The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-03-14
PRESIDENT SUBMITS
MESSAGE TO coNeRgss
Calls Attention 10 Need Of Internal
ionai Commission to Look
Into Problem.
Submits Report on Increase on Prices
Abroad and Plan Of Coop
operative Societies.

Submits Report on Increase on Prices
Abroad and Plan Of Coop
operative Societies.
WASHINGTON. March 1.-the
President today. In q special message
To Congress. transmitted the FIRST in
stallment OF the information collected
by the Department Of State in regard
TO cooperation and the cost of living
In various European countries. The
Department. by direction OF the Presi-
dent. instructed the consular officers
TO make an investigation. The re-
shuts OF the inquiry are summed up In
a letter from Acting Secretary of
State Huntington Wilson. which 10
submitted with the consular reports
and with a summary of their contests.
The President in his message says
that the popular demand for inform
alton Of this character apparently
was based on the belief that some
remedy might be found for 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. Intelligence presented by
the cooperative societies shows that
even where there has been an ad-
vance In wages the percentage has
not kept pace with the rise In the cost
OF food supplies.
The President also calls attention
to his message OF February 2. In
which he recommended an Internal
I fannl communicative. " Lob t.N. che
cause for the high prices OF the neces-
stiles Of life the possible reme-
dies.
Acting Secretary Wilson in the let
ter to the President describing the
activities OF the Department of State
in carrying out the Presidents in
structions says that while the con
sular officers were engaged In their
Investigations their attention was
drawn to the facts given by the CO.
operative societies concerning the ad-
vance in the prices of the most neces-
sary articles OF food. The reports on
this phase of the subject were uni
form In showing that the members OF
the cooperative associations were
feeling the universal increase in the
cost of staple commodities. The con-
~sulgeneral at London forwarded q
table prepared by the cooperative
wholesale societies which exhibited
the increased cost OF certain articles
in the United Kingdom since 1898.
From n summary of rates of wages II
was developed that the per cent OF in.
crease in certain trades from 1896 to
1910 was Ill and in food prices
1873. The wages OF railway employ
ees during his period had increased
only 30 per cent The consul al
Southampton reported that during the
past five years there had been an ad
of 20 per cent in the purchase
price OF fresh beef. mutton. bacon
hams. butter. eggs. fruits. tea, dried
fruits, sugar. coffee. fuel, tin. goods
women's appeared, footwear. clothing
cotton goods bedding, furniture, and
underwear. A series Of figures relat
Ing to general groceries complied by
the Cooperative Wholesale Society o.
Manchester showed that as compared
with 1898 the increased cost OF liv
ing in 1910 was 1896 per cent.
Food High in France.
The consul at Havre. France, re
ported food prices in November. 1900
and I'm November. 1911. All these
with the exception OF sugar. showed
heavy increases. The consul n
Lyons said fish was the only foot
commodity that had not scared in price
With reference to Germany. tn,
consulgeneral at Berlin reported tina
living conditions were seriously AZ
fected by the continued rise in IN,
price OF food products. many OF tn.
commodies having advanced IA
above all previous records.
In Holland the consul at Amster
dam quoted an official agricultural re
port covering such articles as beef
pork. egg butter. ham. and wheat
which showed that the increase n
prices had ranged from I6 to SIS De
? cent In the 12 years following 1895
Reports for consular officers in othei
: countries showed similar advances.
Referring 90 the general sub5ec
matter Of the consular reports IN.
? Acting Secretary OF State saws ma
: much Interest attaches TO the coon
{ erative associations In the Unites
j hingdom because England may b,
aid 20 BE- he nursery % these socl
eties In 1885 the number Of socis,
ies vas slightly In ercess % s.0OO
VIII q membership % 2.T0f.0oO. Tn,
~ o. sales Nas $4,000. 900 pound
rferlng ana the net profits we're 10,
! p 900 pounds sterling Supplies o
: at sinls are purchased joinfiy a
Hholesai- yarn produce IL zradei
: ana Distributed through means q d
: Efs maintained On ueirhborinE ios n
~ throuEh selling SCENTS Market
r are visfiet D. rents vho INFORM ~
2 m-ubers a. to ~ kaally and Pre-
~ rTudura
Pc IN E.eisss
n~TrnsNnn or fhe Part 81 rrr~u
= olfraNfe fraf@su~n o. ros decid@dl
2 fs irteus fhan ir - e.rfier sfar-
2 - ~ unFeurrf 80 ~onsufar or
Gers report tut q pidesprraa antasu-
HN Gusts aunrE BRITISH rhnf
E~prrs auf criticism IN Constant -.
d earenrrE H. riaim IL mafs - "a
ID ranE i~nferssfa fhaf o-oop~rafre 80
= "a az rm COMPETE ufh t~rfflwaf
rsal trafluE ard fn rurport - IN
0orffrtrl rares 49, Ersn - 10.
@ - rra0rs arf ~ cnor~rsflvs sorisf
r FE r. faruua frnT rrnlurfa
2 unHn - Eurers frr--s 49, -
Z fnnm frnaa - 80 1870 -