Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-01-14
FOOD PRICES HIT
VERY HIGH MARK
During 1914 Were Highest in
50 Years; Other Commodi-
ties Show Change

NdSIlnSlOl lJs ~ Jan CON
prices in the United States during
1914 were higher than at any time
during the last 81 years with the ex-
ception of the years 1882 when they
were 4 per cent. higher than 1914
prices, 1888 when they were on the
same level and in 1912 when they
were l per cent. higher The Bureau
of Labor Satisfies in its annual bull
letin just issued on wholesale prices
of commodities reviewing the years
from 1860 to 1914 disclose that in
the So years food prices were high /
est in 1864 when they were 76 per
cent. more than 1914 prices and low
est when they were 40 per cent. be- !
low.
In the years of the Civil War and ,
during a dozen years or more after
ward prices of all commodities were
the highest since 1860 when the first
attempt was made at keeping a record
of wholesale prices. In 1864 prices
of most commodities reached their
highest point Lowest prices were re- |
corded in the years from 1894 to
1898.
The effect of the European war on
wholesale prices in the United States
is not fully disclosed in the report as
prices for only the first five months
of the war are recorded. Comparison
of Civil War prices with those pre-
vailng in this country during the
European war therefore Is not pos |
sible. The Spanish American War ap- |
parently had little effect on whole (
sale prices as they remained on about
the same level as they had been in
the period Immediately preceding 1t. !
Farm products prices in 1914 We're
higher than they had been in the last
A years. AS with food prices their
highest point was reached in 1864
when S5 per cent. more than in 1914 |
and lowest in 1896 when 56 per cent. |
below.
Clothes and clothing were lower in
1914 than during the previous year
and were higher than at any time |
since 1884, when they were on the
same level, except in 1907, 1910 and !
1913. Their highest prices were in |
1864 when 254 per cent. more than
1914 and loves in 1896 and 1897 when
20 per cent. lower.
Fuel and lighting prices were per |
cent. lower in 1914 than in 1913 but |
were 80 per cent higher than the |
lowest point reached in 1894, and 120 |
per cent. below the highest point, |
reached in 1866.
Metals and metal products were
lower than they had been since 1906, |
being per cent below 1913 prices.
Their highest point was reached in |
1864 when 1914 per cent higher than
in 1914 and lowest in 1898 when 81
per cent. below 1914 prices.
Lumber and building materials |
were per cent lower than in 1913, |
50 per cent. below their highest prices |
reached in 1864 and 3S per cent. above |
their lowest point reached in 1897. |
Drugs and chemicals were per
cent. higher than in 1913 and higher
than they had been in 80 years. They |
were 260 per cent. below their high |
npint rnaHa 1894
cent. higher than their lowest prices |!
in 1895.
House furnishing goods were higher |
than they had been in 80 years, being !
% per cent higher than their low
est prices made in 1897 and 1S4 per |
cent. below the highest prices pre- |
vailing in 1864.
Prices of all commodities COM
bined were per cent. below the |
prices of 1913 and on the same level |
as those of 1912. They were lower by |
137 per cent. than the high prices of
1854 and higher by SO per cent. than
the lowest prices prevailing in the
years of 1896 and 1897.
A FLEA IN THE EAR OF LABOR |
There must come time when the
workers of the countries now at war
will return to their benches, and moth. !
ing that skill and inventive genius and |
hard work can do to win back the |
trade and commerce that were sud |
denly brought to a standstill during
the time of the war and diverted to |
America will be left undone When !
that time comes, the competition of ,
our long established industries as we'll /
! as those that have sprung up since the !
beginning of the war, will be tremen-
dous. 1t requires no mathematical |
genius to demonstrate that inflated |
wages will have to return to normal, |
and possibly to what would be re.
garded at the present tire as subnor- !
NAL.
1t would be wise, therefore, for our
citizens to take thought for the future,
while the stream of prosperity is at the !
flood. Their present surplus earnings
should be regarded in the light of ex-
tras, to be put aside as a provision !
against the time-whch is sure to
come-when they will be needed. If /
they do this, instead of yielding to the !
temptation to raise their standard of !
living to the level of the high wages
they are now earning because OF the
general trade expansion brought about
by the war, they will be taking a wise I
and provident step, the true value of
which will be appreciated hereafter
when, with the bursting of the bubble, !
everything seeks its normal channel, !
wages ncluded-CHRIsTIAN HERALD.