The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1906-08-09
WAGES AND PRICES.


the noticeable increase In the cost OF
living, says that many people are be.
ginning to question whether we are
nearly as prosperous as we seem to
be. II adds:
Persons on small salaries, SI5, $50
and s25 week, say IL Is false pros
perity and exhibit depleted savings
bank accounts and skinipt methods
OF living to prove II. The country
will hear more Of this question later.
Ii Is being talked about ut the
breakfast table now, but IN the COM
Ing campaign II will be discussed on
the stump. Practical politicians re-
allze that IL Is foIcing It's way to the
will answer II. The increased cost
Of living will be big factor In the
fall elections.
The same dlspatch states that gov
eminent reports for 1905, just about
ready for publication, will show a
heavy increase In living expenses
without any corresponding increase
10 wages, and that 1906 Will be the
frst year since the present EZRA OF
prosperity" began In which the ex-
pert statisticians we're not able to
make showing Of increased wages
to Offset the advance In prices.
There Is not the slightest doubt
that, we're the figures available for
the present year, 1905, would show
stIll sharper advance In prices, with
wages still remaining stationary.
With millions OF wage earners and
salarled employees this issue must
soon become paramount, In fact,
there Is reason To believe that II Is
already 50. The housewife knows II
as we'll as the man who earDs the
money, Even though his wages have
been doubled he iinds II as hard to
keep out OF debt as no did on half
the money ten years ago--and COM
paratively very few have had their
wages doubled. The average man
with the average salary Is more
troubled today over his grocery aud
meat and shoe bill than he has been
In years. The wife IL skimping and
accommodating more closely than ever,
and many families are severely deny
Ing themselves little comforts and
luxuries 10 which they had grown nc.
eustomed still the pressure does not
relax for an Instant.
| Gradually the lesson Is being dris-
en- home that our prosperity Is Jug
handled. The man who buys labor
Ii prosperous, but the man who has
only his labor To sell, aud must buy
Everything else. though he he iui.
mersed IN prosperity, Is like one try
Ing TO eat soup with fork.
| Pretty soon the lahoring man, aud
especially the laborina mans wife,
will be ready To admit We have had
enough OF artlhcially high prices
that the time has come when the la
boring man requires at least the same
protection against the trusts that
the trusts demand against "the
pauper labor OF Europe. +" Under
the present protective system II
makes not the slightest difference
what wages are paid the working
men, For when they come to buy
what they need the trusts viii calm.
~ charge them every penny they We
got and then wait tor them TO ao
out and earn more.
We notice. by the way, that the
republican congressional committee
has decided TO make a strictly stand.
pat campaign, that the party viii set
It's face like hint against the demand
for tariff revision, aud that incident,
ally the committe wants "dollat con-
/, triou hons" to It's campaign fund
, We trust that every wage Garner viii
respond. lly going without meat for
|, tao OF three days u will be easy t.
|. get the dollar, The more small con.
tributlons there are the less tor the
Z usts 10 provide.