1900 United Kingdom 61.6 per cent above 1909 United Kingdom 25.3 per cent above

The above comparisons show conclusivel prices in the United Kingdom were on a m than in the United States.

Retail Prices.

Retail prices in the United States in the were for many articles at the highest point re years. As compared with the spring of 1900 were more than 70 per cent higher, ham w higher, flour was about 50 per cent higher, 1 per cent higher, sugar 12 per cent higher, an cent higher. Some few articles, such as coffee about the same price as in 1900, but practic: of food were lower than in 1900.

Furniture was about the same price as in 1 ware was slightly lower.

Shoes and clothing were considerably highe Owing to the demand for high grade articles have taken advantage of the opportunity to advance prices for articles of better grades. sale dealer in New York testified relative to saw a bill here some time ago where we wer cents a dozen for eggs, and their bill to a party 75 cents a dozen."

In the United States wages have advanced mu idly than they have in European countries, in European countries practically no advance ha during the ten years under consideration.

Wages in the United States advanced in about gree as did prices until 1907. Owing to the pression of 1908, following the financial panic 1907, wages dropped considerably and in 1909 than regained the high point reached in 1907.

Hours of labor in practically all wage occu been reduced. The United States Bureau of La tion of wages and hours of labor in the princip turing industries has not been continued later tha 1907 wages per hour were 22.1 per cent above 1 of labor per week during the same period were per cent. The decline in hours of course affected earnings of employees for the reason that the lar of wage earners are employed either on the piece an hourly rate. From 1900 to 1907 full time w ings advanced 17.6 per cent, while wholesale pri modities advanced 17.2 per cent, or almost exact proportion.

The table which follows shows in the form of the advance in wages and the changes in hours period from 1900 to 1907:

Wages and Hours of Labor in 1907 Compared with 1900. [Compiled from Bulletin 77, July, 1908, of the United States Bureau of Labor.]

The greatest advance in wages per hour was 44.2 per cent in cotton goods, the second highest 36.1 per cent in hosiery and knit goods, and the third highest 36.0 per cent in contract street and sewer work. In the building trades the advance was 31.6 per cent.

The rates of wages per hour for bricklayers during the period from 1902 to 1910 advanced 37.1 per cent in Providence, R. I., 36.4 per cent in Kansas City., Mo., 35.4 per cent in Detroit, Mich., etc. Of the 18 cities for which wages of bricklayers are reported, 5 cities show an advance of 30 per cent or over; 2 cities show an advance of 20 per cent, but less than 30 per cent; 6 cities show an advance of 10 per cent, but less than 20 per cent; 5 cities show an advance of 7.7 per cent, but less than 10 per cent. Rates of wages in other occupations advanced in about the same proportion.

Wages and Hours of Labor in the United States and in Foreign

Countries.

The table which follows compares wages in the United States with the United Kingdom. In making the comparison wages in specific occupations are used. The occupations are carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, compositors, machinists, and blacksmiths.

19

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The average earnings for carpenters in the in 1907 was $0.4338 per hour; in Ottawa, Cana Birmingham, England, $0.1926; in Bristol, Engla and in London, $0.2129; in Berlin, Germany, $0 Dresden, $0.138; in Milan, Italy, $0.0521, a $0.0656.

Upon the basis of earnings per hour in 1907, earned by a carpenter in the United States, a Ottawa, Canada, earned $0.576; a carpenter in England, earned $0.444; in Bristol, England, $0. London, $0.491; a carpenter in Berlin earned $0. Dresden, $0.318; a carpenter in Turin, Italy, ear and in Milan, $0.12.

The table which follows shows the weekly sala employees in the United States and in foreign coun of the foreign countries provide retirement and o sions, but these do not make up for the difference in this and in other countries.

Salary per Week of Postal Employees in the United in Foreign Cities.

United States.

London

Birmingham

Liverpool

Birkenhead, Class B.

Manchester

Glasgow

Dublin

France, city carriers.

As has already been stated, the testimony of practically all witnesses who have been familiar with farm conditions is to the effect that the cost of production of farm products has risen very rapidly during the past ten years. Wages of regular farm hands have increased from 45 per cent to 75 per cent during the period from 1900 to 1910. Wages of harvest hands have increased in about the same proportion. The two tables which follow were compiled from the testimony of witnesses before the committee, and show for regular farm hands with board, and regular hands without board, the wages in 1900 and in 1910 and the per cent of increase during the ten years:

Wages per Month of Regular Farm Hands, With Board, in 1900 and in 1910, and Per Cent of Increase During the Ten Years.

Wages per Month of Regular Farm Hands, Without Board, in 1900 and in 1910, and Per Cent of Increase During the Ten Years.

production is the This necessitates

Another cause of the increased cost of great increase in the value of farm land. a much greater investment. The table which follows was compiled from testimony given by witnesses before the committee. The table shows the value per acre in 1900 and 1910, and the per cent advance during the ten-year period.

Value of Farm Land per Acre in 1900 and in 1910, and Per Cent of Increase During the Ten Years.

c Cotton-producing land.

a Grain-producing land. b Not reported. The above table shows that according to the various witnesses land advanced from 65 per cent to more than 250 per cent. On the average farm land appears to have doubled. Two or three decades ago the richest, of land could be procured from the Federal Government at a merely nominal cost, but the supply of government land suitable for general farming is largely exhausted, excepting such as requires irrigation or drainage, and a much larger initial outlay is necessary in order to secure desirable farming land. The richness of the virgin soil is disappearing, and in many localities the crop average can be maintained only by the use of expensive commercial fertilizers. The cost of producing live stock has increased with the rapid disappearance of the range. Live stock is now largely produced on expensive land instead of upon the range at a merely nominal rent. The expense of fattening cattle has also materially increased, by reason of the advance in labor cost, and the advance in feed.

The Demand for Farm Products and the Supply.

The present advance in prices, as has been stated, is primarily an advance in farm products and food of domestic production. The increased cost of production and other farm causes have already been discussed, even after all of those causes are taken into consideration, however, the advance would not have been possible unless there had been a suffcient demand for the farm products. The demand for farm products has increased more rapidly than the supply and the demand arises in our own country. The economic progress of the large mass of our people has resulted in a much greater consumption of foodstuffs.

The Tariff.

The tariff seems to have been no material factor in causing the advance in prices during the past decade. The greatest advances have been made in commodities upon which the tariff has little or no effect, and the absolute removal of the tariff on many of these commodities could not have afforded relief at the present time, for the reason that prices of these commodities, with a few exceptions, were as high or higher in other countries than in the United States.

The advance in prices during the past ten years appears to have no relation to tariff legislation. Beginning with January, 1900, wholesale prices in general declined slightly, and the decline continued through July, 1901. Beginning with August, 1901, prices advanced very slowly through March, 1903, and then remained steady through May, 1905. Beginning with June, 1905, there was a marked increase through October, 1907. Beginning with November, 1907, prices began to decline and the decline continued through August, 1908. Beginning with September, 1908, prices steadily advanced until the highest point during the ten years was reached in March, 1910.