The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-09-06
AzSshcreased COST vL![N1nQ
Discussed byLmal LaborLeadeS

Looking back over a period of
ten years, Tacoma working men
fail to see why times are any bet
ter than they were decade ago.
The only advantage to be noticed
in most lines is that more men
are working, but this is owing to
the fact that the city has grown,
rather than to any other source.
The wages we receive today
are practically the same as ten
years ago." said we'll known car
penter to the Times. 1.-THE cost
of living has gone up about 80
per cent, perhaps more. Every
man who is employed in any capt.
city in the building trades will
tell you that the costof living has
gone up with leaps and bounds
in the past ten years.
Cannot Account For It.
"No, l cannot account for 1t.
l am told by my grocer and my
butcher that they are not making
the money now that they were ten
stock for the market says that he
is not getting any more for his
cattle now than he was ten years
ago.
"Where does the money go? I
am afraid you will have to ack
the meat trust. And the trust
won't talk.
what eect does the increased
cost of living have on the work
ingman? Wath the building sta
tistics. You will find your an
swer there. Go back ten years
and see the number of permits
that were being taken out for cot
tages. There are few good work
men who do not feel like owning
their own homes. They dream
from day to day Of the time when
they will stop paying rent. Few
of them area realizing that dream
in the last three or four years.
They can't afford 1t.
Economic in Other Ways.
1--WE have to economic in other
ways, also. I know that in my
family a few years ago we had
some Injuries that we cannot af-
ford today. 1t. is lucky that cheap
shows came into existence about
the time the cost of living begun
going up. Otherwise we would
not visit the theaters often. The
high-priced plays are out of reach
now"
Other workingmen talked in the
same strain as did the carpenter.
Ironworkers have had no increase
In wages in ten years. In some
cases the common laborer is get
ting more than he did ten years
ago, but the percentage of m
crease is far below the increased
cost of existence.
Wages Practically the Same.
Aside from railroad trainmen,
who have had a couple of in
creases in the last half score
years, all railroad employees are
working for the same money that
they were ten yearsa go. Train
dispatchers have received no in
crease. Railroad telegraph opera
tors obtained a slight advance a
few years ago and their hours of
work was shortened by law. Com
mercial telegraph operators are
working for less than they receiy-
ed five years ago.
Profits Falling OFF.
II am handling just as much
j stock as I was 10 years ago." said
a Tacoma grocer, "but my profits
are not as great. The cost of
rent has gone up and my expenses
have been advanced in other ways.
My books will show the truth Of
my assertion. I do not know
what the trouble is. The trusts
are blamed.
mo, the acreage working man
is not buying as many luxuries
today as he was ten years ago.
In fact luxuries are a drug on the
shelves. The demand today Is
for the staples"
Farmers Buy Autos.
The farmer is not saying much
Crops are good and prices are
fair" said a valley rancher who
had just stepped into a garage on
Pacific avenue to look at new
auto that he was thinking of buy
ing. ct know that the cost of
living is higher than 1t was ten
years ago. Clothes cost more,
sugar costs more, in fact every
thing we have to buy costs more.
Cattle are httle higher than they
were ten years ago; it's the same
with hogs. But vegetables and
fruits are bringing good money.
mo, / hadn't thought So much
OF automobiles ten years ago.
Anyhow they were scarce and high
priced then" The ramcher turn
ed away and said to the auto
man:
81 rather like the looks of that
car. Show me what 1t will do"
1t was $4,000 machine.