Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-10-22
HIGH COST OF LIVING WILL DROP
DOWN SOON, SAYS PRESIDENT TAFT
Bases His Prediction on Report
of Secretary of Agriculture
WISon-HWave Has Reached
Its Crest"
cBy Associated Press.)

BEVERLY, Mass, oct. BIN a
statement issued here tonight based
upon reports from Secretary of Agricul-
ture Wilson, President Taft declares
the wave of high prices for food has
begun to subside in this country
1.-The wave of extremely high prices
for food throughout the civilized world,
read the presidents statement, has
reached it's height in the United States
and is subsiding. The American people
have cause to be thankful that because
of our industrial prosperity it has not
been attended here with the great hard
ship which has prevailed in some of the
countries where high prices have com
bined with low wages to reduce the
working people to a point bordering on
starvation"
According to the announcement of
White House officials, Secretary Wilson
made an investigation of the causes of
the prices and the effect of the bumper
crops in the United States upon such
prices. The great prosperity of the
American farmer the report to the presi-
dent showed, has brought about a ma
terial decrease in the cost of food prod
ucts although in many instances the re-
duction will not become apparent to the
consumer for several months. The re-
port promises that the price of meat will
decrease notably on account of the
bumper corn CROP and after cattle,
sheep and hogs, fed from the crop,
reach the consumer
INDICATIONS FOR DROP.
Secretary Wilson advised the presi-
dent that on the nine great crops of the
country. corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye,
buckwheat, potatoes, faxseed and hay,
the Oct / prices indicated saving to
ha nnr of oh NO
The crop increase will make up to
farmers, however, reductions in price.
Mr.. Wilson shows that while the return
to the producers on Oct, J., 1911, amount
ed to $S,S6S 100000 at the prices prevail
ing Oct, /, of this year, their return will
be $4.474OOO.OOO
Mr.. Wilson's report. according to Off
Gals here, shows that the aggregate
crop in the United States will be about
20 per cent greater than It has been for
years. He. shows that the wheat crop
of the year is nearly 1OO.OOO,OOO bushels
greater than last year and says that one
high grade flour Is costing at the mills
so cents a barrel less than it did year
ago.
The corn crop Mr.. Wilson points out
exceeds 30O 100000 bushels and there has
already been a decrease in the price of
corn of cents per bushel. The hay crop,
he says, has increased more than 170O0,
600 tons over year ago and he declares
that I'm consequence the price per ton has
fallen $274. This increase, he maintains,
win not only decrease the price of meats,
but milk, butter, cheese, etc This years
oat crop amounts to 1,417 100000 bushels,
an increase over last years crop of more
than so per cent, According to the re-
port, Mr. Wilson declares, the in
creased crop and lower prices will also
make for lower prices for meats and
all live stock products.
On potatoes there will be saving of
nearly s1OO,OO0.0OO in the cost of living.
On Oct. / the producers were getting
Sill cents a bushel for potatoes, the in
vestigation showed, as compared with
1873 cents q year ago. The consumption
of potatoes is $50, 900 and the actual
reduction of cost is S94,50O,OOO,s the report
states. .e. .Htf
This years cotton crop is the largest
on record and although the price on Oct.
! was above last year it was 81 cents
less than the price of two years ago and
the new crop may bring a reduction in
the cost of cotton goods