Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-12
Cost of Living Advances

Analysis of these figures, which are
the actual market quotations at the
nearest average prices in each year.
shows an increase In the cost Of living
in the past thirteen years of exactly
49.1 Der cent. of special interest are
the figures for -four and oil, two of the
greatest necessities of life for all the
people, which certain persons nave Sc
lected as a medium for the building up
Of vast individual fortunes.
In certain restricted fields of employ
ment, such as the general management
of railroads, and more especially IN the
higher financial division of salaried SER
vice of the great vested interests, there
has been marked increase in the re-
enumeration.
For instance, the salaries of railroad
rnanag gers fifteen or twenty years ago
ranged from $4,000 TO $4,000 year,
while today the hired man filing such
positions, in several instances, are paid
more than $4,000. In such cases the
remuneration has increased in greater
degree than the cost of living, and es-
peciaily in view of the fact that many
of the Iuxuries of life which are en-
1oyed by high-salaried employees, but
not to wage workers and clerks, have
decreased in cost
Hired men in such positions, there
fore, have neither reason nor inclina-
tion to protest against the general rise
in prices of the standard necessaries OF
life, and no outery is heard from them.
Indeed, they are wont to reprove those
less fortunate whose wage or salary
has increased but little or not ae all.
and whose standard of living, there
fore, has been decreased by the lowered
purchasing power of the pay received,
for expressions of protest against the
deprivation they are compelled to suf-
fer
Preach contentment
Those who have not felt the pinch
are Drone to preach contentment to
those who are experiencing 1t, but in
evitably without avail, as the squeezed
ones are sure to howl in spite OF all the
prosperity lullabies which may be sung
to them by the relatively small number
Of the actually prosperous.
In the city of Los Angeles there are
nearly 2500 union carpenters, members
or two local unions. One of these, NO
12S is the largest local carpenters un-
ION In the world. These organizations
claim the credit of having compelled
increase of wages and lowering oi
hours. not only for their own member
ehin. but for the relatively few unor-
oanized carpenters in the city as well
According to careful estimates made
NV officers and members of these
,,nions. the average number of days
''put in by the carpenters IN tsOo wal
90 out Of $40 working days in the year
at a wage of $3.50 for eight hours
work. In that year also the unions
rnade an effort to secure an increase T.
"a day, which was made effective fo
several months for a considerable mum
her of carpenters, but failed OF per
manent establishment.
In 190s-09 the average of employment
al $3.50 a day, was at the rate Of p
days a year, and consequently the ave
- "a yearly income was $40 less than
had been in 1906, and in view Of tn
increased cost of necessaries tn
standard of living was very materiall
decreased. The prosperity Of a FEY
high salaried persons is cold comfor
10 the carpenters of Los Angeles.
IN 1906 the union scale for bricklayer
was for a day Of eight hours, and IN
average number OF days worked wa