The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-17

astoflShinB increase Tn the cost to the consumer, The increase during 1903 over the average price for the preceding 10 years of petroleum, refined, 15O degrees fire test was 5s.1 per cent; petroleum, for export, 325 per cent; anthracite coal. 26.2 per cent; anthracite stove coal. g1 per cent; anthracite chestnut coal, 4o per cent; anthracite egg coal, 34.3 per cent The only item in this class show ing decline is parlor matches, which fell off IA per cent. The average in- crease for 1903 over the period since lSsO was 4s3 per cent.
 In another series of tables giving the prevailing price for December. l9o3 as the year closed, the report shows a decided upward tendency. For instance, petro- leum, refined, had increased to es5 per cent over the average for the preceding period since 1890. and farm products were 12.2 per cent higher.
 Thirty-six articles are considered in the metals and implements group. Two were the same price in 1903. 30 were above and below the average price for 1890 to 1899. El~ tin was 53.4 per cent. above the av- craze for 1890 to 1899; chisels, fs per cent, above; pig iron, foundry No. 9, 46.6 per cent. above; gray forge. South ern. 46.4 per cent. above; Bessemer, 377 ger cent. above; foundry No. 1. 3I5 per cent above; steel billets. 297 per cent. above.
 Wood screws and bar silver were each 27.6 per cent. below the average for 1890 to 1899. Wire nails were per cent be- low and Disston No. hand saws, IA per cent below.
 Of the 26 articles considered in the lum- ber and building materials group 20 were above and 6 below the average price for 1890 to 1899. White pine boards, uppers, were 71.S per cent, above the average; spirits of turpentine T per cent. above: poplar. 5S.3 per cent. above: pine doors, 5s2 per cent. above. Plate glass. area 3 to square feet, was 27.7 per cent below the average price for 1890 to 1899; plate glass, area 5 to 10 square feet. 16.s per cent. below; putty. 1os per cent. below.
 Drug Prices Higher.
 Nine articles are included in the group of drugs and chemicals, and only one-- wood alcohol-shows the 1903 price lower than the average price for 1890 to 1899.
 Of the IA articles in the group of house. furnishing goods the 1903 price of 12 was above the average price for 1889 to 1S99 and the price of only two was below Thirteen articles are included in the miscellaneous group. and prices of only two were in 1903 below the average price from 1890 to 1899.
 It having been asserted for the great so-called trusts that the control of large per centage of the market and the ability to manufacture cheaply gave the public the benefit of cheaper commodi- ties. the figures now made public about the price of petroleum and refined sugar will be Interesting. Attention has already been called to the figures for petroleum, which indicated that the price was mount ing in November and December, 1903, when the report closed.
 A further examination shows that the lowest price of the refined product of the Standard Oil Company, 150 degrees fire test, waterwhftte, was in March, 1Se3-7 Is cents a gallon-and the highest was in November and December, IyO3- 1b cents gallon. This Is an increase of 10o per cent. in illumination in ten years Crude petroleum also increased from 5i 3-S cents a barrel in October 1902, to q .SS S-S a barrel in December. 1903, and this Is the Standard oil Company's ex- cuse.
 The lowest prices for sugar were in 1894. and the highest price was in 1890. Sugar was about 8 and 10 per cent. lower h 1903 than during the preceding thirteen years.
 Effective workings of the so-called coal co mbination Is shown in the comparison of the highest and lowest prices during the period under discussion. The lowest price of anthracite egg was in Septem- ber fS95, the wholesale rate being g. .s27. Tn the latter part of 1902 and throughout 1903 the wholesale price was $4.95. Georges Creek bltuminous. f. o. b., New York, leaped from S21O in 1899 to Ss2S in 1902.
 Cause of Price Changes.
 No attempt has been made in any way to go into the causes of the rise and fall of prices" says Colonel Wright. ''The aim has been to give the prices as they actually prevailed in the market. The causes are too complex, the rela- tive influence too uncertain, in some cases involving too many economic ques- ticns to permit their discussion in con nection with the present article. It will be sufficient to enumerate some of the influences which cause change of prices
 Such influences include variations in harvest, which not only restrict or in- crease the supply and consequently tend to increase or decrease the price of commodity but also restrict or increase tO greater or less degree the purchas- ing power of such communities as are dependent in whole or in part upon such cd9hmodity; changes in demand due to 
 islation altering internal revenue taxes, import duties or bounties; use of substi- tutes, as, for instance, an advance in the price of beef will cause an increased consumption of pork and mutton, and, 1t may be added, a probable increase in the price of both pork and mutton; inn- provements in methods of production which will tend either to give better article for the same price or an equal article for a lower price; cheapening Of transportation or handling; speculative manipulation of the supply of the raw product; commercial panic or depression; overproduction; unusual demand. owing to steady employment of consumers short supply, owing to disputes between labor and capital in industries of limited pro- ducing capacity, as in the anthracite coal industry in 1902; organization or comoi- nation of mills or producers, thus enab- ling, on the one hand. greater or less control of prices. or, on the other hand, economies In production or tn transporta- ton charges through the ability to sup ply the article from the point of produc- ton or manufacture nearest the pur- chaser.
 Affected by Tariff.
 So far as individual commodities are concerned no conclusion can safely be formed as to the causes without an exam nation of the possible influence of sev- eral-in some cases. perhaps all-of these causes For example, the various inter- nal revenue and tariff acts have In marked degree no doubt affected the price of proof spirits. of tobacco and of sugar Rut on the other hand they have not been
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