The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-06-07

X "Our educational system is in X
y part responsible for the increas- X
= ed cost of living, for believe X
X it has produced feeling among X
r the poorer classes that it is no X
& longer proper to work upon the X
Z. soil, and that more refined X
y method of obtaining living is X
* desirable. The educational sys- X
X TEN serves to draw the laboring X
+ class from the fields to the X
4 charms of city life with its op. X
X portunities to drive a hack or X
x open a small corner store. y X
X Frank Scudder.
4 X
sA ~ X X X X X X X X X X X X 4:
Although the cost of living in Ha-
waii is higher in relative degree than
ten years ago, the scale of wages has
materially advanced during the same
time, and in fact, has outstripped the
increase in the cost of necessities of
living. These were among the many
statements made during a discussion of
the cost of living held yesterday af-
ternoon at the Hawaiian Board of Mis-
sions.
The meeting was called as result of
a request from Secretary Hills of the
peace movement. in Washington. Ha-
wall IS contribution to the symposium,
while sustaining the prevailing opinion
that the cost of living has increased,
will declare that wages for the poorer
classes have also increased in excess of
the increased cost of living, the plan
tation laborers being pointed to as an
example, their pay having been dou
bled during the past ten years.
DIR. Doremus Scudder, pastor of the
Central Union Church, presided at the
meeting, which was attended by Prof.
NJ. NJ. Scott of the Mckinley High
School. Prof Edgar Wood of the Nor
NAL School, President Horne of the Ka-
mehameha Schools, President Gilmore
of the College of Hawaii, Rev. w. b.
OIeson of the Hawaiian Board, D. l..
Wilmington, Theodore Richards, Alex
ander Hume Ford, Rev. j. 2. Erdman,
James A. Rath. Professor HitchcocK,
Editor Sheba, f. c. Anterior, P. M.
Pond, Rev. A. A. Ebersole, DR.. John
Gulick and Frank Scudder.
Relative Increase.
Doctor Scudder said that the subject
was an interesting one and that 1t
would be valuable if definite statistics
were offered to prove that the cost OF
living had or had not increased. lie
stated that from his own Investigations
the cost had only relatively increased
as many local products did not cost
much more than they did decade ago
Professor Scott spoke of prices pre-
vailing here twenty to thirty years ago
and remarked that as cantaloupes were
then sold at FIVE cents apiece, the price
had advanced, and vegetables in sen
eral had increased third over former
prices. Washing was much CHEAPER In
Che old days. For fifteen years after
ne came here he used to 90 to May Is
for bacon and the best sold for from
10 to 1S cents per pound. Now he pays
35 cents for the same or an inferior
brand. Oatmeal costs more today, and
flour had advanced fifty to seventy
five per cent He was able in the old
days to get serge suit for $50, the
same today costs about $50.
The professor had asked many local
dealers the cause for the increase None
knew. If it is in dry goods some deal
ers say it is the tariff. Why should
ham cost more, he asked. They do moi
know. They just know they pay 81
cents and sell for 50. He spoke OF
the packers of bacon on the mainland
and said, that whenever the great pack
ers combined and monopoliZed the
trade and spread their packing estab
llshments over the land, the cost went
up. Where there was competition thu
prices for ham and bacon We're lower
Proceeding, Prof. Scott said, schoo
desks cost more today than fifteen year,
ago. He did not know why, except
that one factory turned out metal parts
another the wood parts, and so on, and
another concern assembled the parts
Each producer controlled the market
for the portions turned out, and this
probably accounted for the increased
cost. Professor Scott did not believe
the output of gold had any effect upon
the increased cost of living
Weight OF Luxuries.
Luxuries, he went on, might be re
sponsible for a part of the increase
cost of living. Seventy five per cen
of the people Of the United States ar,
wage Gamers, said he, aud some OF thl
people have 10 live like swine, aud u
his opinion high taHif does not protect
ihe working man,
'"rhe Increased cost " living IN Ia
wnii,n said Professor Scott, 'is due
20 the increased cost on the mainland
! know that everything consumed al
fhn table has Increased enormously"
Alox hume Ford who has lived her
siA yraa, las taken Nnllce 0f Whai hl
claims 10 he Creator cost ~ living
nFppnr grown b. lht poruRuese
Formerly fhfRp afp nov sold ihf0uRl
nhinpte mldliemani and the price ha
a0uH up Alligator pears iikrNire
100 iHpsneff hshIng huisi f0nir0'linl
ihe NHN huaInrw, ani dealing ihr0ugl
midilfmfH. hove caused nn advance 4
ADO mice 0f nah 1lr United hiHin
a0foinmani hrff dpHllng diff0 Nill
ihr wnlNfhF Hnl loser W|lnt on
s0lpilan p ih0 riallem Hf ip ldna