The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-08-31
HIGHEST IN 10 YEARS.
Cost OF Living In 1905 Broke All
Former Records.

WASHINGTON, August 13.-In bulletin is
sued today by the Bureau of Labor the state
ment is made that the cost of living is higher
than at any time since 1890, when the bureau
first began to keep the record of retail prices
of food
70 offset this. the bureau IN separate in
vesiigalion, declares that wages were higher
during 1905 than 1904 by per cent, and that
this a little more than offsets the increased
cast of food. 1t also shows that in the indus.
tries that it investigated more men are EN-.
ployed.
The report says that the retail prices of
food in 1905 were at their highest point during
the 16 years period covered by the investiga-
tinn by the bureau. The average prices OF
% of the 80 articles included in the compila.
ton of prices were higher in 1905 than in 1904.
The average prices of wheat, bread, butter,
cheese, chickens, corn meal, eggs, fresh fish,
salt fish. milk, mutton and veal were higher
in 1905 than in any year OF the l6-year period.
The advance of food, taking all the 80 arti
ces together, has been 0.6 per cent. over 1904,
III per cent. over 1896, and l2.4 per cent
when compared with the 10 year period he,
tween 1890 and 1899.
The report on labor gives the average wages
and hours of labor aud the number of employees
in identical establishments in both 1904 and
1905. While the figures presented are not
exhaustive for the United States, the report
says: at is believed they are fairly represen.
tative of the industries investigated"
Continuing, the report says:
THE results of this investigation shows that
IN 1905 the average wages an hour in the
principal manufacturing and mechanical in
duSlres of the country were l.6 per cent
higher than in l904 that the average hours
..E lal.n n.
aud that 6.3 per cent. more persons we're EN-
ployed in the establishments investigated As
there WAS no reduction in the average hours oi
labor a week, the average weekly earnings per
employe were la per cent. higher than in
1904. As there was an increase in the mum
ber Of employees. as well as in the weekly
earnings per emplOye. there WAS a consider.
able increase in the weekly earnings of all
employees, or, in other words, in the amount
Of the weekly pay roll. This increase was
per cent. in the establishments investigated.
"Wheu the figures of this article, relating
to wages aud hours of labor, and those of the
succeeding article, relating to retail prices oI
food, are brought together 1t is seen that the
retail prices Of food, due weight being giveu
ia The quantity aud cost of the different com
modiiies consumed. were 0.6 per cent. higher
in 1905 than in 1904. As the average wage
per hour increased more than the retail prices
OF food, the purchasing power Of wages IN
creased. In 1905 the purchasing power O
both hourly and weekly wages was per cent
higher than in 1904; or, expressed in othe
words, an hours wages in 1905 would pur
chase ! peg cent. more food than an hour
wages in 1904 -
The average wages per hour in 1905 wer,
I IS9 per cent. higher than the average for th'
I 10 year period from 1880 TO 1899, inclusive
1 The number Of employees was SS.6 per cent
/ greater. and the average hours of labor pc
/ week were 4. per cent. lower. The ayerag
[ earnings per week in 1905 were Il per cent
I higher than the average earnings per weel
/ during The 10 years from 1880 to 1899. Tn
| aggregate weekly earnings Of all employees
/ that is the total amount Of the pay rolls
were 81 3 per cent. higher in 1905 than th
average during the 10 year period named.
| The retail price Of the principal articles o
/ food. weighted according TO family consump
/ ton Of the various articles, that was l24 pc
| cent higher in 1905 than was the averag
| price for the 10 years from 1890 to 1899
| Compared with the average for the same 10
/ year period. the purchasing power Of al
/ hours wages IN 1905 was 8 per cent. greater
and of r weeks wages Ia per cent greater
/ the increase ia purchasing power of weeki
| isg power Of hourly labor wages because o
/ the reduction Of the hours of labor during th
| period.
The average wages per hour in 1905 Wer
| Il. 3 per cent higher than in 1894. the year O
/ lowest wages during the period covered, an
| weekly earnings were lG.T per cent. higher
| The purchasing power of an hours wages va
| greater in 1905 than in any other year covere'
! by this investigation, being IL per cent great
/ er than in 1894, the year Of lowest wages, ant
/ IS per cent greater than IN 1896, the year q
lowest retail prices. The purchasing powe
/ of a weeks wages in 1905 was 3.5 per cent
| greater than in 1894, but . per cent. les
| than in 1896. -
Ia making the inquiry, the labor bureau AT
/ tempted to cover only those industries II
| which the wages paid in the United States II
one year we're $40. OOO, 600 or over. TIE dat
| presented we're obtained in all cases by spe
| ciAl agents OF the bureau through persona
| visits to the establishments represented.