The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-09
HIGH PRICES MAY
Be IN L|MEL|GHT
Resolution Now Before Con.
gressiOnal Committee Plans
a Sweeping Inquiry.
COMPARISON OF PRICES
WITH TEN YEARS AGO
Vital Question Is: Have Wages
Kept Pace With Higher
Cost of Living?

WASHINGTON. Feb. S,-Harmoniz.
ing thc several resolutions introduced
in the senate directing an investigation
INTO the cost of living, the Republican
leaders in conference today perfected
r resolution on that subject which was
later presented 10 tbc senate by Mr.
McCunber of North Dakota 1t was
referred to the committee on contin-
gent expenses. which Will consider the
question of cost of conducting such an
inquiry.
The resolution bears the name Of Sen
ator Elkins as author and embodies the
principal features Of the NcCumber
resolution as well as some Of those CON
taincd in the one introduced by Mr..
Lodge.
Scope of Inquiry.
The inquiry is 10 he conducted bv n
select committee Of eleven senators and
If is planUcd to assemble all of the in
formation possible bearing upon the in
creased cost of articles Of food since
1900 and report. if possible, at the
present session Of congress.
In making the investigation IT is
provided that special attention shall be
given 10 The following subjects:
Wages. salaries and earnings and
nacc with the increase in The cost of
living.
Increased price of such articles as
meat. grain. provisions, cotton, wool,
clothing. rents, lumber. coal, iron, oil,
brick and cement.
Price to the producer. the wholesaler
or iobber. the retailer and the consumer
at which articles included In the invcsti
CATION were distributed and sold in the
year 1000 aud the price for their dis
position at the present time.
Production and Distribution.
The cost Of production of the articles
mentioned and the cost of their distri.
button and sale when in the bands Of
the wholesaler or iobbcr and the retail
cr between the same periods.
Whether such articles have been IN
creased IN price by reason of the IN
creased production Of gold throu~bout
the world and thc expansion of the
currency in tho United States or by tar
iff or other legislation of congress. or
by any monopoly. combina tinn or con
spiracy 10 control and regulate or re
strain interstate or foreign commerce in
the supply. distribution or sale of such
articles.
The prices Of food products. on the
farm i'm parts of The lnIted States.
Wholesale prices of such food prod
ucts at the wholesale trade centers Of
the United States.
Retail prices of such food products in
the larger cities of the United States
and also Il comparative statement show
ing the costs of production on the farm.
Power OF Committee.
The committee is ordered to report 70
he senate Suggestions or recommends
tions as to the remedy 10 be applied 10
reduce the cost Of living and accompany
its report with drafts Of bills of such
legislation as viii. in tbo opinion Of the
committee. correct and remove thc
causes which have enhanced the prices
of The nccessarics Of life.
An hour after Mr. McCnmbcr had
presented the resolution from the fl
nance committee and il had beeu re-
forrcd 10 the committee on contingent
expenses. Mr.. Eean. chairman of the
latter committee. reported the measure
back with recommendation that it be
adopted.
Mr.. Stone objected to immediate CON
sldcration of the resolution and it went
over until tomorrow,
! Mr.. Crawford said that the important
! point was TO ascertain whether there
! had been an increase III wages. No ono
! doubted he said, that there had been 2
general increase IN prices of food and
other necessities of life.