The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-06-24

CONDITIONS
RESPONSIBLE
High Cost OF Living Largely
Due to Increased Cost of
Farming.
THE TARIFF NOT RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE ENHANCED PRICES

The Greatest Advances Have Been
Made in the Commodities Of Which
We Produce Sufficient Quantities to
Furnish Surplus to Other Countries.
Washington. June 24.-The senate
committee which investigated the hiSh
cost OF living has made its report. The
majority Of the committee found that
OF the many causes contributing to the
advance in prices, the following were
most marked:
Increased cost of production Of
farm products by reason Of higher Of
higher land values and higher wages.
Increased demand for farm products
and food.
Shifting Of population from food
producing to food consuming occupa-
tions and localities.
immigration to food consuming 10.
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
farmers to hold their crops and mar.
ket them to the best advantage.
1t was found that this not only
steadied prices but had a. tendency to
increase them.
Reduced supply convenient to trans
portation facilities of such commodi-
ties as timber.
Cold storage plants which result in
preventing extreme fluctuations of
certain commodities with the seasons,
but by enabling the wholesalers to
buy and sell it to the best possible
advantage, tend to advance prices.
Increased cost of distribution.
Industrial combination.
Organizations of producers or OF
dealers.
Advertising.
Increased money supply.
Over-capitalization.
Higher standard Of living.
The foregoing findings were gath
cred by measuring the prices Of 257
commodities included in the price In
dex number of the bureau Of labor.
These commodities were grouped and
the advances noted for the different
groups during the period from 1900
to 1909 inclusive. The general whole
sale price level in the United States
advanced during that period 14.5. The
groups show world level of prices.
A comparison Of meat prices in the
United Kingdom and the United States
shows that bacon in 1900 was 1874 per
cent higher in the United Kingdom
than in the United States and that in
1909 It was 31.9 per cent higher in the
TYv,ik al t. 10 Y-S
States. About the ratio existed as
compared to beef. mutton. wheat and
corn.
Concerning retail prices the report
shows that in the United States in
the spring of 1910 they were at the
highest point reached for many years.
As compared with the spring of 1900
prices for bacon were more than 70
per cent higher; ham was 80 per cent
higher, -four was about 80 per cent
higher, butter about 46 per cent high
er. sugar about 12 per cent higher, and
eggs 100 per cent higher.
Some few articles, such as coffee
and tea were about the same price az
in 1900, but practically no articles
Of food were lower than in 1900.
Furniture was about the same price
as in 1900. Earthenware was slightly
lower. Shoes and clothing were con-
siderably higher.
Wages have not advanced as rapid
ly as have prices" says the report.
"and practically all labor difficulties
which have been the subject of media
ton in the United States during the
psst two or three years have had az
t:e.r basis the ad 'snce4 cost Of liv-
ias.'
1t Is shown. however. that the adj
in the United States than in European
WAGES in the United StAss ad-
vanced in about .he same degree as
de ar eea, until 1907. Salaries have
advanced but vely little du.ing the
past ten years."
Hours of labor in practically all
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 sarnings
advanced 17.6 per cent. There are no
figures for years subsequent In 1907.
The tariff is discussed at great
length and the conclusion was reached
by the majority of the committee that
it had been mo material factor in
causing the advance in prices during
the past decade" This conclusion
was based upon the fact that the
greatest advance had been made in
commodities which are usually pro-
duced in sufficient quantities to fur
nish large surplus to other coun-
tries. There are few figures available
to indicate what had been the world
level of prices.