Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-03-22
GIVES DATA ON
COST OF LIVING
PRESIDENT TAFT SENDS voLU-
MiNous REPORT TO THE MA
TioNAL CONGRESS.
GATHERED BY OUR C0NsULS
Investigation In Foreign Countries
Shows That Much Unrest Exists
Information viii Help Con-
sumers Solve Problem.

sumers Solve Problem.
Neutrality-suspicious. a number Of
months the state department has been
investigating through the consular
agents the subject of the increased
cost of living. The president has just
transmitted this voluminous report to
congress together with the following
special message on the subject:
To the Senate and House of Repre-.
sentatives:
transmit herewith a letter from
the acting secretary Of state with ac-
companying data on cooperation and
the cost of living in certain foreign
countries.
The popular demand for informa-
ton of this character apparently was
based on the belief that some remedy
or partial relief might be found for
the growing burdens of the high cost
Of living. The immediate result of
the inquiries instituted by the de
partment of state through the con-
sular officers was to accentuate the
fact that the increase In the prices of
the common necessities of life is
worldwide and that it is an absorbing
question with the cooperative asso-
citation as well as with the mass Of
consumers as individuals. Multiplied
evidences of the universal restless
ness under this condition are given.
Wages Do Not Keep Pace.
Intelligence gathered and presented
by the cooperative societies shows
that even where there has been an
advance in wages the percentage has
not kept pace with the rise in the
cost of food supplies. This dispropor-
tion in many cases is so marked as to
be startling.
The information collected and col
sated by the department of state is
comprehensive and is permanent
contribution to the history of the ef-
forts Of producers and consumers, but
more especially Of consumers, to solve
for themselves the economic, prob
lens of production, distribution, and
consumption. If the cooperative as
sociations which have been in exist
ence for half century and more have
not been able to determine the funda-
mental causes of the increased cost of
living or to retard the advance, the
student of social progress at least
may derive instruction from the ac-
count of the associations and their
influence on the we'll being of their
members.
Case for Experiment.
How far the system of cooperative
IT. =.
GUS European countries may be adapt
ed to our highly organized and indi-
vidualistic social organization may
perhaps only be determined by ex-
pertinent and in any case the expert
ment must be Of voluntary charac-
ter. The practical information con-
tanned in the reports of the consular
officers undoubtedly will be of much
value to those who are seeking to
work out this problem for themselves
by means of similar associations.
In my message of February rec
commended an international commits
sion to look into the cause for the
nigh prices of the necessities of life
and the possible remedies. Should
such a commission be authorized by
congress the relation of the co-opera-
! tive societies to this subject would be
of great interest and the reports of
the consular officers would have ad-
ditional utility.
WILLIAM H. TAFT
Much of the report submitted by
the president deals with the co-opera-
tive societies of England. The CO.
operative idea seems to have appeared
first in England and has reached its
highest development there. It was
firmly established as early as the six
ties. In 1862 there were 400 co-opera-
tive societies in England, with a mem
bership slightly in excess of 10000.
They sold 2,333,000 pounds sterling
worth of goods, and their net profits
aggregated 165,000 pounds sterling.
AS compared to this in 1908 there
were 5000 cooperative societies in
England, with a membership Of g.
100000, and sales aggregating 49,
100000 pounds sterling and net profits
totaling 10,997,000 pounds. The in
crease since 1908 has not kept pace
with the earlier years, but the socie-
ties are maintaining the sales aver,
ages. and are showing a healthy and
general growth.
The membership of the English CO.
operative societies is made up almost
exclusively of wage earners and are
strongest in industrial centers. such
as Lancaster. They are organized and
operated under a well-perfected code
of laws. All Of them are stock com
panies. W
TWO Die In Train Crash.