The San Francisco call., 1910-06-24
SENATORS MAKE
COST OF living
A PARTY ISSUE
Republican Majority of Commit
fee Attributes Increase to
Many Causes
Democrats Protest Against
Findings and Arrange for
Separate Investigation

WASHINGTON. June 23.-Republi-
cans and democrats do not agree as
10 the cause for the increase in the cost
Of living between 1900 and 1910
The majority report of the special
senate committee which has been in
Nestigating these questions was sub
mitted to the senate today by Senator
Lodge, chairman of the committee A
meeting was held prior to the pres
entation of the report and the minor
ity members of the committee pro-
tested against the character of the
findings.
After long argument the minority
was authorized to employ an expert to
so over the report Of the majority and
prepare the minority views for sub
mission TO the senate. The report made
!. by Senator Lodge was compiled from
testimony given by Al witnesses, re-
ports received from consuls and from
foreign governments.
CAUSES OF HIGHER PRICES
The majority of the committee found
that Of the many causes contributing
10 the advance in prices the following
were most marked:
Increased demand for farm products
and food.
Shifting of population from food pro-
ducing 10 food consuming occupations
and localities
immigration to food consuming To-
calities
Reduced fertility of land resulting
IN lower average production or in in
creased expenditures for fertilization.
Increasing banking facilities in agri-
cultural localities. which enabled farm
ers 10 hold their crops and market
them 10 the best advantage. 1t was
found that this not only stea died prices
but had a tendency to increase them.
Reduced supply convenient TO trans
portation facilities of such commodities
as timber.
Cold storage plants which result in
preventing extreme fluctuations Of the
prices of certain commodities with the
seasons, but by ena bling the whole
salers to buy and sell at the hest pos
sible advantage tend to advance prices.
Increased cost of distribution; in
dustrial combination; organization Of
producers or of dealers; advertising; in
creased money supply; overcapitaliza-
tiOn and a higher standard of living.
COMMODITY PRICES COMPARED
The foregoing findings were gathered
by measuring the prices of 251 com
mOdities included in the price index
number Of the bureau Of labor The
commodities were grouped and the ad-
Vances noted for the different groups
during the period from 1900 10 1909
" inclusive. The general wholesale price
. Ievel in the United States advanced
during that period l4-5.
The groups show advances as fol-
lows:
Farm products. 39.S; food, 1877; tim
=. Der and building materials, 1876; mis-
celIaneous commodities, 14.7; cloths
n rn1 md iC~h n
69: house furnishing goods, SO; metals
and implements. 3.6. A decline was
shown for drugs and chemicals
q. amounting TO 20.9 per cent
Concerning the advance in the cost
of food the report says:
The supply OF government avail
able land for general farming has been
materially reduced and the ranges are
being rapidly cut up into homes for
settlers. The cost OF producing live
stock has materially increased with the
disappearance Of the range, which
necessitates producing cattle do
mestic pasture and high priced lands.
D.. HIGHEST PRICES IN YEARS
Concerning retail prices the report
shows that in the United States In the
spring Of 1910 they were at the high
est points in many years. AS compared
with the spring Of 1900, prices for
bacon were more than 10c higher, ham
33 per cent higher, -four about per
cent higher. butter about 45 per cent
higher. sugar about II 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. Earth
enwsre was slightly lower. Shoes and
clothing were considerably higher.
WAGES AND SHORTER HOURS
Wages have not advanced as rap
idly as have prices" the report says.
and practically all labor difficulties
that have been the subject of media
-tion in the United States during the
last two or three years have had as
their basis the advanced cost of Hv-
ing"
1t is shown, however. that the ad-
vance in wages has been more rapid
in the United States than in European
countries. The report says:
Wa ges in the United States ad
.Nsnced in about the same degree as did
prices until 1907
eSala ries have been advanced but lit
lie during the last 10 years"
Hours Of labor in practically all wage
occupations are shown TO have been re-
,5uced. This reduction affected the
weekly earnings of employees, for the
reason that the large majority of wage
Searners. are employed on the piece basis
ar 81 an hourly rate. From 1900 to 1907