The times., 1898-11-02
ASK FOR CHEAPER BREAD
Low Price of Flour Warrants
the Reduction.
A LOAF FOR THREE CENTS
Consumers Believe the Cost of the
StnR of Life Should Decline With
That of Wheat and Flour-unfair
to the POor-Asking for Justice
The Peoples Rights.

The people of Washington want cheaper
bread. The cry has gone up against the
Accent loaf and 1O0oO families are arrayed
against the bakers of the District in the
struggle for the reduction of cent or
even fraction of a cent per loaf.
To the careless, well-fed individual the
price of bread is immaterial. One cent
| per loaf more or less would not affect a
proportion of the populatien: In fact, 1t
is doubtful If thousands of citizens of
Washington know the price of loaf of
bread. On the other hand, the great COM
mon people, those who toll and delve for
the staff OF life, are ever affected by the
rise or fall of the price of this necessity.
One cent per loaf means much TO them,
and the extra dollar per month resulting
from one cent difference per loaf is
great sum. so great even as to cause
, pinchng and saving in other directions
/ that bread be obtained
The justice of the present crusade
against the bakers is as broad as day
| when facts are brought to light. Even
| though the bakers reduced the price of
| bread one cent per loaf they would still
| retain a princely profit, and the effect on
| their finances would not seriously affect
/ any of them.
One year ago the price of flour was 50
per barrel. Tne bakers sold one pound
/ loaves for 4 cents and made fair prof
ii. To-day the flour used by bakers costs
but $3.50 per barrel. The bakers still
! sell one pound loaves for cents and
make an enormous profit.
Che contention of the people who con-
sumo the greater part of the bread Is
/ that If the bakers could sell bread for 4
] cents per loaf when -four was 50 per bar
| rel they can afford to sell a loaf for J
cents when Hour is one-third cheaper and
still make fat profit.
Wheat has fallen to 65 cents per bushe
and is likely TO remain near that figure
until Spring. Flour is correspondingly
cheaper and will remain cheap so long
as wheat is low. The bakers seldom pur-
chase flour in less than twenty-five bar
rel lots. They use what is called the sec
ond grade of flour This -four in the var
I ious brands priced yesterday in large
4 consignments ranged from $50 to $3.50
per barrel The brands at the latter
! figure We're Obelisk and Victor and are
of a better grade than that generally used
7 by the bakers.
( These figures include the middlemans 8
/ profits, and as the bakers usually buy
! directly from the mills, $3.50 to s315 per
/ barrel is a very conservative figure at
which to place the cost TO the bakers
| of each barrel of flour.
As matters now stand the baker has a
monopoly of the profits. The farmer gets
/ 65 cents for his wheat and loses money.
/ The miller gets about s.. 80 per barrel for
/ the flour. while the baker, with very lit
/ tie expense, sells the same barrel any
/ where from s. to sl2 per barrel.
! When it is realized thar there are num-
| bers of people even in the District of
! Columbia who suffer for bread because the
! price is beyond their means-wlen 1t is
| realized that hundreds of families grudge
| themselves every slice of bread eaten and
! pinch and economize over the crumbs
! because the bread costs cents per loaf
| the average man may see the blessing
| of reduction of l cent In the price of an
| article which forms almost the only food
| afforded these people. This, too when
! the reduction could be made without af-
| fecting the bakers 10 any extent and still
! allowing them generous profit.
! Then, there are greater number who
| depend upon the weekly earnings of hus-
| bands and fathers who slave for a scanty
wage which, while allowing thre meals
| per day, requires shrewd financering TO
/ cover the long space between Saturday
| and Saturday. Every cent is carefully ac-
| counted for and twice fingered before be-
| ing spent. These are the people who have
| been most energetic in their efforts for 4
| reduction in the price of bread and as
| the great consumers, these are the people
whose complaints find ear. One cent less
| per loaf would mean over one dollar less
per month TO the majority of these fami-
lies and this dollar means mountains of
comforts and dainty extras TO these
people.
The three-cent loaf is demanded in full
justice. The bakers ii is argued, can
easily afford the reduction and the people
need this reduction with needing that
includes all that is human. A reduction
from four cents must come within a short
space.
The enormous profit now enjoyed by the
bakers Is largely obtained at the expense
of ten thousand struggling souls, and the
men who grew prosperous when -four
was 50 per barrel, can reduce the price
of bread and still enjoy prosperity when
-four is $3.50 per barrel.
This movement for cheaper bread will
not pass without a victory for the people
as they claim to have right and pure de-
sire for justice on their side. The So
called kickers do not want to rob the
bakers of all profit, but merely ask that
the principle of live and let live be
| applied.
SENATOR MITCHETI,S EEapc