The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-06-25
HIGH cosr OF LIVING.


80 60
HIGH COST OF LIVING
The special Senate committee Which
has been investigating the cause LOT
The increase I'm the cost OF living IN the
last decade has made an exhaustive re-
port. based on the testimony or
seat cloud OF witnesses who appeared
NJ the hearings ard reports from con-
suls and foreign governments.
The committee. OF which Senator
Lodge is chairman and Senator Smoot
one OF the leading members, assigned
the following reasons for the prevail
ing high prices:
Increased demand for farm products
and food.
Shifting Of population from food
producing to food-consuming occupa-
tons and localities.
Immigration 20 food-consuming To-
calities.
Reduced fertility Of land. resulting
I'm lower average production or in in
creased expenditures sor fertilization
Increased banking facilities In agri-
cultural localities. which enabled
farmers 20 hold their crops and mar
ket them 20 the best advantage. 1t
was found that this not only steadied
prices. but had a tendency 20 increase
them.
Reduced supply and convenient
transportation facilities Of such COM
modites as timber.
Cold storage plants. which result in
preventing extreme fluctuations Of
prices Of certain commodities with the
seasons. but by enabling the whole
salers 20 buy and sell at the best pos
slble advantage. tend TO advance
prices.
Increased cost Of distribution.
Industrial combination.
Organization OF producers or deal
ers
Advertising.
Money supply.
Over-capitalization
Higher standard OF living.
A careful perusal Of the report will
convince even the most skeptical Of
the soundness OF the conclusions
reached by the committee. except. Of
course. those who do not want % be
convinced and refuse 70 open their
eyes 20 the light OF reason.
Outside % the trusts and combina-
tons Of all kinds. which have no
doubt played no inconsiderabie part in
increasing the cost OF the necessaries
Of life. the higher standard Of living
must be taken into consideration
with the constantly Increasing con-
sumption. and production not keeping
pace with the onrushinE tide Of pop
ulation. the people OF the United States
Of an classes and conditions have put
aside ali notions OF frugality and are
demanding the best there Is IN the
market. regardless OF price.
That r. their blessed privilege bus
70 cuts considerable figure when the
supply falls short OF the demand or
becomes limited 20 such an extent that
the cold storage men are enabled "a
corner the market We live high In
tine United states. and no mistake.
II was found by the committee thaf
the labor unions had not been a seri.
Gus factor in the case. and that wage
had not advanced as fast m prices
The LABOR unions. however. being or
Kanized FOR protection. have Jared bet
ter than the salaried people. who's
stipend has not visihly increased dur
ing the ten years from 1900 70 1910.
n bringing out these facts. the com
nittec furnished proof OF the thor
oughuess OF the investigation. nothin
having been omitted that would fur
nish the least -lcw 90 the real cause o
tho high prices.
The tariff was discussed ot Erea
1erGth I'm the report. and tho commit
tee reached the same conclusion as q
the case OF the labor unions. that 90
vas not a material factor I'm cnusin
the advance in prices during the las
decade
A minority report will come later. #
which the tariff viii be made 70 bea
the burden. the Democrats intendint
60 make that the issue I'm the mex
campaign. After reading the repor
OF the majority. however. IL does no
seem likely that anyone will be dc
ceived BY campaign buncombe.
Win the facts before IL. Congress
will doubtless proceed 90 correct tn
evils 80 far as they can be brough
under the law. II the meantime
behoovos each and everyone OF us Z
live within our means and be a htti
more economical