Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-03-25
INCREASE IN COST or LIVING.
State Labor Commissioners Re-
port shows Startling Advance
In This State.

flSufeS Uelng cOnplleu Dy OhdfleS
f. Hubbard, state labor commission
er, show that the cost of living has
gone up steadily in Washington since
1900 when the department began
keeping statistics upon this subject
and the next biennial report will
show that the increase in wages has
not kept pace with the increase in
the cost of food Flour in the ten
years covered has jumped from
SO % a barrel in 1900 to the record
price of Sc Is a barrel in 1910, an
advance of Sis over the prevail
ing quotation in $1,000 and s higher
than in 1908. The advance in flour
alone has been a trifle more than IS
per cent.
In the same period coffee has ad-
yanced p per cent; sugar. q per
cent; butter % per cent; hams. SO
per cent; bacon, 81 per cent, and the
average increase on all other meats
has been 20 per cent The increase
on groceries has been an average of
slightly more than SO per cent.
That the price of food stuffs is
steadily climbing at the present time
is demonstrated by the bids received
by the state board of control in pur-
chasing supplies for the state fnstitu.
tons. In the past six months the
prices have gone steadily upward as
is shown in particular by the bids for
supplies at Orting. received last
! October compared with those receiv-
ed yesterday as follows: beef as adj
yanced from $3.50 to $9.25: hams,
$l4.05 to SIS; bacon, $16.45 to
$40; lard, $1&.25 to $500; flour,
$4. 81 to s.. 10; barley, $27 to $50:
bran dropped from $3.50 to $25;
yellow corn meal advanced from
$1.97 to $2.22; butter, dropped
from $34 to $32 while rolled oats
remain at So.
Thus the old soldiers at Ortine
would have to be fed on bran. sorts.
rolled oats and butter 10 keep the
cost of the institution at the same
place 1t was just six months ago. In
addition to this the state buys at fig
ures tat represent the lowest pos
sible price, getting advantage Of the
competition of the wholesalers and
buying in large lots These prices
are considerably under what the
householder pays and in many in
stances are lower than those given
the store keeper who sells to the pub
lie.
The figures compiled by Commits
sioner Hubbard are borne out by all
of the state departments which buy
| food supplies in large quantities. The
cost Of maintaining the state institu-
lions has steadily increased year by
year and within a short time data
will be prepared to show just what
percentage this increase totals. Com
missioner Hubbard gathers his
prices from all parts of teh state al
his figures have never been disput-
led.
At present he is ENGAGED in commit
ing a tabuIated statement If rofor
ence to the prevailing nrfcas If food
commodities The fiorras socprod and
the resultant comments which tho
commissioner will make in connec-
Ition with Thorn will form, o nor+ior IF
the regular biennial renort Of tbo
work of his denartmen IN he euhn,ft-
ted to the next legislature.
In his official report Mr. Hubbard
will compare the advance in the cost
of staple groceries. meats and otba,
food stuffs. with such increases nc
can be shown to have taken place in
the wages of various classes of labo,.
The purpose in view is TO ascer-
tain. if possible. whether wages have.