions
as They Exist.
VIII It cost US more to live this year
than last? Is the question that many a
housewife asks when she reads the almost
daily record Of some corner in this or that
staple, or some advance in one or another
OF the necessities Of life. How shall We
have to deny ourselves to supply the ac-
tual necossaries? Is the problem that we
must solve.
Prices have been creeping up for the last
seven years. The Meat Trust had It's in
nings in 1909. The coal strike brought
hardships home last winter: coffee, kero-
sene, eggs. sugar and other things arc
threatened by corners at the present time
and the gathering or armies In the Orient
means dearer bread for tho workers OF tho
Occident. No one class alone IS feeling
the pinch Of the times, corners or no cor
ners. There is one important class. COM
posed OF those who rose on the crest Of the
wave Of prosperity that began In 1896 and
whicn has been rolling on toward extrava-
gance ever since. The Industrial stocks are
the rocks upon which this wave has
broken.
Canned Goods Higher.
At present indications the housewife
will find the prices Of potatoes. coffee
to the cold, wet season. Canned goods
higher than last year Potatoes and fruits
are higher because of short crops OWNS
70 thee old. wet season. Canned goods
have advanced materially since October. a
cold summer made vegetables scarce, rhs
salmon pack was two million cases short
and the continued high prices Of meai
made ad emand in excess Of the normal
This advance will be felt in every house.
hold, especially among the poor. who hav,
grown to use preserved foods more and
more.
Coffee Crop Short.
/ Coffee is sure to be higher. as the world.
c op IS reported to be six million bags shor
~ the demand. Possibly the great rails,
ia wholesale price will not affect the con
sumer materially. When Brazilian coffo,
fell last August as low as 3.55 cents
pound the man who buys his coffee II
small quantities found little difference II
the price at the grocer's. It is said tina
no coffee brought into this country cost.
more than eight cents a pound. The prof
made IN passing through the hands Of tn,
roastor, the johber and the retailer worl
seem unreasonable.
Flour. cnoap TEA and coffee were tn
only three staples that fell in price durin,
1903. OF course -four. on account OF for
leign demands. and coffee as shown above
are rising.
Theoretically sugar should be chcape
this year owing 70 reciprocity with Cuba
Experts, however, estimate that there wi
be little change in retail pSce.
OF the advance in staples which mad
the cost Of living considerably higher !
l9O3-namely. meats. fish, eggs. poultry
butter. clothing and fuel-there IS n,
promise for a material reduction this year
The very fact that fewer luxuries will b
found on American tables means an in
lcrease in the consumption Of these staple
Hams and bacons are booked by stat
listicans as well as the speculator 70
higher prices.
Extraordinary Rise in Cotton.
Perhaps the most significant advane
in household supplies will be felt In ia
Extraordinary rise in cotton. AT frs
glance the relation Of raw cotton 10 III
household may not appear especially close
But whether cotton breaks to its old leve
in the market or not it is certain tina
Manufactured cotton cloth Of all kinds
higher than it has been IN many years
According TO dry goods men, the retal
price Of al cotton goods except fine dres
muslins has advanced since December
from three TO ten cents a yard.
There is no prospect Of cheap fuel dur
ling the coming year. Coal remains at IN
highest price IL commanded before the in
nuenee Of the great strike was felt. Har
wood has even maintained the price
reached during the strike.
The advance Of Illuminating oil fror
seven to ten cents is an additional burde
that win be felt by people OF moderate IN
come as well as by the poor. Whe,he
there is to be any relief before the wear
over only the Standard Oil Compan
knows.
How Money Is Spent.
More than half the income OF the aver
lage wage Garner is spent for food and fue
Clothing forms the next largest item
Many men today are earning the sam
salary they earned five years ago and vii
earn hve years hence. The salaries do no
increase with the increased demand upo,
them. Furthermore the average well +
do family is accustomed 70 more luxurie
now than ten years ago, and stni ther
is no increase in salaries 10 provide TO
them. There, probably. lies one OF tn
strongest reasons why women work 10
wages who few years ago lived at home
with stationary incomes and increase
prices In many instances, the women VIII
did not have TO work for their living be
gan 10 earn wages 10 supply The comfort
denied them and their families.
-.tte an expense aec0unt OF an aver
age family that is supported on an incom
Of $1,000:
NeiN.' '''.. 80 -. .'................ 5000
Furniture. &C. e. ....... e. .. 2S.7
Fuel and l.ght ... ..... -. .,...... S6.3
Fiocerles-- ..... .......... 335. IS
Meats, hsh and Ice. ..... 90. ........ l94. .
MIX .., .-......-......... 40.2
lclothing.. @.-. .... -. ......,...... cs3I
personal expenses ....... ..-..... o.. $50
ii>ducAloh.- -..- .--......... .......... 1925
News and periodicals, 80. $50. =. Ii.4
Religion and charities. ........ .o.s