The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1918-06-06
How the NiCkle
Has Shrunk
The Buying Power of the Most Ac-
tive Piece of United States Money
Has Become Less Than 3 IL Cents
During Past Few Years

When Hermann, the famous magician
hrst walked out upon the American stage
took OIL his silk hat, said presto and pro-
duced live rabbit therefrom, his audience
was simply amazed. They could hardly be-
lleve their own eyes, They soon found,
however, taat it was the same kind of n ral,-
DIT that their own little boy had in the bacl,
yard and that natures course had not been
interfercd with When he picked dollars.
quarters. dimes and nckcls from the air,
some thought he sure was in league with
the devil, but once more his audience found
that things were not always as they seem"
This story was told at conference be-
tween Il prominent manufacturer ard his.
employees. who were seeking an increase in
wages to help them meet their ever increas-
ing cost OF living. The men used it to illus
trate to the boss the poirt that although
they had been given a 10 per cent increase
III wages during 1917, that the buying power
OF their wages had decreased Is per cent,
and that during 1913. they would really he
working on basis OF Is per cent reduc-
ton.
Investigation proved that the men were
correct in their deduction. They had re-
ceived wage increase. BIZ; their living ex-
binary war conditions, until what seemed to
some an increase. had really become re-
duction, because the buying power of their
nickels had become about three and one
half cents.
Thinking people are commencing to find
out that the vanishing buying power of a
nickel is not a magical mystery, but an act
ual condition that must be met on a fair
basis by the manufacturer and consumer and
the employer and the employee, if we are
going to have healthy industrial condi-
ton in America.
The 1913 nickel with a buffalo on it looks
just rs good as the loi2 nickel with ~"
or it. 1t takes twenty of them to make
dollar, hut 10 and behold, its buying power
today Is only three aud onc-lalf cents, COM
pared to the same kind of nickel in 1912
The nickel today does not go as far, or
buy as much. Five OF them heretofore
would buy two collars Then three of them
bought one collar Today it takes four
nickcls to buy collar. One nickel passed
for piece OF pie one year ago. Now it
takes two The baker was glad to take one
nickel for loaf of bread. Now he insists
on two. And so it goes The iive-ccnt cigar
has gone to six or seven cents. The ten
cent cigar To two FOR quarter. he popu-
lar nickel show has gone to ten and fifteen
cents. plus war tax.
Every place YOU turn TO "a nick has bccn
put in the nickel" until ON all sides it has
become in fact. nickel with an average pur-
chasing power Of only three and onc-half
cents.
The laborcr has been compelled to ask
more for his hire Price OF raw materials
have increased. The price OF freight has in
creased from IS per cent upwards The in
creased cost to the manufacturer has com
PEELED him to increase the finished pro-
ducts. all along the line, from Is to 100 per
cent.
All industries AMI public utilities that are
operating ut fixed rate are being com
PEELED by force of circumstances to ask for
relief. The electric lines giving service to
municpai,ics in the United States have