New-York tribune., 1910-03-11
PRICES HfH In 35
Old REPORT FOUND.
sio.rs Cost of Liviag u as
Serious Problem Then.
rrron -he Tribune Bureau.l

Sc government we're h4iaDiF 10 go ''4O
eessries Of lie at the compensation ihsS
we're then receiving, and that Sota JUSTICE
g. r-o7rietv required that their salaries
ba Increased. n the dusty E,cs OF '3e
Cs,,tol a orcial report has been found
containing information showing the cos ol
,zs rri57cinal household articles n "aSn-
l---o2 n 1888. Martin Van Hoten was
,resI6ert &C The senate when his report
vas transmitted 10 that body on M5E %
1895 bv Levi woodbury., Secretary of inc
T~easlr..
Z arrears from -lis report tIlat "A seFi-
s-5 generally = Omitted rise has latierly
taken race ID JAe'rocesssry and UnaFold-
z1e experses fer Tie comfortable support
~ . fa~uE" No special reasons for ms
Increase are sss;gred 81 tie report, hut ne
.slk tax -la interesting Document II vas
rescued from is hiding place hy cie-k IN
;e once Of Senator Aldrich VII dolot-ess
i-=l certain Insurgents and Democrats 70
cls-es trat the nigh pTtccs Of That year
-ere due - tie Fayle-Ai5rich bill There
Irs~ Re so-,e d.a@culty IN tracing this con-
r-e-tio-. towever. IS Senator A}Iricl p as
--t corn until frs years after tie high
r-es q 1885. While Representative Paynes
zrTfrsI a. Hamilton. :. Y, was not re-
corded in tas births until 13t2.
I1s report vas brought % the attention
- Senator Lodge, chairman of TIE special
committee which s. investigating present
fEh r-ices II. Lodge has had l. printed
e Senate document, 70 the erd thai Z
rsv bs k-ovn that the high cos' of living
~ss = pressing problem three-q1s-,ers -uf q
oe--ry ago.
Webster started inquiry,
e..
tc-1mertsry evidence bearing On prices
of necessities n 1:75. for he introduced
resolution asking the heads of the e2ccu-
re Departments 10 report 10 the Senate .
xrhat reasonable amounts should bs made
fu "a ugu,entauou' Of the compensation Of
c.erks. secretary Woodbury. replied that
tte salaries q clerks receiving less than
s - 2 year should be increased 60 that
t-sse receiving y1,5o snouLd get s. 80 and
hose receiving ssA9 should Get & con. In
trans 1---tlnE This report 1Ir woodbury. &C.
----rsried = With Communications from
re heads of the -srious bureaus q the
Treasury Department, each cf y hom urged
;-- increase on the ground that The clerks
7r-e l1alis n sustain themselves In
proper contort on their salaries
John Laub the acting Controller, said.
Under 2 triI conviction that the increases
in Tie pslce Of all necezsa-les q life have
h=en such as 70 render the present salaries
c. re clerks .n This Office Inadequate 10
;aer decent and comfortable support, 1
LfS, leave 10 report shat in Justice az
sezueatstol commensurate with tho en-
ra--e1 price Of the uecessaries OF life al
ir5ed 10 -kouId be made in those salaries
T. O. PICKETT The Fourth Auditor. said
'E-1sl5e--lg the present hisl prices Of
provisions iu this rlz %. and of almost all
articles which are purchased and con-
e--ed 1r families, I am fully satisfied that
ire sa-z-tes of The clerks might he properly
increased.
o-1sr Treasury officials made similar
-s-0l--e1dario1s while the thirteen mes
se-g=-s attached n the Treasury Dersrt-
ire-- ser CIT the fact that their salaries
vr-a trs6ecIs-e N support aud educate
-rair families. owing 70 The increased and
Increasing prices Of eli the nccessaries CT
ufr~
An Economical Mans Troubles,
TIE most interesting feature Of tie re-
rc-- = tho E-z-r e jonathan Seaver, a
s I'D C-erz t1 sic Office Of The Second Con
i-c.le- j. 3. Thompson. Ihe Control er.
testified -1z- 1I-. Sezver was "provc-bial
:7r economy and correctness" lie kept a
l.ar- IF a. his household expenses for
many .c---, and Includes in his report u
II. Thompson al i-euiZed statement Of his
Gs-l- expenditure for 1s55. IN the TWO
.cs-s preceding lie vas able To make 4
rusl saving from his salary uf s. "a, but
-Ss5 his expenses were 81 e more than
T.l9upelzati10. -T-. Sea-er's cost ot
lE in lsg vas S g and IN lss1 lis (
e-s 81 vere sI-e1 -
7-- S5aFers letter Z trausr1ittai vas I
-,rsa IN April - -sc5. '.I- may be T~cp- /
IL state, he says that IL has been (
log oHit r-n practice 70 purchase with cash. /
sno L-sr I have uot pad house rent or /
~ Te-r I- family las generally con- /.
'sts1 ~ t--ea grown rerzcas. lse children I
f2l servants. and Is i-y children were /
night a. home. IL expense Tor teaching /
.7- been incurred -1ul ls-t year: at pres /
81 -la- of them s--e1d school i may be /
l3n-er ago to -e-Iari. that tie So for !
80. ar Al-@ ID -g25 covers t7-9 yeavs' wages 4
pad = nonresident oN4e-. and hence !
-.7 - ~ ard 10 l. postscript 3Ir. |
S-rr says -aa- neither wine nor spirit /
IS ----7 -7 -sed 90 ay family except as /
and I g-Fe n dinners"
lsGI5lst i,era IN 1Ir Seaver's diary shows :
.. o1 -s-s-lE T. -S55. Ire price Of butter
HsS - ce1ls pound. Tor on that day
fs P--c asea trca II. knight ere firkin
a.is- esat aiming e.ghts-slx pounds. for /
-..- z r-i1 s-- 10 Itc continued making 7
1e-- I--c-ases Throughout January. and .
~.A -'-- ~ mat month purchased two .
s1a tTo -ags o. mutton Tor Sl3 70
a'--24e l--t.- vas cheaper u $50 than /.
n TOW. e=grt day prices of many other I
necessities arr much lower than taey were
-.''---s -asrs go. On January 25 Mr. I
i-1 s. for Gfty pounds @. sugar.
'ek ear.ier - paid 50 q fer bar
-opr and come lard On the same
- ---1 -.s lair cut, for which be paid (.
80 lae price of Il hair cut was only /
81 The H-zt time Dir. Seaver (
~ 70 t-e Barber Ec paid only y cents.
~ Wages ard Prices Then.
= Texture c: RE diary Is that II reveals /
s.i-a.lg way tie great difference il +
t=-1 - 1855 ard a. tae present time /
'-1-9at-= a.zg that present day prices
-e.~- - clothing gre much lower than .
".se "--c TIE government clerks
- CON -a-E.1= that their salaries were
~. l-rlc.eat 20 meet cheir needs. On
- IL following entry was made ia
80 "ii-r1 Of man two days. s. Gg'' (
tlr sesser purchased from /
ra:r II boots for 8 -. At
i-- hides were on tie free list. Is
'.ey sr- to-a-.-
-, n TIE entries .@ tie diary wee as