Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-23
Trusts and Cold Storage
Among Them, Says Report
of Senate Committee.
DEMOCRATS DISAGREE
WITH REPUBLICANS
Authorized After Long Argument 10
Prepare Minority Report.
SAYS WORK WAS RESTRICTED
Failure of Senate to Appropriats
$65, 900 Asked For Claimed to
Have Handicapped Committee.

Republicans and democrats do not agree
as to the causes for the great increase
in the cost OF living between 1900 and
1910
The majority report OF the special SEN
ate committee which has investigated
these questions was submitted to the
Senate today by senator Lodge, chair
man Of the committee. A meeting was
held prior to the presentation of the re-
port. and the minority members OF the
committee protested against the character
Of the findings.
After long argument the minority
was authorized to employ an expert 70
go over the report OF the majority and
prepare the minority views for SUBJ
mission to the Senate.
The report made by Senator Lodge
was an exhaustive one. compiled from
testimony given by forty-one witnesses,
reports received from consuls and from
foreign governments. II contains Q
large number OF tables giving the
range of prices over the last decade
The majority charges that its work
was restricted by reason OF the refusal
OF the Senate to appropriate the &65.000
asked for by the committee. which
would have been used to employ agents
In the field.
Some Of the Many Causes.
The majority Of the committee found
that OF the many causes contributing 70
the advance In prices the following were
most marked:
Increased cost Of production OF farm
products. by reason of higher land val
ues and higher wages.
Increased deSnand for farm produces
and food.
Shifting of population from food-pre-
ducing to food consuming occupations
and localities.
: Immigration to food-consuming local.
ties.
Reduced fertility Of land resulting IN
lower average production or in increased
expenditures for fertilization.
Increased banking facilities in agricul-
tural localities, which enabled farmers
to hold their crops and market them 70
1t was found that this not only steadied
prices. but had a tendency to increase
them.
Reduced supply convenient to trans
portation faculties OF such commodities
as timber.
Trusts and Cold Storage
Cold storage plants. which result in
preventing extreme fluctuations Of prices
Of certain commodities with the seasons.
but by enabling the wholesalers to buy
and sell at the best possible advantage
tend to advance prices.
Increased cost of distribution.
Industrial combination.
Organizations Of producers or Of deaisea
Advertising.
Increased money supply.
Overcapitalization.
Higher standard Of living.
The foregoing nnoinss were gathered oy
measuring the prices Of 2T commodities
included I'm the price index number of the
bureau of labor. These commodities
were grouped and the advance noted for
the different groups during the period
eral wholesale price level In the United
States advanced during that period l4.A
Advances by Groups.
The groups show advances as follows:
Farm products. 39.S; food. ETC. 19.7; lun-
Der and building materials. 1919 miscel-
laneous commodities. 14.7; cloths and
clothing, l2.O: fuel and lighting. 69:
goods. 5.3; metals ana
implements. 3.6 decline was shown
for drugs and chemicals amounting %
% per cent.
1t is shown that the greatest advances
have taken place In the products OF the
soil. The committee criticised the use
Of forests by saying that there had besn
q large consumption without any parttcu-
lar attempt to replace the timber. The
report states that in view Of the fact that
the increases have been SO much greater
in products coming either directly or In
directly from the farms than In any
other line excepting products Of the
forests, the conclusion must be reached
that the most important cause OF the
present advance Is to be found In q study
of farm conditions. Concerning the ao-
says:
Why Beef is Higher.
The supply of government available
and for general farming has been ma
erially reduced. and the ranges are being
-apidly cut up into homes for settlers.
rhe cost of producing live stock has ma
erially Increased with the disappearance
If the range. which necessitates produo-
ng cattle on tame pasture and high
priced lands"
study of the Ia bles concerning whole
ale prices of farm and food products in
licates that the advance in the United
states In ten years had been more rapid
han in Great Britain. Germany and many
'ther European countries. but that they
lad simply approached more nearly the
world level of prices
A comparison of meat prices In the
United Kingdom and the United States
hows that bacon In 1900 was 73.4 per
ent higher in the United Kingdom than
n the United States. and that In t00o 1t
vas BIS per cent higher In the United
Kingdom than in the United Statea
about the same ratio existed In compar.
ng beef mutton, wheat and corn.
Compared with 1900.
Concerning retail prices the report
hows that in the United States In the
pring Of 1910 they were 1t the highest
oint reached for many years. A COM
ared with the spring Of 100 prices for
aeon were more than 20 Per cent h1gh-
+, ham was % per cent higher: -four was
bout 50 per cent higher: butter .abeoe