The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-04-08
-ropIE PAYING MORE FOR ALL
THEIR FOOD.


Writer.
" interesting article recently ap-
I'd IN the Denver Post.
pet Of matters little that bread is bulk
aon+inued the advance in the past
~ nrtoan months despite the resump-
lo :on nj trade and general stimulus
Hill n business. The writer says ::
ITO drain on the pocketbook is
,,I.fnr and the outlook does not favor
noteworthy recession i'm the cost
any living. One would not grumble so
,,nh if these high prices came as the
l nas of prolonged prosperity, but
Ie shon thew are experienced just as
WV Wv are getting back to work after
ma nariod of enforced idleness there is
@SoppSiderable discomfort.
.rThis discomfort il not allayed by
An knowledge that wheat tends to be-
s .nn,e cheaper and that flour may be
uTrchased at lower figures, which
pp'iqht induce the baker to give one
n,ore bread and less air were it not
ut other commodities used in big in
Snstries are higher.
"That is precisely the trend
.bo country is now witnessing
NC regards the price situation. This
rt.tp of things forms vital social
orohIem and accounts for practically
fftv per cent of the essential eXpenGi-
+nras of the average family.
an fact. the head of the average
family laws out three times as much
for food as he does for wearing ap-
noro1 and food costs him twice as
much as his charges Hor fuel and rent.
therefore when edibles advance in
nrice income must be adjusted to out
po mr. if that is not cone less is car
Red over to prolific savings against
tho coming of the proverbial rainy day.
When the upturn occurs on meats,
butter, cheese and eggs the pairing
nrocess must be practised with vigor,
aenpcjally in the homes of poorer
folks.
According to official figures, meat
comprises one-third OF our dietary, or
which the consumption OF beef and
veal constitutes forty-seven per cent,
mutton and lamb seven per cent and
pork forty-six per cent.
In 1900 the average private FAMILY
contcined 4.6 persons, and the annual
consumption of meats by such family
amc1nteI to LOLA pounds, little over
one-hsIf of a short ton, or 2.T pounds
for ever one of the 365 days in the
year. So one can readily appreciate
what raise of & few cents per pound
on meat products, not to mention
other common articles of food diet,
means to the consumer.
Some of the most commonly used
ertjcTps rcve tccn n~me1, but ii il
we'll to know that on the basis OF cost
fresh beef holds first place on the
table of the average workingman.
Butter is second, milk third, eggs
fourth, -four and meal fifth, fruit
sixth, sugar seventh, fresh hog pro-
ducts eighth with salt hog products
ninth and potatoes tenth.
Now, it is hardly fair to compare
current prices with those prevailing
at or about this time last year, when
trade was either depressed or recuper-
ating from depression, nor is it we'll
to contrast them with quotations that
ruled in 1907, when prices were very
high, except at the close of the year.
ITO 60 back to the depths of 1895
would simply cause the growth of
false impressions, for widespread de-
preston ruled that period. In truth,
it would be better to set the present
figures against those of September 1,
1905, and of September 1, 1900, thus
illustrating the situation ten years
ago. five years ago and today.
In order to show price relations
ffty-three commodities sold at whole
sale and quoted by Broadstreet's are
used. Study Of these data shows that
wheat September | this year was 2O7s
cents per bushel higher than 1t was
on September 1, 1900, the rations OF
grain being % per cent and "a per
cent respectively. Corn was up 111A
cents, or % per cent. over September
|, 1908, and 31% cents, or 68 per cent
over September 1, 1900. Oats brought
10% cents, or "a per cent more on
September l, this year than on Septem-
Der 1 five years before, while the adj
vance over ten years ago amounts to
1212 cents, or IS per cent.
Barley this year costs 16 cents or
80 per cent. bushel more than it did
in 1905 and IL cents over it's cost on
September /, 1900 A bushel of rye
was II cents or 16 per cent cheaper
on September 1, 1905, that it was on
the same date this year and on Sep
TENDER l, 1900, it was 1914 cents or 81
per cent. lower.
Examination of the data covering
prices on ready or partly ready to use
articles reveals interesting changes
In every instance the changes here
after noted are based on quotations a.
OF September 1, this year, September
l, 1905, and September /, 1909. Beef
carcasses bringing one cent more per
pound than they did five years ago and
one and one-half cents more than in
1900. Hogs in carcass form and on
the per pound bases cost three cents
or ~ per cent in excess of 1905 and
four and one-half cents or 81 per cent
over 1900.
Mutton is up one and one-half cents
per pound and two and one-half cents
or 80 per cent. Milk is one-half cent
higher on the quart compared with
I9Oo and three-quarters cent over 1900
Eggs show an advance of six cents the
dozen, the gain being equivalent to
20 per cent. over 1905, and the raise
over 1900 is 66 per cent, or twelve
cents.
What is known as family beef is
YOU per barrel or 21 per cent. higher
IMAM it was in 1905, and $3.50 or SO
per cent. over 1900 Pork, new mess
Is dearer by $6.75. or 40 per cent, than
u was in 1905, and it brings
$40 or rs Der cent, more than
IL did in 1900. the prices being for 200
pound barrels. Bacon, a great break
last tavorite, was 81 cents per pound
cheaper five years ago than it Is to-