Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-05
SUGGESTION FOR PROBE
Plan of Wilson Investigation, He
Declares, Not Thorough.
COMPARISON OF THREE YEARS
Table Showing Retail Prices in
1890, 1896 and 1oO9-Rate
of Increases Given.
To the Editor OF Tho Star.


The announcement by Secretary Wilson
Of the Department of Agriculture that he
will ascertain the cause OF the high prices
of foodstufrs by having his agents learn
TO what extent retail prices exceed whole
sale prices for butter. eggs. milk.
potatoes. apples, turnips and other fruits
and vegetables falls far short OF what
is desired. His Investigations can 60
much further and be more thorough.
They should supplement tho work Of the
proposed scientific tariff commission by
doing for agriculture what tho commits
sion Is to do for manufacturers In ascer-
tanning the cost OF production. and the
wholesale and retail prices of COM
modities.
Scope of Thorough Inquiry.
Secretary Wilson has the machinery for
making a thorough investigation and for
setting forth separately and in detail the
following:
First. The farmers cost of production
of each OF the principal farm products.
Second. The prices received by the
farmer for each product, including. the
gross and net profit to the farmer above
the cost of production.
Third. The cost of transportation from
point OF delivery by the farmers to the
cities or places where the product is
handled or processed by the wholesale
dealers or other persons preparing 1t tor
Fourth. The prices paid to the whole
sale dealers or preparers by the retail
dealers.
Fifth The prices paid by the consum-
ers to the retail dealers.
The cost of handling or preparing the
product by wholesale and retail dealers
and other persons should be included.
The New England senator's tell us that
the wooden manufacturers margin OF
profit in the goods used In thirty-hve-
dollar suit Of clothes Is reasonable. 9th
ers assert that 1t Is the jobbers and mer-
chant tailors that cause the high cost OF
wooden clothing to the consumer.
The western senator's and Secretary
Wilson tell US that the farmers profit on
food products Is not all that 1t should
ers are the delinquents and responsible
for the high cost of living. Let US have
all the facts.
The increase in the cost Of food staples
is the paramount problem In every family
depending upon salaries and wages
What that increase has been Is essential
TO a knowledge of the situation and fur
nishes a reason for the proposed investi-
cation by Secretary Wilson.
Comparison Of Three Years.
In its eighteenth annual report the
Commerce and Labor gives the items in
detail of the retail prices Of food prod
ucts from 1880 to 1903 secured by its
agents from the records OF retail stores
in the principal cities Of the country, in
Guiding Washington.
The following table, compiled from that
report as to the prices for 1890 and 1895,
gives the prices charged the consumer in
rhe retail stores OF Washington for GER
tain food DrOductS The wear 1904 Uos
the year OF lowest prices in the past
twenty years. Fractional parts of cents
are omitted for convenience. In the
table are also given the retail prices for
the same food products at the present
day in Washington, with the percentage
of increase in prices in 1900 over the
prices of 1890. The grades Of products in
the three periods are the same.
Retail prices in Washington stores, 1890,
1895 and 1909:
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
z
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
sss s
20 ==saz==e==z=z=zss
zz IS