The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-30

sumer Both Mr.. Babcock and Mr..
Cowherd may find material for cam
paign thunder in the figures. which
contain much food for thought
about the only kind of food. by the
way, that has not been increased in
price.
Aside from their political signif-
canoe, the figures. in Commissioner
Wright's table are very interesting.
showing as they do the upward trend
of commodities that are essential in
every household. The bureau takes
as its standard the average wholesale
prices of a large number of articles
in New York and Chicago for the ten
years beginning with 1890 and ending
with 1899 1t also gives the average
price for each article, for each year,
for the years 1900, 1901. 1902, and
1903. The table shows that for 1903
farm products averaged 10 per cent.
higher than for the ten years begin
ming with 1900. foods We're 7 per. cent.
higher, clothing &c per cent. higher.
and fuel 40 per cent. higher An in
crease is shown, in fact, for every
group enumerated in the tables.
House furnishings were 10 per cent.
higher, drugs g per cent, metals II
per cent, lumber 81 per cent. and
per cent for a long list of miscel-
laneous articles, including soap,
starch, rubber, paper, tobacco, and
the like
When it is remembered that the
prices for 1897, which figure in the aver
age for the ten years ending with 1899,
were the lowest in the country's his
tory, it is evident that the cost of liv-
ing for the last five or six years has
increased at a much greater rate than
the per cent cited in Mr.. Wrights ia
bles. Every householder, particularly
in this part of the country, is ready to
testify that expenses for the five
months of the present calendar year
have been from 5 to % per cent great
er than last year, as shown by pocket
book experiences, quite as valuable
and certainly as convincing as tables
prepared by the government
The table shows that the farmer,
who does not work for wages, receives
10 per cent more for his products than
he did for the ten years ending with
1899, and he is therefore able to pay
the increase in drugs, housefurnishings
and other commodities not raised by
him and still be ahead of the deal. 1t
will be interesting to know if the work
er in the factory and the salaried clerk
/ in the counting house is able to show
the same advantage. Compared with
1897. the saIaried employee in 1903 paid
10 per cent more for his foods, Is per
cent more for clothing, % per cent more
for housefurnishings, and 50 per cent
more for fuel. If the tables will show
that his wages have been increased
correspondent, no one will be the
loser. Until some such statistics are
furnished, the wage Garner and the sal
aried employe will insist upon feeling
that they are not sharing in the boast
ed prosperity of the nation and will not
| become very enthusiastic over the full
dinner pail talk in the coming cam
paign. The statement will be made
that employment has been steadier and
more plentiful since 1899 than for the
average for the preceding decenniaI
period. True enough; but the employee
will have difficulty in seeing how he
has been benefited if his additional
earnings have been consumed by in
creased cost of living, leaving him
nothing for his extra work but the
pleasure OF it. There is a clear need of
some more figures from Mr.. Wright.