The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-10-10

The average citizen is bui little en-.
liehlencd by the acres Of matter
printed 10 newspapers, magazines and
special reports with reference to The
cosi Of living. Index numbers and
averages o. selected groups and all
other twists aud turns 81 economic
statistics have their value 70 students
aud doubtless make some impression
ou general readers, but the question
for most ~ ns resolves itself into the
results 81 MI individual experience.
The people may be divided into
profit makers. salary drawers and wage
earner. There are no statistics which
show with certainty the financial con.
dition u the members Of these classes
today A. compared with their condition
in times Of lower prices and lower
wages. General investigation aud per
sonal inquiry lead 10 definite opinion
thai The profit makers and the wage
earners are better Of today than IN
earlier days and that the conditions
Of the salAried section are more bur.
donsomo. While each group will fur
nish iis exceptions TO this view, the
general proposition will probably hold.
In a recently published article the
assertion is made that lin 10 years the
increase IN the cost Of living has not
been more than ~ per cent Of
workingnan' income. The basis for
the percentage is an annual income Of
ska The notably weak point in this
argument is that Ss35 is an utterly
absurd estimate Of the "workingman's
income. Tho census Of 1900 reports
5.306, liJ wage eaners with an average
income OF a little less than $40 a.
-oieu,od E-, .f IA ,ad~-,s,s- s,apIoy
ing J,l37 900 hands shows for 1905 an
average Of SOP The workingman's
account book. II he keeps one, is not
likely to show his income MS $685., nor
70 confirm the estimate Of mere ~
per cent. increase in cost of living IN
~ years. Dun's index Of commodity
prices gives the figures 9I.l5 for 1908
aud l0i.46 for 1906, an advance of
more than 10 per cent. The writer OF
the article referred 10 limits cost Of
living 10 the bills of grocer, butcher
and baker, and in these he shows an
advance Of about . per cent. AS only
a pari Of the income is spent in those
departments be figures that the in
crease represents only 81 per cent. Of
the total sS3j income. There is little
consolation in that argument for the
man who knows that he also pays more
than he did some years ago for his
house rent and his clothing
Growing expenses. however, are off
set by better pay. and there is no ques
lion that our wage earners live better,
dress better and save more money than
they did ~ OF even ten years ago. II
Is undeniable that wage carners as a
class have derived benefit from the
higher price levels. In fact, il is 10
their increased income that the in
crease in cost Of living is largely at
iributable.
The profit makers, the merchants. |
manufacturers and traders, as "A class
have proftcd rather by general trade
activity than by the change in prices.
Their income may bo affected in some
measure by price conditions, but il is
mot entirely OF even largely dependent
upon them. Profit margins are based
on cost whether the cost be high or
low. The victims Of prosperity. Of
increased cost Of living, are salary
drawers who have no power 10 effect
M increase in income by union, strike
1r other weapon. Upon this class.
sith a membership Of several millions.
he burden o. higher prices falls with
greatest weight ~ IN. Y. Sun,