The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-08-29


tof iron and brass fufnl.,-e. and l5
higher prices of labor.
Drugs and chemicals. cf such sofs as
% affect the cost ol living. were high
er. say by 6 per cent. In Chicago last
year than On 1888 But they have
fallen until they are about where they
were. ana in some Instances. such aa
quinine. lower than ever The higher
prices were caused by the scarcity Of
root and herb diggers, the lower prices
by the financial panic.
As TO canned goods. peaches sold i8
1897 for tAs same as they did in 1901
while some canned products were
much cheaper ten years ago. The
cause for this was thatfrults and vege.
tables were plentiful last year. while
the production was much larger. Last
year beans were scarce and higher
Up to the time Of the panic buying did
not drop off, but since then prices
have been dropping until they are
about as low as they were in 1895
The cost Of preparing food products
is much higher now on account OF the
increased cost of labor, also the in.
crease in the farm products that go
into them. Sugar is higher this yaar
than in 1907, while coffee is cheaper
Tea Is as cheap az It has been in sew.
eral years. Staple commodities are
not high this year in the grocery line.
IN many commodities the prices are
10 per cent. lover than they were in
1907.
A leading clothier says that clothes
are higher than In the last two years
and that this should not be. This is
partly due to the scarcity of wool but
is in part due to existence OF clothing
combinations to keep prices up
Cotton is no higher, YET the manu-.
facturers are in combination to main.
tain high prices. Ten years ago wool
suits were 10 per cent lower than they
are now, and we're made Of as good
material and as well made, but with.
out the same degree Of care as TO style
Higher labor cost, higher wool pros.
perity, and combinations among mann.
facturers are the reasons he gives for
the higher prices of clothing.
Shoes are cheaper on the average
than ever they have been. but are only
five per cent. cheaper than at their
highest point, in 1907. They have
however, gone up in price Is per cent
in the last IS years. but 10 compensate
for that they are better made. The
Increase in cost Of shoes IS due to the
high price Of hides, which have ia.
creased in Is years $50 per cent Shoes
are relatively cheaper than the hides
from which they are made, this seem.
ing paradox being due to improved
methods Of manufacture.
The price Of meat has been soaring
for the last IS years, and it is general.
ly conceded that this has been due TO
the going out of the range cattle and
the consequent scarcity Of beef cattle,
and the combinations among the pack
ers, who have virtually monopoly OF
the business, having driven the small
country and town butchers out Of busi.
ness. This spring. during a period Of
ten days, pork and beef stock took an
upward flight Of 80 to 50 per cent, and
the average for the year is fully 25
per cent. higher than last year which
was 25 per cent. more than the year
before.
Prosperity and high wages, as we'll
as the scarcity of cattle, are given by
the packers as being responsible for
the rise in prices in the last ten
years.