Show I WAGES AND COST OF LIVING L VING Average Wa Worse Off Now Than In tn 1896 A man who in 1896 earned per perear year ear and had to pay pa out for tor liv living 11 living ing expenses would by 1807 1907 If he was i fortunate enough to share in the ad advance advance advance vance of wages receive 14 because e ethe the rate of wages la es increased 19 per cent during lurIng that time Therefore Th ere tort say sa the Uw Republican papers and speakers this and all an others like him may save 19 per cent c nt of their salary salao and still spend as much for tor living liing ex cx expenses expenses as they did in ii 1896 Let us see According to Duns reports the In Increase Increase increase crease in prices during the last twelve years has been 49 per cent European I prices in the same time according to t have hae increased 27 2 per cent The Tile higher hi her prices in Europe the econ coon economists economists say sa Is due to Ve e recent great addition to the worlds supply r of gold The increase of prices in the United States 19 49 per cent is 15 also due to the tho th larger gold supply as to 27 per cent but to the tariff trusts as to the other 22 per cent These facts may be shown thus INCREASE Rate of wages 19 per percent cent Cost of living 49 percent per cent Has the period been bene beneficial to the average Ask the housewife Apply Appl the figures to toa toa toa a man who was earning a year ear in 1896 1596 and spending for living ex cx expenses expenses They mean that in 1896 this wage earner e paying for or the years ears living would have from his salary of fifty dollars donars per year But in 1917 to purchase the same Fame articles arti le Jn lI the t same quantities would require Apply this 1907 expense to the tile 1907 sal salary salar salary ary ar of 14 and there then is a deficit of per year ear And this is practical practically ly I the comparative condition in the two tw periods of all aU except those in the building trades The average man was saving money mone moneIn in 1896 1596 and was running behind in 1907 The Increase in mortgages from rom 1890 1810 to 1900 was by far tar the greatest in all aU our history That the census cenUS of 1910 will show sho still sun greater debts amounting to tooer over oer of all real estate is foreshadowed by preliminary estimates Yet Tet in the last twelve years ears the wealth of the country countr has been enormously in increased increased creased cr sed Who Is getting the increase For it is now certain that the lot l t of t the industrial classes has grown liar lei II and the struggle for existence more In Intense Intense intense tense Nominally wages are higher in Amer America lea ica than in Europe but the American laborer produces sov so SOt much more in a aday ai aday i day a than the laborer in Europe that the actual cost of American labor is not high The fact is that American labor Jabor is isso isso ISso so much more productive than Euro European European European labor that it is nearly nearl as cheap Even Em though a manufacturer pays a higher rate of wages in America it often does doos not cost him as much in wages to make a given en quantity of oC product as it costs in Europe Europ I When the laborer coi cOles es to buy what he needs moreover he pays pas so much 1 more for what he gets that his high I wages do him but little good goodHe goodHe 1 He gives as many mariy days work for a asuit asuit I suit snit of clothes as the European labor laborer I Ier er His rent costs him as many man days da i of toil toll It n is high because building i Is expensive The tariff on n lumber i iIron Iron and steel is responsible for ex ox expensive i pensive building In fact the tariff I Inas nas has enabled the trusts to put up the tho I prices of most things to pay dividends n on fictitious capital The Tho increasing cost of living and th growing struggle for existence e l are arc fore forc forcing ing more and more women and children into industrial pursuits each year ear A Aman Aman man finds it more and more difficult I to support a 0 family without help |