East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-10-28
WAGES VS.. FOOD.
INCREASE OF BoTH-BUT
GREATER IN WAGES
Labor Bureau Submits Words and
Tables In Support of Contention
Comparison only OF Wage EaTners
Salaries Not Onsldered--Bureau
Contends Wage Earners Are Bet
ter Off Than Ever Before.

washington, Oct. 2S.-In a bulle-
tin just issued the bureau of labor
submits innumerable tables and a
great many thousands words to sus-
tain its contention that wages in this
country were increased In the year
1906 more than the price of food.
1t is promised that a second bulle-
tin will show a similar condition for
1907. Only the wage-earners are
considered, and what the comparison
would be between the price Of food
stuffs and salaries as distinguished
from wages is not given. The con-
tention of the bureau is that wage
earners are better off than ever be
fore.
Gener. al change of conditions is
thus summarized in the Introductory
to the report: "In the year 1906 the
average wages per hour in the prin-
clpal Industries of the country were
AS per cent higher than in 1905.
the regular hours of labor per week
were O.5 per cent less than in 1905
and the number OF employees In 1906
were S.9 per cent greater than in
1896"
Under Five Heads.
In arranging the statistics, the re-
port classifies the various states un-
der five heads-the North Atlantic,
South Atlantic, North Central, South
Central and Western.
Study of the special tabulations
made for the five classifcations,
shows that wages are uniformly
, higher and the food prices pretty
generally lowest in the western
states. In the North Central divi-
sion of states about the same scale
of wages is paid as in the. North
Atlantic. but the cost of food aver
ages slightly higher n the North
Central division.
| The north central states are the
ones that originate the major portion
of the food products. Yet the bu-
reau of labor's study of retail prices
of food shows, for instance, that the
price of fresh beef in steaks, for
The north central than in any other
locality. The same Is true of roast
beef, butter, eggs and chickens, all
items which, it would seem, would
be cheapest in the middle west.
Startling is the comparison of in
crease in principal articles of food
Der, 1906, and in the last 10 years.
Meat Goes Up.
From December, 1905, to Decem-
Der, 1906, the price of veal in creas-
ed per cent; fresh roast beef, 4.3
beef in steaks. AS per cent; chick
ems, 5.S jer cent; mutton, 6.1 per
cent? mutton, 6.1 per cent; eggs, 6.3
per cent: fresh fihs, ST. per cent;
Ram, 9.S per cent; bacon, Ill per
cent fresh pork, 1872 per cent; lard,
1879 percent; butter, Is per cent.
Average price of evaporated ap-
pies in 1906 was 31.7 per cent higher
than in 1897 of roast beef, 1914 per
cent higher; of steaks, 1913 per cent
higher; of butter, % per cent high
or; of cheese, 1871 per cent higher;
cf chickens, 37.3 per cent higher; OF
eggs, 46.S per cent higher, of fresh
fish 2G.4 per cent righer; of salt
fihs 22.7 per cent higher; of NUT
ton, 24.6 per cent higher; of fresh
pork, 2i.6 per cent higher; of bacon,
54.4 per cent higher; of ham, 29.5
per cent higher; of Irish potatoes, 2S
per cent higher; of veal, 1873 per
cent higher.