Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-24
G. 0. p. Probers Blame Natural
and industrial Causes for
Raise in Prices
SEEK TO ABS0LvE THE TARIFF
Admit Wages Have Not Propor-
tionateIy AdvanCed-Demo-
Gratis viii Report Later
Associated Press1

WASHINGTON, June zo.-INepuoi-
cans and Democrats do not agree as
70 the cause for the increase in the
cost of living between 1900 and 1910.
The majority report of the special sem
ate committee which has been inves-
tigating these questions was submit
ted to the senate today by Senator
Lodge and the minority members OF
the committee protested against the
character of the findings.
The minority was authorized to en-
ploy an expert to go over the report
of the majority and prepare the minor
ity views for submission to the senate.
The majority of the committee found
that of the many causes contributing
to the advance in prices the following
were most marked:
Increased demand for farm products
and food.
Shifting of population from food
producing to food-consuming occupa-
tions and localities.
Immigration to food-consuming To-
calities.
Reduced fertility of land resulting
in lower average production or in in
creased expenditures for fertilization.
Increased banking facilities in agri-
cultural localities, which enabled farm
ers to hold their crops and market
them to the best advantage. 1t was
found that this not only steadied prices
but had a tendency to increase them.
Reduced supply convenient t9 trans
portation facilities of such commodi-
ties 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 to buy and sell at the best pos
sible advantage, tend to advance
prices.
Ix,o Of iCtr
Industrial combination.
Organization of producers or of
dealers.
Advertising.
Increased money supply.
Overcapitalization.
Higher standard of living.
BIG ADVANCES SHOWN
The groups show advances as fol-
lows:
Farm products 1915, food, etc. 1877,
timber and building materials 1876,
miscellaneous commodities 14.7, cloths
and clothing 1910, fuel and lighting So,
house furnishing goods 5.3, metals and
implements 3.6.
A decline was shown for drugs and
chemicals amounting to 20.9 per cent.
Concerning retail prices, the report
shows that in the United States in the
spring of 1910 they were at the high
est pOlillo III 4NGH OIh III liidIiy years..
Compared to the spring of 1900 prices
for bacon were more than 10 cents
higher; ham 33 per cent; flour about
per cent higher; butter 45 per cent
higher; sugar 12 per cent higher, and
eggs 100 per cent higher.
A few articles, such as coffee and
tea were about the same price as in
1900 but practically no articles of food
were lower than in 1900. Furniture was
about the same as in 1900. Earthen-
ware was slightly lower. Shoes and
clothing were considerably higher.
The committee reports the tariff was
no material factor in the raise in
| prices.
wages have not advanced as rapid
ly as have prices" the report says,
land practically all labor difficulties
that have been the subject of media
| ton in the United States during the
last two or three years have had as
their basis the advanced cost of liv-
ing.
wages in the United States ad-
vanced in about the same degree as
did prices until 1907"
BLAMEs HOUSEWIVES
Hours Of labor in practically oil
| wage occupations are shown to have
been reduced. This reduction affected
the weekly earnings of employees for
the reason that the large majority of
wage earners are employed on the
piece basis, or at an hourly rate. From
1900 to 1907 full time weekly earnings
advanced 17.6 per cent. There are no
figures for years subsequent to 1907.
The majority report says there are
many industrial combinations that are
not trusts in the sense of being or
ganized to control prices in restraint
of trade. but by manufacturing or
controlling percentage of the output
they are able to exercise some control
over prices.
The committee report says:
1.-THE prices of many of the trust
| products have not advanced as rapidly
| as have other commodities. In some
cases where produced commodities
/ have advanced greatly the advance ap-
| pears to be due largely to other
causes, such as short supply"
1t was found that labor unions had
not been a serious factor in contrib
| uting toward advancing prices.
| Advanced cost is laid to no small
| extent to increased expense of distrib-
uting food by wholesalers and retail
| ers
The committee found that the house
! wives bought in small quantities and
on rush orders in manner that great
ly increased the expense of doing bus
| mess.