The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-09-09
LABOR'S PURCHASING
POWER ON INCREASE
Working Hours Are Fewer
per Week-Average
Earnings Soaring.
SUGAR AND FLOUR DECLINES
Government Report Shows More Can
Be Bought for Hours Work
Despite Price Increase.

Dor into wages and the retail price of
food, the report which has just
been placed in the hands of the printer,
shows that in the principal manufactur
ing and mechanical Industries Of the
country average wages per hour in
1906 were As per cent higher than in
1905, the regular hours Of labor per
week We're 0.5 per cent lower, and the
number of employees in the establish
ments Investigated was per cent
greater. The average full-time weekly
earnings per employe in 1906 were 3.9
per cent greater than in 1905.
Wages on Increase.
During 1906 wages We're increased
generally in nearly all Industries, forty
of the forty-one industries covered by
the investigation showing some IN
crease. The greatest increase was IN
the manufacture of cotton goods, where
the average wages per hour in 1906
were 11.2 per cent higher than in 1905.
In the manufacture of electrical APP
paratus and supplies the increase was
t0.1 per cent. In street and sewer
work done by contract the increase
was 81 per cent; in iron and steel.
Bessemer converting. So per cent. and
in the manufacture of cigars, "a per
cent. In the manufacture of bar iron
the increase in wages per hour was
60 per cent and in the building trades
81 per cent Briefly stated, two in
dustries showed an increase in hourly
wages of more than 10 per cent, seven
Industries an increase of per cent but
less than 10 per cent, and thirty-one
industries an increase of less than 8
per cent. In one industry-paper and
wood pulp-there was a decrease of
IL per cent. In the Industries as a
whole. weighted according to import
ance, the increase in hourly wages was
As per cent.
Applies to Wage Farmers.
The fact should be borne in mind that
these figures apply only to wagework
ers in manufacturing and mechanical
industries. and do not show conditions
so far as salaried employees are con- |
cerned.
The retail prices of food, weighted
according to consumption in representa-
tive workingmens families, were 20
per cent higher in 1906 than In 1905.
AS the advance in wages per hour from
1905 to 1906 was greater than the adj
vance in the retail prices of food. the
purchasing power of an hours wages,
as measured by food, was greater in
1906 than in the preceding year IN
1Suo the puINndSlAlS power ol Ill AlOuI ,
wages as expended for food was Ia
per cent greater than in 1905. and the
purchasing power of a full week.
wages was 1 per cent greater in 1905
than in 1905. or, In other words. an
hours wages In 1906 in the manu-
featuring and mechanical industries of
the United States would purchase Ia
per cent moro food than an hours
wages in 1905 and a full weeks wages
in 1906 would purchase l per cent
more food than a full weeks wages In
1906.
Food Prices Go Up.
The price of food was higher in
every month of 1906 than in the cor
responding month of 1905. The in
crease over the corresponding month
of the proceeding year. which in Feb
ruary. 1906, was only 0.4 per cent,
grew steadily greater throughout the
the year. the price in December. 1906.
being 81 per cent above that of the
preceding December The price in De-
cember, 1906. was As per cen higher
than the average for the year 1906,
which year showed higher average
than any other year during the sew
enteen years 1890 to 1906, covered by
the investigation of the bureau of
labor.
The increase in prices in 1906 over
1905 applied, in equal degree. to TWEEN
ty-fve of the thirty articles included
in the investigation. The articles
which showed the greatest advance in
prices are lard, 9.S per cent; evaporated
apples. 81 per cent; fresh pork. SIS per
cent; dry or picked pork. 81 per cent;
bacon. S.4 per cent; ham. IS per cent;
while the advance in fresh fish and
mutton exceeded per cent. The only
articles which showed any material de-
crease are flour and sugar.
Sugar and Flour Decrease.
The articles which showed the most
marked advance in prices In Decem-
Der. 1905. over December, 1905, are
butter, Is per cent lard, 1879 per cent;
fresh pork. 1872 per cent; dry or
picked pork 11.9 per cent; bacon. III
per cent. and ham. IS per cent. The
only articles which showed any marked
decline in price in December. 1906. from
the price in Decmeber. 1905, are pota-
toes. 5.S per cent. and flour, As per
cent
As compared with the average for
the ten year period. 1890 to 1899, the
average wages per hour IN 1906 were
24.2 per cent higher. the number OF
employees IN the establishments investi-
gated was 42.9 per cent greater, and
the average hours of labor per week
were 40 per cent lower. The average
earnings per employee per full week in
1906 were ISIS per cent higher than the
average earnings per full week during
the ten years, 1890 to 1899.
Average Rise 1877 Per Cent
The retail price of the principal arti-
Giles OF food, weighted according to
family consumption of the various ar
ticles. was 1877 per cent higher in
1906 than the average price for the
ten years. 1890 to 1899. Compared with
the average for the same ten-year
period. the purchasing power of an
hours wages In 1906. as measured by