The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-12-21
GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE
THE INCREASED COST OF LIVING
Senator Crawford Calls Secretary NaSe For Conservative
Statement Of the Facts Regarding Advance in Price of
Necessies---R Data Fail Inquiry and Remedial
LEGISLATION Will Follow


Washington, D. C.-The alarming
increase in the cost of living, due to
the rapid and constant advance in the
price of necessities, is to be investi-
gated by the Government.
Senator Crawford, of South Da-
kota, has asked Secretary Nagel, of
the Department of Commerce and
Labor, for conservative statement of
the facts. Should the Secretary, from
data in his possession, fail to give the
desired information, Senator Craw-
ford will press resolution in the
Senate, directing the Commissioner
to investigate and report to Congress
early, that there may be prompt
remedial legislation.
Senator Crawford purposes to get
at the bottom facts as to the advance
in prices There is suspicion in his
part of the country that combination
and community of INTEREST," have
something to do with conditions that
are alarming and fast growing intol-
cradle. Senator Crawford is an OPP
ponent of all monopolistic trusts and
corners in farm and dairy products.
Preliminary investigations show
there have been no reports from the
Commissioner of Labor on the costs
of living, the advance in price of
necessities and the value of labor
since 1907. At that time a report
was made that labor was not able to
purchase as much as in previous
years. The report was severely criti-
cised by Republican statesmen, be-
cause a political campaign was about
to open. An amended report soon
appeared, and it's comparisons, more
exhaustive than in the first report,
explained some of the most damaging
statements previously made.
Increased Cost 81 Per Cent.
Since 1907 there has been a sharp
increase in the cost of living, and a
gradual increase for dozen years.
In a special dispatch to The American
from Trenton, N. j., it was stated by
the State Board of Labor and Statis-
tics that the cost of living in New
Jersey has increased in thirteen years
S713 per cent.
These facts have been brought
home to a number of Senators by
their constituents. The people want
to know whether combinations and
price arrangements have raised cost
to consumers; what the farmer and
the middle man get, to determine
whether the margins of profit are too
great. Senator Crawford will have
little difficulty in getting his resolu-
lions of inquiry passed.
Senator Bristow. of Kansas, be-
lieves combinations have something
to do with the advance of the cost of
necessities, but thinks that the desire
for luxuries has more.
"The people have grown accus-
toned to luxuries," he said. For
years they got the best of everything
at prices lower than now When
prices were advanced because of de-
mand. they had to take the next best
The result has been a general advance
of all grades of necessities. / believe
the combinations have had much to
do with it, but not all.
when the wholesaler advances
slightly, the retailer advances, and
the two or more advances made be-
core the article reaches the consumer
makes the general advance burden
on the wage-earner. / would like to
know the relationship that exists in
all cases or in large communities be-
tween wholesaler and the retailer.
have heard, but do not know, that
In some instances the wholesaler con-
:rols the retailers and fixes the retail
price
II do not think the tariff can be
held responsible for these advances.