Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1908-08-07
for iron and brass furniture, and to

higher prices of labor.
Drugs and chemicals, of such sort a.
to affect the cost Of living. were high
er, say by s per cent, in Chicago last
year than in 1898; but they have
fallen until they are about where they
were, and in some instances, such as
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 in
1897 for the same as they did in 1907
while some canned products were
much cheaper ten years ago. The
cause for this was that fruits 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 1896.
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 90
into them. Sugar is higher this year
than in 1907, while coffee is cheaper.
Tea is as cheap as it has been in sew.
eral years. Staple commodities arc
not high this year in the grocery line.
In many commodities the prices are
10 per cent lower 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 were made of as good
material and as we'll made, but with.
out the same degree of care as to style.
Higher labor cost, higher wool, pros.
perity, and combinations among manu-
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 to compensate
for that they are better made. The
increase in cost of shoes is due to the
high price Of hides, which have in.
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 10
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 bust
ness. This spring, during period G,
ten days, pork and beef stock took an
upward flight of so to so per cent, and
the average for the year is fully "a
per cent. higher than last year, which
was rs 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.