Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-09-10
PR1CEs OF ROOD.


according to consumption in repre-
sentative workiugmens families,
were 90 per cent higher I'm 1906 than
in 1905. AS the advance In wages per
hour from 1895 20 1906 was greater
than the advance IN the retail prices
Of food. the purchasing power OF an
hours wages, as measured by 1000
was greater in 1906 than in the pre-
ceding year In 1906 the purchas-
ing mower Of an hours wages as exc
pended for food was IA per cent
greater than IN 1905 and the purchas-
irr power OF an hours wages was l
per cent greater in 1906 than in 1905,
or. In other words, an hours wages in
1906 in the manufacturing ana me-
chanical industries Of the united
States would purchase IA per cent
more food than an hours wages IN
1905 and a full weeks wages in 1896
would purchase per cent more FOOD
than a fun weeks wages IN 1905.
The price Of food was higher In every
month OF 1906 than in the correspond
ing month OF 1905. The Increase over
the corresponding month Of the preced-
ing year, which IN February. 1906, was
only 0.4 per cent, grew steadily great
er throughout the year, the price In
December. 1906, being 81 per cent
above that OF the preceding December.
The price IN December, 1905, was as
pcr cent higher than the average for
the year 1906, which year showed a
higher average than any other year
during the seventeen years, 1880 20
1906. covered by the investigation Oh
the bureau Of labor.
The increase In prices in 1906 over
1905 applied, I'm unequal degree, 10 70
OF the 30 articles included In the IN
vestipation. The articles which showed
the greatest advance I'm prices are lard,
9.g per cent; evaporated apples, 81
per cent: fresh pork, SIS per cent; dry
or picked pork, So per cent, bacon g.
Der cent. ham. 7.3 per cent; while the
advance On fresh fish and mutton eX-
ceodod per cent The only articles
which showed any material decrease
are -four and sugar.
The articles which showed the most
marked advance in prices IN December
1906. over December. 1905, are butter
Is per cent; lard, 1873 per cent; fresh
pork. 1872 per cent: dry OF picked pork
III 9 per cent; bacon, III per cent, and
ham. 9.s per cent The only ARTICLES
which showed any marked decline In
price IN December 1906, from the price
i'm December, 1906, are potatoes, SIS per
cent and flour, as per cent
SOME COMPARISONS.
As compared with the average for
average wages per hour in 1906 were
c4.2 per cent higher, the number OF
employees ia the establishments investi-
gated was 42.9 per cent greater. ana
the average hours Of labor per week
were 40 per cent lower. The average
earnings per omploye per fun week ia
1906 were 1876 per cent higher than the
average earnings per full week during
the ten years. 1890 10 1898.
The retail price of the principal ar
ticles of food. Weighted according 10
family consumption OF the various ar
ticies. was 157 per cent higher On 1905
Than the average price for the 40 years.
1890 90 1899 Compared with the aver
age for the same l0-year period, the
purchasing power OF an hours wages
in 1906 Was 7.3 per cent greater. and on
"a fun weeks wages "a per cent great
en-. me increase bon the purchasing power
of the fun weeks wages being less
than the increase in the purchasing
power OF hourly wages because Of the
reduction ln the hours OF labor