Show THE COST I OF LIVING Lower in 1908 Than in 1907 Say Government Experts Bureau of Labor Bulletin Shows Prices Generally Advanced 369 Per Cent In Last Ten Years August Cheapest Time Washington Its annual report on wholesale prices macho public recently re-cently the bureau of labor taking asa as-a basis 258 representative utaple articles ar-ticles shows that these prices In 1908 receded as a whole from the high level of 1907 the year of highest prices during the period of 19 years nnd were only slightly In excess of the prices for 190G The average price for 1908 It Is stated was G2 per cent below that for 1907 As compared with 1897 the year of lowest prices during tho 19 year period tho advance In 1908 was 3C9 per cent As compared with the average for the ten years 1890 to 1899 tho advance was 228 per cent The decline from tho prices shown by the October 1907 data continued without Interruption until August 1908 with the exception of n slight advance In July Prices were at their lowest point of the year 1908 during the month of August when they were 11 per cent below the average for that year and 71 per cent holow the average for October 1907 the highest point In the 19 years covered The prices In December De-cember 1908 show an advance of lS over tho prices In August Of tho 258 articles for which wholesale whole-sale prices were obtained 1G2 show a decreaso In the average price for 1908 as compared with 1907 33 showed no change nnd 03 showed nn Increase Of the nine groups In which tho commodities were classified seven showed a decrease In price In 1908 as compared to 1907 In farm products taken as a whole there was a decrease de-crease In price of 29 In 1908 below the average for 1907 this decrease being be-ing the least of any of the seven groups showing a decrease food increased In-creased 24 per cent In price cloths and clothing decreased 77 per cent Fuel and lighting decreased 31 percent per-cent metals and implements decreased de-creased 126 por cent which was the heaviest decline of any of the groups lumber and building materials decreased de-creased 94 per cent drugs and chemicals chem-icals Increased seven per cent house furnishing goods decreased 38 percent per-cent und the miscellaneous group decreased de-creased 57 per cent The average wholesale price of raw commodities for 1908 was 59 per cent below that for 1907 and the average wholesale price of manufactured commodities com-modities for 1908 was G9 per cent below be-low that for 1907 Of the 258 articles Included In the report the prices of 10J were at the I highest point during the year In January I Jan-uary while only 20 articles attained their highest in December |