St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-12-07
High Cost of Living Abroad.

/
creased cost of living in other
countries as well as this before at
tempting to claim that the increased
! cost in living here was due to Ameri-
can politics. The following reports
taken from the Hartford Courant
seem to prove that there are other
causes than American politics re-
sponsible for the present high prices.
1t says:
1.-The worldwide interest in the
cost-of-living problem is reflected in
the consular and trade reports re-
ceived by the federal department of
commerce and labor. Complaints
of rising prices for food come along
pretty steadily and from countries
whose people canot lay the blame for
conditions which are admittedly
serious upon the American tariff. A
recent issue of the trade reports con-
tanned communications dealing with
this subject from four American con-
suls. William J. Pike, consul at
Reichenberg, writes that meetings
tria to protest against the steady
advance in prices. He says that these
messages were attended by citizens
of all classes, ''for the hard times
caused by the prevailing high cost
of living are experienced not only by
the working classes, but by all en-
gagged in trade.'' A meeting held
in Reichenburg, the principal city of
northern Bohemia, was attended by
thousands of citizens. Mr.. Pike says
that this gathering did not take on
political character, but he adds
that "an appeal was made to the
government for change in policy
whereby the importation of Ameri-
can and other meats would be made
possible These people of northern
Bohemia may find relief in the i'm
portation of "other meats" but
under present conditions they can
not reasonably look hopefully to this
country as a basis of meat supply.
Consul Pike continues:
It was shown that Austria was not
capable of producing, or at least did
not produce, a sufficient number of
cattle to supply the home market,
hence it was the demand of this as
semblage of people that the frontiers
| be opened to the importation of
meats and other foodstuffs,s this
being the only feasible remedy for
prevailing conditions.
If this remedy is really feasible,
/ it is bound to look more and more
! attractive as a 'tWay out" not only
| for the people of Austria, but for
those of other countries who see in
pretty steadily widening gap be-
| tween demand and available supply.
If in some parts of the world great
numbers of cattle are still slaughter
ed for their hides and horns, there
will be continuing and increasing
demand that the meat which is now
wasted be marketed where it will do
the most good.
From Charlottetown, Consul Frank
Deedmeyer writes that "notwith-
standing abundant crops, with trans
portation facilities the same as last
year, there has been a decided
rise in price of farm and animal pro-
| ducts but not in wages in the Pro-
vince of Prince Edward Island" The
city of Charlottetown maintains a
public market to which farmers
/ bring produce twice a week. Mr..
Deedmeyer quotes the prices OF
many articles as they were a year
ago and as they are now. Nearly
everything to eat is higher, and in
most cases the advance has been con-
siderable. Last summer there was
an advance of about 5 per cent. in
the wages paid to farm labor, but the
consul says that "only on the farm
have wages advanced in this pro
vince" Consul H. S. Culver of st
John, N. B., writes of the cost of liv.
ing, but without comparing prices
at different periods and with nc
reference to wages paid. Condi
lions in Germany are discussed il
this brief paragraph written by Con
J sui General Frank Dillingham; of Co
! burg:
| During the i've years last the cos
J sof living in this part of Germany il
particular, and throughout the EN-
pire generally, has materially in
creased. In this duchy and city i
J has doubled. This increase in nu
merous instances has caused priva
tions, especially among the laborins
) classes, because the average wage re
mains the same as it was when ths
} necessaries of life cost so per cent
less.
! Perhaps the American consumer
, will pardon the economists for as
i signing the American tariff to !:
minor place when considering tn,
reasons for the movement TOWARD