Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-03-16
EUROPE LIVING COST HIGH.
Taft Message e. Congress Tolls Of In
crease in Prices Of fooSstuffs.

] att Meeea0O 20 Son0Voso sotS ~ ~
crease in Prices OF fooastufs.
Washington. March 15.-That the in
crease in the cost OF living 10 not con
fined to the United States. but is felt
In England and by the thrifty peasants
Of France and Germany, Is shown by
q. report transrH tilted by President Taft
in a special message to congress.
The inquiry was conducted at the
presidents direction by the state de-
partment thru its consular officers
Comparisons of prices charged fol
staple food products are given for tho
last twelve years.
The report shows that in London
from 1896 to 1910, wages increased Ill
per cent and food prices 1915 per cent
The wages of railroad employees in that
time increased only 10 per cent. Bacon
and hams on the London market have
risen since 1905 from q fraction under
8 cents to fraction above 16 cents q
pound: butter. from 22.7 to 1851 cents
a pound: cheese. from 10.5 to Is cents
pound: lard. from So to 1876 cents
a pound: sugar. from to 4.s cents a
pound. The only decrease noticed Is
in -four. which in that time fell from
2.7s to 2.4s cents a pound.
In 1908 pound Of bacon or han,
cost a Manchester family 9.92 cents.
and in 1910. 1858 cents; two pounds
OF butter. 1874 cents In 1908 and 51.4a
cents In 1910; half pound OF lard,
s.2t cents in 1898 and 60 cents in 1910:
four pounds Of sugar, 1892 cents in
1898 and 1924 cents in 1910. Flour and
tea alone showed decreases. Coal
jumped from $2.41 q ton at the pit
mouth to 1922 a ton.
France has Jared no better. THE in
crease in the cost OF living" says the
American consul general at Paris. has
become the most generally absorbing
topic Of discussion by the people of
northern France" The consul at
Havre reports prices on food products
in November 1909. and in November,
1911. showing increases as follows:
Beef. from % to 80 cents; lamb, from
80 to ~ cents; veal. from 81 to 4S
cents: pork. from % to 35 cents; pota-
toes. from to 2k cents: eggs. from 4s
to So cents: butter, from 80 to ~ cents;
milk. from ~ to 6 cents: rice. from 8
to 10 cents; flour. from to 8 cents:
bread. from to cents: tea. from IS
cents to 81: soft coal. from SO a ton
to s12 a ton, and anthracite from $3.50
to 1880 q ton. Sugar showed q de-
crease from IL to 10 cents.
The meats quoted were from the sec
ond French quality, prime meats cost
ing from one-half to one third more
than these quotations. A report from
Lyons shows fish to have been the
only com modify which had not scared
in price in that district from 1909 to
1911.
The consul general at Berlin reports
that living conditions have been seri-
ously affected by the continued rise
in the price Of food products there. The
German report shows the average re-
tail price prevailing In fifty-one OF the
principal cities Of Germany during the
first week Of September. 1911. were:
Beef, 1874 cents: veal. 20.1 cents: NUT
ton, 1919 cents; fresh pork, Is cents:
ham, sliced, 81 cents: whole hams.
27.2 cents: bacon, 1875 cents: and horse
meat, 3.4 cents. Vegetables and dairy
products also showed considerable
increase from 1910 to 1911.