The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-09-23

While prosperity IS still on the road
and thousands of people are still walking
the streets in search of employment, the
prices of food commodities are constant
ly going up and soaring high above the
reach OF the working class.
Within the last month, according to
Bradstreet $ report, no less than thirty
eight commodities have taken upward
Jumps. The articles that have risen are
of the kind that play substantial part
in the makeup of the workingmen s diet,
and the increase is therefore bound to
affect greatly the budget of the average
family.
Since the last year, from September !,
1905, to September l, 1909, according to
the same report, no less than fifty nine
commodities rose in price.
They are: Wheat, -four, beeves, live;
sheep, live; hogs, live, horses, beef, car
casses; hogs, earcasses; mutton, car
casses; milk, eggs, pork, bacon, hams,
Lard, butter, cheese, coffee, sugar, tea,
Eeans, lemons, raisins, hides, hemlock
leather, union leather. oak leather cotton,
wool, o. and Pa; wool, Australian; flax
print cloths, standard sheetings, ging-
hams, cotton sheetings; pig iron, Besse-
mer; silver, tin, quicksilver, Connellsville
coke liuseed oil, cotton. seed oil. olive oil,
rosin, turpentine, tar, brick, yellow pine,
spruce lumber, hemlock timber, alcohol,
hops, rubber, tobacco, ground bone, hay
and cotton seed.
Other commodities remained unchane-
ed while some even sustain slight de-
crease But while the increased and un-
changed articles consist of provisions.
fruits and other foodstutfs, the decreas-
ed commodities are for the greater part.
drugs, petroleum, silks, paper, and those
that do not directly affect the expendi-
ture of the workingman s family.
Bradstreets, in discussing the situation.
has the following to say:
Commodity prices, speaking of them
collectively, still continue on an upward
grade. This movement has been clearly
apparent for the past fourteen months.
or ever since the low point of June l,
I9oH, was struck. From that time on
ward the general undercurrents have
made for higher and higher prices. the
dips in between being of a temporary
character.
The trend is one that has kept pace
with the betterment that has occurred in
economic affairs, and although the higher
level Of things has probably deferred
buyers Of many lines of goods from tax
ing on as much as they would if prices
we're lower, the fact is that prosperity is
steadily marching on Nevertheless. some
classes, those whose incomes were severe
" curtailed during the depression, feel
1he weight of the high cost Of commodi-
ties, especially Of edibles It is this lat
ter phase of the matter that makes the
subject OF commodity prices one of alb
sorbing interest, and naturally so, for it
bears close relation to one g pocket
book
"hlLe the workingrn is struggling in
The effort 20 make ends meet. the beef
trust Is doing its own to get a slice of
The general rise in the prices Of com
1aodities- Within a week beef has been
advanced by the packers one cent q
pound, and within a week the retailers
say they expect TO have another cent
. added 70 the cost Of all choice beef.
The price OF porcerhouse stead in New
ork ranges from 2s to 80 cents pound
Ho7v- according 70 where 1t is bought IF
prices are advanced later in the season.
4. expected these prices NAV 20 as biob
as 50 and 3S cents Fine ribs of beef
cost the householder about 20 cents.