Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-05-05
One Report.

One commission charged with the
duties of investigating the reason for
the high cost of food has reported
| That commission was the one created
| by the Massachusetts legislature ana
| which consisted of Robert Luce. AL
| bion F. Bemis, Henry Abrahams. Ed
ward F. insolvency and Medric D.
Laporte. Their findings and recon-
mendations were unanimous.
The reasons assigned for the con-
ditions which are now causing more
or less dissatisfaction among the Peo-
pie are very similar to those suggest
ed by individual investigators, namely
The increase of the gold supply, waste
of income, ornaments, reductioh VI
the volume and increase OF the eA-
pense of production and the concen-
traticn of population in cities. 1t is
worth noting that the tariff is left
ont. The decision was reached after
several weeks of careful consideration
ana may De ldily NOiio''S'So e' - ~
statement of conditions.
The commission goes further in the
body of it's report and takes the
ground that the primary caus" Of the
world wide advance Of prices during
the last three years has been the in
crease of the gold supply which mas
reduced the purchasing power of mon
cy, thereby raising values. 1t is de
ciared that the advance in the United
States has been accelerated greatly
by waste of income through cxpendi-
lures for war and national armamcntS.
wastage both Individually and social
ly and also by the policies Which nave
reduced the volume and increased the
expense of production. Another fac-
tor has been the drain of population
from the land to the cities. thereby
decreasing the proportion of persons
producing food and increasing the de-
mand upon IL reduced supply.
The finding of the commission re-
garding the tariff, the trusts and the
unions is interesting and valuable
1t finds that they cannot be regarded
as direct causes of the advance, as
prices have fallen and risen during long
periods regardless of changes in duties,
and commodities not affected by the
tariff have increased. 1t is also fact
that the price of trust controlled com
modities have not risen to Il marked
gree and that the same conditions
in countries where they are not con-
trolled by trusts have increased to a
higher degree. AS for union labor be-
ing responsible for the increased cost
of living, it is pointed out that less
than 10 per cent. OF the workers are
organized, and that the price of COM
modities which this 10 per cent. pro-
duces have not been noticeably ad
vanced.
A portion of the report of the COM
mission is given over to the following
recommendations The appointment
of commission which shall be a court
to correct injustice in the distrbu
ton OF staple articles to consumers;
the creation of a commission on mar
ket improvements: the transformation
of cattle bureau into a bureau OF
animal industry; the provision of ma
chinery for the better distribution of
immigrants. especially among the ru-
raj districts; the labelling of food
packages so that the amount of the
contents il easily ascertained; the
regular and rigid inspection of cold
storage plants; the modification of
laws so as to permit the development
of a trolley freight service and ii bet
ter protection of the public against
short weight and measure, especially
in coal.
II is obvious that this report and
recommendations apply to the stu
alton as found in Massachusetts,, but
i'm the main it is applicable t" this
state and is valuable for that reason