New-York tribune., 1910-06-24
aNDTAR|FF NOT TOBLAME
u.iority of Lodge Committee
~ Reports on Cost OF Living.
VARIETY OF CAUSES FOUND
..est Advance in Commodi-
~. Of Which Large Surplus.
Is Exported.

VS. ~ the special committee which in
,he cost OF living was submitted
ssslsS'see eo,a,e to-day by Mr.. Lodge. the
ssirr1sn- .,.,,,so5 ., srs.4 ,a,-,+b =,
ihe -. and the conclusion is reached
se had been no material factor in
ssl ,ne advance in prices during the
shs,.s This conclusion was based On
ss' o. .,at ;he greatest advance had
iht 70 IN commodities which are usu-
- -.s,ced in sufficient quantities to
sE large surplus TO other countries.
-. -, are few figures available to indicate
lnr t.6 heen the effect Of the recent
.-1 revision
the report says there are many in
1s.l combinations which are not trusts
f..,ee Of being organized for the pur-
controlling prices in restraint OF
~. hv reason of manufacturing or
ss1.,,-g a percentage of the ouput they
'a"s. ~ exercise some control over
,ss The report says;
--toes Of many OF the trust-produced
Ias IaEs,assitjes have not advanced as rapidly
tal.iL.... ether commodities. In some cases
1 s 70 srcb produced commodities have ad-
i .uP largely 10 o'lie' -" '~0H 0S 0iioi'
slpy
4 ,set,ne was held before the presenta-
"a the report and the Democratic
4 Ae-s of the committee protested
st the character OF the findings. After
4 - argument they were authorized TO
4 --lny sn expert TO go over the report of
- -aaiority and prepare the minority
Il,
-. rsport made by Senator Lodge is an
-h,nstlve one. compiled from testimony
=, nv forty-one witnesses and from re
80 received from consuls and foreign
s.-.-nneuts. It contains a large number of
.s,ss giving the range of prices in the
- decade. The majority says its work
i =, -ss-ricted by the refusal of the Sen
:. "a appropriate the $4,000 asked by the
--u;,ee which would have been used to
w.5loy agents in the field
Factors In Increase of Prices.
4 he majority found that of the many
4 ~-sss contributing TO the advance in
q --ss the following weer most marked:
a ,reased cost OF production of farm
3 --1iucts By reason cf higher land values
I--r-essed demand for farm products and
! ssit.,,g Of population from food-produc-
q n "a feod-consuming occupations and 10
T-mieration 10 food-consUming localities.
= p.5uced fertility OF land. resulting in
q -Tg- average production or in Increased
Il gperdi1uTes for fertilization
y Increased banking facilities in agricult-
ii localities which enabled farmers to
n ID their crops and market them to the
re- advantage. Il was found that this
q n only staadie6 prices but had a ten
5srcv 10 increase them.
II Reduced supply convenient &c transpor-
Il ,aun facilities Of such commodities as
6oId storage plants. which result in pre-
rsnting extreme fluctuations OF prices Of
-rsir commodities with the seasons, but
81 : enabling the wholesalers TO buy and
q Il al the best possible advantage tend
3 IsTsased cost OF distribution
j 5-ssniaatson. Of producers or of dealers.
u ai7ertising.
~ lrEease6 money supply.
4 capitalization.
q Hsler standard Of living
ras foregoing findings were gathered by
asasnring the prices Of 257 commodities in
daied in the price index number Of the
3resu 0f Labor These commodities were
"a grouped and the advances noted for the
Il EeFent groups IN the period from 1860 to
81 ~ Inclusive. TIE general wholesale price
q s7s IL the United States advanced "a that
q is-iOd AS per cent.
4 Ihe groups show advances as follows:
a tsTTn products, 39.S; food, etc. l9.7; lumber
i li building materials. 1876; miscellaneous
81 a1modities. 1s7: cloths and clothing. 12;
Il and lighting. So; house furnishing
tSds, SO. metals and implements. So A
sl-ne was shown for drugs and chemicals
mounting to 29 per cent
Advance in Farm Products.
L is shown that the greatest advances
2Fe taken place in the products Of the
n TIE committee criticised the use Of
@ssis By saying that there had been q
Il zse consumption without any particular
Isnpt 10 replace the timber. The report
asas that in view Of the fact that thesin-
sases have been so much greater in prod
coming either directly OF indirectly
'M Inc farms than In any other line ex-
II Products Of the forests. the conclusion
III De reached that the most important
3-Se Of the present advance IS to be found
Study Of farm conditions.
q -ncerning the advance in' the cost Of
ID e tie report saws:
81 Ae supply Of government land available
seaeTal farming has been materially
-sceo and the ranges are being rap
gu up into homes for settlers. The
- ot producing livestock has materially
Hs.seseo with the disappearance Of the
which neCessitates producing cattle
le pasture and high priced lands.
1uoy q the tables concerning whole
Prices Of farm and food products indi-
'S nat the advance IN the United States
@l years has been more rapid than in
Britain, Germany and many other
Vpesn countries, but that they had sim
approached more nearly the world level
nparlson Of meat prices in the United
4On and the United States shows
oacon in 1866 was ia per cent higher
United Kingdom than IN the United
e ana that iB 1909 il was 3s.9 per cent
n the United Kingdom than in the
- states. About the same ratio ex-
- Il comparing beef, mutton, wheat and
sefhlng retail prices. the report shows
the United States IL the spring OF
We're at the highest point reached
years. AS comuared with the
lS5o prices Of bacon were more
per cent higher. ham was 80 per
81 A-sfer. foF- 49, 1e,,.