United labor bulletin., 1910-07-07
WHOLESALE PRICES ADVANCE.
Advance and Decline of Wholesale
Prices From 1890 to March. 1910.

| FTiCe6 FROM ioSO TO MdTCns iSIOs
The annual report on wholesale prices
| just published by the Bureau of Labor,
Department of Commerce and Labor, in
Bulletin No. ST. shows that wholesale
prices in 1909, as measured by the 257
commodities included in it's recent inves-
tigation, advanced per cent. over the
wholesale prices in 1908, but, with this
advance, they were still 2.3 per cent be-
low the average of 1907, the year of
highest prices within the period 1890 to
| 1909.
The highest point reached in 1907 was
| in October, from which month there was
general decline until August, 1905 Be-
ginning with September, 1908, there has
been a monthly increase without break
up to March, 1910. Wholesale prices in
March, 1910, were higher than at any
time in the preceding 20 years, being rs
per cent. higher than in March, 1909, 1O2
per cent. higher than in August, 1908,
21.1 per cent. higher than the average
yearly price of 1900. 1872 per cent. higher
than the average yearly price of 1897,
and 1873 per cent. higher than the aver
age price for the 10 years 1890 to 1899.
OF the 257 articles for which whole
sale prices were obtained. 125 showed an
increase in the average price for 1909
as compared with 1908, 81 showed no
change, and 101 showed a decrease.
OF the nine groups under which the
commodities are classified, six showed
an increase in price in 1909 as compared
with 1908, the largest percentage of in
crease being in farm products, namely,
m mhar nd hti1
terials increased 40 per cent. food, ETC.,
3.4 per cent, cloths and clothing 2.3 per
cent. and drugs and chemicals is per
cent, while the miscellaneous group in
creased so per cent. The three groups
in which the wholesale prices decreased
were house furnishing goods 30 per
cent, fuel and lighting IL per cent, and
metals and implements 0.5 per cent.
The average wholesale price of raw
commodities for 1909 was 80 per cent.
higher than in 1908, while in March, 1910.
it was 15.5 per cent higher than the av-
erage for 1908 and SO per cent. higher
than the average for 1909. The average
wholesale price of manufactured COM
modities for 1909 was IA per cent. higher
than for 1908, and in March. 1910, it was
~ per cent. higher than the average for
1908 and 81 per cent. higher than the
average for 1908 and 81 per cent higher
than the average for 1903; the March,
1910, price also showed an increase of
10 per cent. over January, 1910, and of
o.S per cent. over February, 1910.
Among the articles showing marked
increases in price in 1909 were choice to
extra steers. which increased "a per cent.
from February to November; cotton.
which advanced 59.2 per cent. from jan
uary to December; heavy hogs. 1861 per
cent. from January to December; light
hogs, 204 per cent. from January to No
| vember; Elgin creamery butter, 36.9 per
cent. from May to December; dairy but
ter, 52.9 per cent. from March to Decem-
Der; winter wheat flour, 44.2 per cent.
from January to June; lard, 37.3 per cent.
from February to December; short clear
bacon, 46 per cent. from February to De-
eember; short rib bacon, AGA per cent.
from February to December; milk. $50
per cent. from June TO December; coke,
81 per cent. from June to October; rub
| Der, 7i.9 per cent. from February to Oc-
tober.
OF the decreases in prices within the
year 1909 the most noticeable are as fol-
lows: Oats declined 1874 per cent from
May TO October; wheat, 23.1 per cent.
from May to September; spring wheat
flour. 1914 per cent. from June to Sep
tember, and glucose. 34.4 per cent from
September to December.
In addition to the article on Whole
sale Prices, Bulletin 81 contains interest
ing statistics regarding prices of wheat,
bread. wine. meat, butter. and rice in
Milan, Italy, from 1901 to 1908, also a
summary OF report on Cost OF Living
of the Working Classes in the Principal
Industrial Towns of Belgium" In regard
to wages and hours of labor, an article
is presented entitled wages and Hours
of Labor Of Union Carpenters in the
United States and In English-Speaking
Foreign Countries" and a summary OF a
report on Earnings and Hours OF Labor
in British Building and Woodworking
Trades"