Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-27
THEIR OPINIONS VARY
Bakers and Others at Odds on
the Bread Question.
BREAK rs PREDICTED
ARE SALES OF SIX-CENT BREAD
DECREASINGp
Advance in Price Of Flour shown From
Merchants Records-Large
Dealers Are Firm.

'If the large merchant bakers of this
city were making only justifiable profit
two years ago, when they were selling
bread at retail for s cents a loaf, then
today they are justified in charging q
cents loaf for it," said man in the So
called Independent baking business to a
Star reporter today.
Yes. flour has increased in price," said
grocer, ''but, although 1t has probably
gone up over 81 barrel since 1902,
still this fact does not seem to sat
isfy the public today. The burning ques-
ton is whether or not it is worth while
to pay the bakers cents a loaf-whether
as. good bread cannot be purchased or
made at home for much less.
A driver of one of the Havenner Baking
Company's delivery wagons was heard to
say this morning that his business had
fallen off more today than at any time
since the increase in the price of bread
and to express the opinion that the bakers
could not hold out under the weight Of
public opinion against them.
There are too many "Shysters' in the
business, according to one delivery man,
and he thinks the big bakers cannot hold
out against them either. He referred 1t
is said, to the small bakers who are still
selling bread for 5 cents a loaf which
they claim is good as any that is baked
here, but which the big bakers say is OF
an inferior sort.
Opinions at Variance.
So the opinions of the large bakers small
bakers, grocers and the public are at va
rance. 1t is a give-and-take argument,
each side appearing to be firm and un-
changeable In its beliefs and Intentions, as
well as confident in its statements of facts
The men who have raised the price say it
is absolutely necessary that it remain as 1t
how ,An
profit at the old price; and meanwhile the
public Is inclined to believe that 1t does
not cost the big baker any more to bake
his bread than 1t does the little one, 'leav-
ing the quality out Of the question, If you
please" Exactly whats what Is gener-
ally as undetermined as is the age of Ann
The consumers do not, as rule, go to the
dealers and talk the matter over with
them. They simply stop buying scent
bread. quietly; or, as quietly. they pur-
chase flour and return to their homes
Bakers deny that their sales are decreas-
Ing In number, but driver for the Boston
Baking Company said this morning that
while previous to the advance he had sold
about eight hundred loaves a day, there
has been steady falling off since Mon
day, and he expected his total this evening
would not be over four hundred loayes
One grocer believes that if the public
continues to cry down the increase the big
bakers will reduce the price by Monday
next. AS far as can be learned there has
been no consultation of the big bakers since
the decision to raise the price was made
public. A meeting of the board of trustees
OF the Grocers' Association of this citv is
scheduled for Monday next, when it is ex-
pected the situation will be generally dis
cLssed. A member of the board said today
however, that he did not think the associa,
tion would take any action in the matter
whatever, being willing to let the bakers
fight their own battle.
A statistical housekeeper has figure out
that for 80 cents she can bake at home as
much, and, in her opinion, as good, bread
as she can buy for $1.25 at cents a loaf
Still, 1t is conceded she has to pay for no
labor, nor does she count the cost of fuel
But she probably will decide to make the
experiment. nevertheless.
No Advance in These Cases.
-Four of the small bakers mentioned in
The Star yesterday stated today that they
had always retailed their bread at cents a
loaf One of those mentioned yesterday,
VINO had heretofore sold his loaves at 4
cents each. retail, stated that if the little
fellows" are instrumental in forcing "the
big fellows to reduce the price of their
loayes from to cents, by continuing to
serve the 5-cent loaf, 1t would be unfair
for that portion of the public who are now
patronizing the smaller bakeries. owing to
the advance, to give up that patronage
and return to the big bakers.
In reply to the statement that the large
modern bakeries furnish better quality of
bread than the smaller establishments do.
the proprietor of what Is known as a "hand
bakery Of the smaller kind said today in