Evening journal., 1904-01-07
PEANUT PRICES
TAKE A JUMP
Trust Spirit Seems to Affect
Even the Humble
Goober
THEY COST 81 A BAG MORE NOM

Peanuts-the luxury OF the poor. the
delicacy Of the impecunious-hav at
last felt the grip of the trust octopus. -
and dealers begin TO tell of a shortage
in the crop and consequent inevitable
raise in price. Since the opening of
the season the price has been steadily
advancing, and the supply which the
small boy (and the large boy, too. for
that matter) receives for his nickel has
been growing beautifully less. No lon
ger can he put down the coin and re-
ceive in exchange generous measure
that makes his pockets bulge. The
wholesaler has raised the rates on the
vendor and the vendor retaliates upon
the consumer by lessening the size of
the measure.
The effect OF the "community-of-i
terest" plan has been comparatively
long in finding the unassuming peanut
hidden away i'm the soil of Virginia, but
it has at last dug down and brought
il up, and there is woe In the hearts
of the citizens whose financial status
is not high, but who cherish an abid-
ing fondness for the appetizing. satis-
patrons Of the circus can no longer feed
the elephants and the monkeys with
reckless prodigality and then fill them
selves to reDletion on the residue for
a modest sum. The quantity of pea
nuts will hereafter vie with the
strength of the red lemonade and both
viii be found sadly wanting.
The question is: What next?'
Eight Firms Buy up Crops.
Already incorporated companies are
beginning to secure a mortgage on the
supply of air for "fefrigerating" and
other purposes; the rates on water it
is said, must be Increased; every arti-
cle of food seems gradually and surely
marching upwards and now the last
citadel of the poor is stormed and TAX
en-, and the wholesalers say with n
"smile that is childlike and bland" that
there is every indication OF a rise in
the price of peanuts and that already
the price is from 80 cents to 81 bag
of four bushels higher than in any pre-
vious year.
The reason for this seems clear to
the mind Of the average man who looks
into the conditions.
AAbout tl4uA iAAiATf loIdltu III NOI-
folk and Smithheld. Va. annually buy
up practically the entire peanut crop
clean it and distribute it to the whole
salers throughout the country. For a
time it seems they have refrained from
cutting down the supply of that essen
tial TO the happiness of the average
American citizen Of whatever station
the ''goober pea" but human nature is
weak, and the time is probably not so
far distant when peanuts will be quot
ed by the dozen instead of by the quart
and those who would satisfy their ap-
petites for the nut must be prepared
TO part with a substantial sum.
Mr. Dierksen Gives Reason.
c. Dierksen. Of the firm of c. Dierk-
sen & Co, Baltimore. handlers Of pea
nuts, gave the following reaN)n for the
continued advance IN the price
'The season for the old crop closed
on November l. The 1908 crop was re-
ported heavy and the opening prices
were low, but about August 1 there
was big advance. and before the close
OF the season the crop was cleaned up.
The 1904 crop therefore came upon a
bare market and the opening price was
about so cents n bag higher than in the
previous year for the best grades.
"The trade refused to handle the
crop, and naturally looked for drop
in price. Instead there was a still fur
ther advance, and the goods are now
from 80 cents to 81 higher than in pre-
vious years, according to grade. The
1904 crop is reported short from 40 TO
so per cent. and there viii undoubtedly
be n still further advance.
''The annual crop In this country is
on the average about 100000 bags. or
100000 bushels. The price now is from
to IA cents a pound, according to
grade, and It takes about three-quar-
ters of a pound to make a quart"