The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-04-12
SALT
TRUSTS
GRAFT
How the Consumer is Being
Cinched.
Enormous Advance In Prices
In Two Years.

Salt Is getting 10 be more and more
expensive TO eat. and more and more
economical not TO eat In the past
two years coarse salt has advanced in
price nearly 500 per cent The up
ward leaps and bounds have been un.
precedented in the annals of trade.
Each rise has left behind a hope that
IL would be the last but the hope has
gone gllmmering every time. The last
advance was only few days ago.
Coarse salt rose about 90 cents per
ton, and fine about Si.6O.
All this shows what a benehcent
agent the salt trust is--to It's own
members. Il has got It's fiippers 80
successfully into all parts OF the bust
ness that when II says salt, go up"
up salt goes. And, inasmuch as there
are 80 many unsavory things in this
world, and that which In unsayory can
not be eaten without salt. the dear
public must pay the price willy-nilly.
The good trust, however is merciful
and gracious. long-suffering and
abundant In goodness and truth. and
II needs the money. Therefore its
speech IN always with grace, seasoned
with salt 30 successfully that nobody
can galnsay II more than TO pay the
price without a srumble. salt is
good. but II the salt has lost It's salt
ness. whefewith will ye season IL?
Have salt In yourselves. and have
peace with one another"
Independent brokers. and dealers
who thought they were SLY. ind that
the trust is clever. They tried the
ruse OF getting salt from England. In.
depeudently OF the trust. They sue.
ceeded for brief man time. but the
trust smiled he scent. ana. In some
mysterious manner shut on that
sonree OF supply Pacific coast brok.
ers hnd themselves unable To engage
halrge quantities OF aah In England.
When they apply. 10 response is;
I'VE have sold up to our limit" Until
about two months ago cargoes could
be obtained In England on very profit.
able margins. owing to the great din.
erenee between Pacific coast and Eng
lish prices, A Seattle man planned To
import shipioad OF salt He figured
that he could buy vessel Ia England
for $4,000. load her. bring the car
go here and sell Il at enough to pay
for the vessel and leave $4,000 be
sides Il was a beautiful scheme as
ae lined Il on paper, but the American
trust spoiled L.
Another Seattle man contracted T.
supply. Small lots can bs brought
tons of salt per month from England
He secured one shipment for that
amount and another for 300 tons, and
then he could set no more.
In February local firm shipped a
cargo OF about 1900 tons from New,
castle for Portland The vessel viii
be here In July or August Immedi
atetely after she left. no more salt
could be had Independently OF the salt
trust Tho last cargo OF salt 10 arrive
here was about 500 tons on the Ven.
dee, which made this part last mouth.
Il is presumed that the trust has. or
will set control OF, the cargo en-
route here. The importers can dis
pose OF Il az handsome ploht,
Now, the problem Is, where else ia
the world TO set salt Independent
dealers and brokers are stretching
their callipers around the globe and
looking for every available source OF
supply Pacific Coast parties with 60O
here by rail from the Best and this.
Ia Is fact, what Is going On. New
York. Ohio or Michigan salt. IN stand.
ard hne grade, Il sisaid, can be laid
down la Portland for about Saa per
ton. Regular San Francisco refined