Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 112, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1920 — LIVING COST STILL SOARS [ARTICLE]

LIVING COST STILL SOARS

Wholesale Prices of Staples Show Average Advance of 22 Per Cent for Year. UP 100 PER CEHT SINCE 1913 Minneapolis Leads In Increase of Retail Prices—Only 11 Commodities Have Declined—Greatest In* crease Is In Building Materials. Washington. —The cost of living is still on the increase, according to reports received by the bureau of labor statistics of the United States department of labor from retailers in 50 cities. The average family expenditure for food whs 2 per cent higher on January 15, 1920, than on December 15, 1919, and the cost In December was 2.6 per cent higher than It bad been in any previous month. These figures show an Increase of 9 per cent since January, 1919, and an Increase of 104 per cent since January, 1913. The comparisons are based on the average retail prices of the following articles, weighted according to the consumption of the average family: Sirloin steak, round steak, rib roast, chuck roast, plate beef, pork chops, bacon, ham, lard, hens, flour, cornmeal, eggs, butter, milk, bread, ■ potatoes, sugar, cheese, rice, coffee and tea. During the months from December 15, 1919, to January 15, 1920, 29 of the 44 articles of food for which prices were secured in 1919 increased as follows: Cabbage, 33 per cent; potatoes, 26 per cent; granulated sugar, 23 per cent; onions, 11 per cent; lamb and rolled oats, 8 per cent each; hens, 7 per cent; plate beef, 6 per. cent; flour, 5 per cent; sirloin steak, rib roast, chuck roast, bread and cream of wheat. 4 per cent each; round steak and raisins, 3 per cent each; rmtned salmon and rice, 2 per celt each; ham, evaporated milk, macaroni. baked beans, tea, coffee and bananas 1 per emit each. Eleven articles decreased in price, as follows: Strictly fresh eggs, 8 per cent; butter, 5 per cent; lard and banned tomatoes, 3 per cent teach; pork chops, storage eggs and oranges, 2 per cent each; fresh milk, canned corn, canned peas, and prunes 1 per cent each. . Increases In Ona Year. From January. 1919,toJanuary.

prices were secured on both dates increased In price as follows: Onions, 120 per cent; cabbage, 98 per cent; potatoes, 69 per cent; granulated sugar. 65 per cent; raisins, 53 per cent; prunes, 47 per cent; coffee, 41 per cent; rice, 81 per cent; flour, 28 per cent; canned salmon, 16 per cent; crlsco, 13 per cent; cream of wheat and bananas, 11 per cent each; oleomargarine and strictly fresh eggs, 10 per cent each; bread, 8 per cent; evaporated milk and storage eggs, 4 per cent each; lard, 2 per cent, and lamb and tea, 1 per cent each. Articles which decreased in price during the year were navy beans, 18 per cent; plate beef, 16 per cent; bacon, 14 per cent; canned tomatoes, 11 per cent; chuck roast and baked beans. 10 per cent each; pork chops, 8 per cent; ham and canned corn, 6 per cent each; round steak, 5 per cent; rib roast, 4 per cent; cheese and canned peas, 2 per cent each; sirloin steak, nut margarine and oranges, 1 per cent each. The price of cornflakes was the same as in January, 1919. Potatoes increased 238 per cent and granulated sugar 207 per cent for the seven-year period from January, 1913, to January, 1920. This means that the price in January of this year was more than three times what It was in 1913. The price of nine other aticles more than doubled during this period: Pork chops, 101 per cent; lamb, 202 per cent; rice, 110 per cent cornmeal, 120 per cent; lard, 121 per cent; strictly fresh eggs, 123 per cent; storage eggs, 148 per cent, and flour, 145 per cent The statistics show that the average expenditure for 22 articles of food increased from December, 1919, to January 13, 1920, in 41 cities and decreased in 9 cities. Largest Increase In Minneapolis. For the year period January, 1919, to January, 1920, the greatest increase, or 16 per cent was shown in Minneapolis. The next largest increase, or 11 per cent was in Chicago, Detroit and Springfield. The other cities showed increases ranging from 1 per cent in Baltimore to 10 per cent In Cincinnati, Fall River, Omaha, Peoria, St Louis and St Paul. Wholesale prices in general showed an increase of 22 per cent in January of this year over January last year. The greatest increase in this period is shown for lumber and building materials. which advanced 66% per cent in price in the 12 months. Cloths and clothing articles and housefurnishing goods followed next with increases «E 49% and 48% per cent respectively. Food prices as a whole rose over 22 pop vcnw/nrvßw - . „ .