The Washington herald., 1909-10-24
COST OF LIVING
GOES UP RAPIDLY
Food Higher Than at Any
Time for a Decade.
THE FACTS ARE INDIsPUTABLE
Butter, Eggs, MIX, Flour, Meat, and
Fuel Included in the List of Ris-
ing Commodities - Increase Seems
About PrOpOrtionate 10 the Revi-
val of Industry and Trade.

All authorities agree that the cost OF
living has considerably increased in the
last two years. Since the panic OF 1907
the advance IN the price OF most kinds OF
provisions has been Just about proper
tionate to the recovery OF business and
the return 10 prosperity. In fact. II may
be doubtful whether to the people Of tho
country generally the revival OF business
and the advance IN industry IS blessing,
because It brings in its wake a cost for
the necessaries OF life which has already
become a burden TO the average family.
A writer In the Denver Post has gone
into this subject extensively and has this
to say:
The drain on the pocketbook is heavier
and the outlook does not favor any note
worthy recession in the cost Of living.
One would not grumble so much II these
high prices came as the result OF pro-
longed prosperity. but when they are ex-
perienced just as many are getting back
to work after a period OF enforced Idle
ness there IS considerable discomfort.
Ends I'm Discomfort.
This discomfort IS not allayed by the
knowledge that wheat tends to become
cheaper. and that -four may be purchased
at lower figures. which might induce the
baker 70 give one more bread and less air
were it not that other commodities used
in big industries are higher.
1t matters little that breai IS DuIkIer,
if ribs and loins or dressed beef run up
one and a half 20 two cents on TIE pound.
and il butter. cheese. eggs. milk. ana
pork score. as they have. approximately
similar or even greater gains
That is precisely the trend the coun-
try Is now Witnessing as regards the price
situation This state OF things forms z
vital social problem, and accounts for
practically so per cent OF the essential ex-
penoitures OF the average family.
Food More Costly.
In fact. the head Of the average fam
ily lays out three times as much for food
as he does for wearing apparel. and food
costs him twice the sum Of his charges
for fuel and rent. Therefore. when ed
bles advance in price income must be ad-
Justed to outgo. OF II that Is not done lesg
is carried over 20 proht - to savings
against the coming OF the proverbial
rainy day. When the upturn occurs on
meats, butter, cheese. and eggs, the par
ing process must be practiced with Jigor.
especially in the homes OF poorer folks
According 20 offeial figures. meat COM
prises one-third Of our dietary. of which
the consumption OF beef and veal consti-
'utes q per cent and pork IS per cent.
In 1900 the average private family con-
tained IS persons, and the annual con-
sumption OF meats BY such family
amounted 70 IW4 pounds. a little over
one-haf Of short ton. or 27 pounds for
every one OF the $50 days in the year. So
one can readily appreciate what a rise OF
a few cents per pound on meat products.
not TO mention other common articles cf
diet means 10 the consumer.
Beef Holds First Place.
Some Of the most commonly used arti-
cIes have been named. but # is Wei to
know that on the basis OF cost fresh beef
holds first place on the table Of the aver
age workingman-
Butter is second. milk third. eggs
fourth. -four and meal fifth, fruit sixth,
sugar seventh, fresh hog products eighth.
with salt hog products ninth and pota-
toes tenth.
Now. il is hardly fair to compare cur
rent prices with those prevailing at OF
about this time last year, when trade was
either depressed or recuperating from de-
preston. nor is it well TO contrast them
with quotations that ruled in 1907, when
prices were very high, except at the close
OF the year.
sfTo ,aeLr 70 ~. Ia-,skr fuoe -..--.Fn
simply cause the growth OF false impress
sions, for widespread depression ruled
that period In truth. II would be better
to set the present figures against those
of September ]. 1906. and Of September /,
1900. thus illustrating the situation ten
years ago, five years ago. and to-day
In order 10 show price relations, fifty
three commodities sold at wholesale and
quoted by Bradstreets are used STUDY
OF these data shows that wheat Septem-
Der l this year was % rs cents per busheI
higher than It wss on September I, 1875.
end q cents above September /, 1900. the
ratios Of gain being 3 per cent and 81
per cent, respectively
Corn High fin 1905.
Corn was Up III cents. or y per cent
over September l. 1906, and 3l% cents, or
S. per cent over September I. 1870 Oats
brought i024 cents. or "a per cent more on
1. this year, than on seL.sm-
Der l i've years before, while the advance
over ten years ago amounts to 14jk cents.
or Sc per cent.
Barley this year cost Is cents. or 50
per cent a bUshel more than II did in 1906
and II cents over its cost on September L
1900. A bushel OF rye was II cents. or IL
per cent cheaper on September 1. 1906.
than ii was on the same date this year,
and on September l. 1900. II was 1914 cents,
or % per cent lower
Mutton is up IL cents per pound. and
21s cents. or Is per cent. Milk is Il cent
higher on the quart compared with 1875
and = cent over 1900. Eggs show an adj.
vance OF cents the dozen. the gain be-
ing equivalent 10 . per cent over 1905,
and the rise over 1900 is Sc per cent, or Il
cents.
What is known as family beef is S2N
per barrel, or p per cent higher than il
was In $780, and $3.50. or SS per cent ovac
1900 Pork, new mess, Is dearer by $50,
or ~ per cent, than Il was IN 1905, and Il
brings SO, or rs per cent. more than It
did in 1900. the prices being for 2o0-pound
barrels Bacon. a great breakfast favor
tie. was 81 cents per pound cheaper FIVE
years ago than II Is to-day. and IL was
rs cents lower ten years ago. In other
words. the rise is no less than IS per cent
q md 81 Nor rant