The Washington herald., 1910-01-02
GIVES LOAN SHARKS
HEALTHY EXISTENCE
Pay of Clerks and Food
Prices Make Borrowers.
WARNING NOTE IN INTERVIEW
While Salaries Have Remained sta
tiOnary for Fifty Years, Cost OF
Living Has More Than Doubled.
Problem OF Life Becoming Serious
Ina the National Capital.

Half a century ago the cost Of neces-
stiles that go into the average home"
said Gen. f. W. Whitaker yesterday,
was less than half what they are to-
day. During the last twenty-five years
prices have advanced steadily. making
the cost OF living considerably more than
what 1t was twenty years ago.
I am sure the cost Of living at the
National Capital during the last nifty
years has more than doubled. and that
the man who now earns S1.20O per annum
handles the equivalent in purchasing
power Of what s., 800 would have purchased
in 1854
1t is a matter OF history. borne out by
official statistics that. while these ad-
vauces in the cost of necessities have
been going on, there has been practically
no advance in compensation for the gov
eminent clerks.
The Purchase Power.
When 1 first came 10 Washington.
thirty-seven years ago and was appoint
ed general superintendent Of the board
of public works by President Grant. a
man drawing $500 per annum could have
purchased necessities that would require
81 ,2t0 a year to buy to-day"
\ veteran clerk in the Pension Office,
who has served since the close Of the
civil war at salary of $3.50. said yes
terday that the advance in the cost OF
living had been such during the last if
teen or twenty years that It Is next to
impossible for a man with that salary
to live in Washington He was OF the
opinion that the situation was growing
so grave that the cost Of living would
have to be taken into consideration by
the government as an economic problem
which would have 10 be solved TO avert
disaster threatening the foundations Of
the government.
He continued;
While prices have been advanced,
there has been no advance in salaries
for the army Of consumers who are forced
TO pay tribute 10 the trusts and COM
bines."
The government clerk and the army
OF wage earners all over the country are
the victims Of these conditions, and are
forced to pay the price or go without
food. Our compensation IS far below
what it should be, and the government
must look at conditions squarely in the
face, and act; put in force legislation
that viii cut the cost Of living one-half
or advance the salaries OF clerks"
Loan Shark Victims.
A clerk in the Patent Office, who has
u, no
receiving a compensation Of 8. 500 a year.
said:
do you know the loan sharks largely
exist upon the government clerks, who
are forced 10 pay unreasonable prices
for what they need and at the end Of
the year are more in debt than in the
preceding year? With the cost Of Iiv-
ing at the salaries paid the clerks, it is
a financial problem to manage to live.
and an utter impossibility to save a cent.
Fifteen years ago when prices had
pot advanced 10 their present standard
the mOney-loaning agencies We're few and
far between. In proportion to the adj
vance in the cost of living, with no ad-
vance in compensation. have the loan
sharks increased in number.
Il can recall purchasing potatoes at
80 cents a bushel twenty-five years ago
They are worth now 81 a bushel or 80
cents a peck. Eggs could be purchased
then at 10 to IS cents a dozen. They are
selling at 80 and 45 cents Butter was
then worth 10 to 20 cents a pound It is
now quoted at 81 to 40 cents. Milk could
be had for 3 cents quart and cream
for 10 cents. It is now worth double
that amount In the matter of wearing
apparel. the same conditions exist.
Makes People Think.
1T makes a thinking man disgusted
10 hear statesmen and others in and out
of Congress talk about the great pros
perity sweeping over this nation. when
there is not a word of truth in it, except
the prosperity enjoyed by the trusts and
combines. All we ask is reasonable COM
pensation."
Readings for the Blind.