314 Kansas Academy of Science. 



In 1916, with flour selling at prices higher than at any time 

 since the Civil War ; with potatoes far beyond the reach of the 

 poorer classes, and meat prices being paid producers of meat 

 animals showing almost 24 percent over what was paid for 

 1915 ; with butter, eggs and cheese all selling at higher prices 

 than they were in 1915 ; beans with an increase of more than 

 70 percent over 1915, and onions more than 50 percent higher 

 and cabbages more than 40 percent advance, we find the people 

 alarmed, especially the masses who earn a small wage. Why 

 was not something done fifteen years ago when prices began to 

 advance above normal ? You can see the advance in foodstuffs 

 is not new, but a sudden jump in necessities called forth a chal- 

 lenge, and hence every department of the federal government 

 is making an investigation which should have been made years 

 ago. 



Is it any wonder that most people are aroused at the present 

 time? Staple foods such as butter, eggs and cheese have in 

 1916 advanced nearly 50 percent in price on the Chicago mar- 

 ket, according to reports received in October, 1916, from deal- 

 ers in provisions, and even greater increases are shown in the 

 price of potatoes, cabbage and onions. Potatoes advanced from 

 48 cents a bushel to $1.45; cabbage sold for $3 a barrel as 

 against 65 cents a year ago. Onions that sold in 1915 for 60 

 cents a sack brought $1.35. Flour increased more than 60 per- 

 cent in 1916 over the year 1915 in October. Extras in creamery 

 butter sold at from 38 to 40 cents a pound as against 27 cents a 

 years ago for the same grade. Eggs retailed around 35 cents a 

 dozen, the same classification selling a year ago at 23 ^/j to 24 

 cents. Cheese dealers reported American cheese selling at 20 

 to 211/2 cents a pound against ISy^, to I41/2 cents a year ago. 

 Other food products showed as much or more appreciation in 

 value. 



Food prices were comparatively abnormal and high in 1914 

 and 1915. Let us look at the crop production of 1914. The 

 wheat crop of 1914 established in the United States record of 

 891,000,000 bushels, and was 128,000,000 bushels larger than 

 any other year. Th6 com crop of 1914 was 2,673,000,000 

 bushels, and exceeded 1913 by 226,000,000 bushels. The po- 

 tato crop for 1914 was 406,000,000 bushels, and was second in 

 size in the history of the government and was 74,000,000 

 bushels larger than in 1913. The oat crop in 1914 was 1,141,- 

 000,000 bushels, and was third largest on record. 



