The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-07-22
WAGES AND FOOD.

Z According to Bulletin NO. II OF
the Bureau of Labor of the. depart
ment of Commerce and Labor which
has just been placed in the hands Of
the printer, an investigation OF the
principal wage working occupations
in 4169 establishments representing
the principal manufacturing and me-
chanical industries of the country
showed that the average wages per
hour In 1907 we're az per cent high
er than in 1906, the regular hours
of labor per week were 0.4 per cent
lower than In 1906, and the number
of employees In the establishments in
vestigated was 10 per cent greater
than in 1906.
Investigations covering the sales
of 1914 dealers in 68 localities show
that the retail prices Of 80 principal
articles OF food, weighted according
to consumption in representative
workingmens families, were AZ per
cent higher in 1907 than in 1906.
AS the advance in retail prices from
1906 to 1907 was greater than the
advance in wages per hour, the pur-
chasing power of an hours wages, as
measured by food, was slightly less
In 1907 than in 1906, the decrease
being one-half of 1 per cent.
Average hourly wages in 1907
were higher than in any other year
of the eighteen-year period, 1890 to
1907, and more than 20 per cent
higher than the average in any year
from 1890 to 1900. AS compared in
each case with the average for the
ten-year period, 1890 to 1899, aver
age hourly wages in 1907 were 26.8
per cent higher, the number of en-
ployes in the establishments invetti-
gated was 44.4 per cent greater, and
the average hours of labor per week
we're so per cent lower.
The average price of food in 1907
was also higher than in any ether
year of the eighteen-year period 1890
to 1907. The average price of 80
principal articles, weighted accord
ing to family consumption of the
various articles, was 20.6 per cent
higher in 1907 than the average price
for the 10 years from 1890 to 1899.
Compared with the average for the
same ten-year period, the purchas-
ing power of an hours wages in 1907
was 6.S per cent greater.
The increase in average wages in
1907 over 1906 was quite general,
covered by the investigation of the
Bureau of Labor. The greatest in
crease was in the manufacture of
cotton goods, where the average
wages per hour in 1907 were 1928
per cent higher than in 1906. In the
manufacture of paper and wood pulp
other industries the increase was 5
per cent but less than 10 per cent,
and in 80 industries the increase was
/
| less than per cent. In Ole industry
Bessemer steel, there was a decrease
of wages of 90 per cent. In the Al
industries as a whole, weighted &C
cording to Importance, the increase
in wages per hour was 81 per cent
OF the 80 articles of food covered
by the investigation 20 were higher
in price in 1907 than in 1906. The
articles which showed the greatest
advance in prices are flour SO per
cent, butter so per cent, evaporated
apples 7.8 per cent. milk 7.3 per
cent, corn meal 6.8 per cent, cheese
81 per cent, and potatoes 81 per
cent The only article which showed
| a decrease is tea, the decrease being
o. per cent. The average prices of
20 Of the 80 articles were higher in
| 1907 than in any other year of the
eighteen-year period 1890 to 1907.
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