The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-13
FOOD PRICES CLIMB
UNDER NEW TARIFF
Imports Add But Two Ounces
Of Meat Per Capita
Per Month.
AND SIXTEENTH OF AN EGG
Commerce Department Report
Shows No Relief in
Cost Of Living. l.
AND SIXTEENTH OF AN EGG

new Democratic tartn law Deer Imports,
Including those from South America.
hare increased about two ounces per
caplta month and meantime the prices
Of all meat products have advanced. This
feet stands out conspicuousiy in ofhclai
Aivres relating to the import Of food
p{oducts just made public At the Depart
M,ent Of Commerce.
Experience with the new tariff thus far
d4ss not Justify the assertion that II Is
reducing prices of foodstuffs' on which 1t
lowered or removed duties. On the con-
trtry prices Of many Of the articles on
which the duty was reduced or removed
have continued to advance The official
publication OF the Department Of Com
uagca- shaWinE the imports for the month
sflJanuaU made in appearance to-day
ind thus gave opportunity to determine
what has really been accomplished In four
rnOnths operation Of the new law ~ to
the food supply Of the United statsa
Increase Of supply 10 Small.
A study Of the figures OF importation
q the principal foodstufYs shows that the
.quantity actually added to the food supply
has been extremely small. The principal
articles on which the duty was reduced or
sremoved with tine purpose Of lowering
costs are fresh meats. live cattle. wheat
flour. corn. eggs. potatoes. fruits. hsh,
sSbutter and cheese. While Importation Of
most of the articles has increased the
samount compared with domestic produce
ton and total consumption has been %
ANAL that no effect upon prices 10 ap-
parent.
In fact in large number Of the articles
- question the prices are higher at uhe
ntest quotations than before the change In
'the tariff.
y The quantity OF fresh beef imported IN
sthe four months OF the new law. October.
q November December and January. for
which data are now available, wrs in
rround figures IS. 900 pounds or an
s,aversss of less than half . pound per
scapita for the $4,000 people Of the
United States. This addition Of less than
-ene-half pound per capitA occurred. II will
be remembered. in n four months period.
thus making the average monthly addition
to the fresh beef ration q ths people leoD
than two ounces.
Meat Prices sim &c up.
. The number OF cattle imported in the
yfour months was $4,000 head. against
o136,000 In the same months Of last year.
= Yet In the face Of these increases In the
.roeef supply the quoted prices Of good beef
ccattle OF the Chicago MARKET for the
week ended March 4. 1914. was $500 per
.shundred pounds. against 1875 at the same
date last year.
These figures are quoted from Price
cssvs~t and Grots Rspsvtsv Of Chicago.
q an accepted authority. the Department OF
Commerce having for reasons doubtless
satisfactory to Mr. RedfeA recently Dis
continued its publication OF prices In the
o Domestic markets. The Department does.
= however. continue TO publish import and
- export prices Of = limited number OF
s,articles. and these ofRcial figures show
that the export prices Of domestic fresh
beef, which of course are based upon
domestic prices. were higher in December
1913, than in September. the last month
n, under the former tarin. and also slightly
u higher than in December. 1919.
II, Tho December issue Of the monthly
r. summary Of commerce and finance II
!, ~ only remaining price table shows the
Hport price OF fresh beef In December
. SSl3. As 1875 per pound against III ir
>eptember. the last month Of the forme,
:. taYifr. and 1875 cents in December Of last
:: year Figures Of import prices OF beel
are not included in the statement. but a,
"a quote higher prices for beef cattle ir
80 March. 1914. than at the corresponding
date IN 1918
Advance IL 0Pou0o-
In other food articles Of which con
( siderable quantities have come In. follow
| ing the reduction or removal OF the duty
| prices are also higher. Tho quantity o.
. corn imported IN the four months, Octobe
; to January, was about seven million
. bushels, while the price OF corn No
I on March 8. 1918, at Chicago. quoted q
I soh per pushed. against \s1s At the cam
\ date last year.
| The Department Of Commerce pubiaoa
! eion above referred TO gives the expor
price of corn in December, 1913, =
' 75.c cents per bushel aEainst Ss.1 d
: December. 1919, and this may be &C
=, copied as indicating the advance u
/. domestic prices.
Wheat imports during the four month
I have amounted to l,<i1, 900 bushels. aKsins
, $751; 900 bushels In the same months o
| last year. but the import price OF whea
! 10 officially quoted ut more In December
! 1913, than In December. 1912.
: Eggs imported in the four months G
! the new law amounted to 1.SS5.000 dozer
! Or about twenty-five and n half Intlho
cskr, or less than One-quarter Of one eG
! for each person In the United States l
4 Q four months period. thus adding abos
! One-sixteenth Of ono egg to the MONTH
/ ration Of the people. Meantime the nun
! her OF eggv exported from October I
! January 10 i've and a half million doxeI
or nearly three times AS many as wer
a t,.nc,sad In thin '1ar9a addition n nm