The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-08-21
ICE EXTORTION.

mat part OF commissioner NeDDS repOr'
dealing with the Maine ice crop is OF interest ir
Rhode Island only to the extent that it reveals the
methods by which greedy trust can defeat nature
in its benehcent purpose to provide mankind with
an absolutely necessary commodity.
The commissioners review OF the ice situation
in this city and state is interesting and vividly
Illuminating. 1t establishes by figures which cannot
be successfully controverted the fact that the
people of this community are being mulcted II
prices SO unwarrantedly high as to be absolutely
extortionate.
Nor will citizens fail TO observe that the com
missioners exhaustive and painstaking investiga
ton renders the findings OF the Board OF Trades
ice investigators little short OF ludcrous. Th,
report OF the probers headed by former Governor
Kimball not received with any degree of con
fdence by consumers, who were firmly convinced
that they being outrageously MIXED by the
ice dealers, but had not the means to publicly es
tabsh the existence OF extortion.
The method pursued by the Board of Trade
committee didn't strike the average citizen as
calculated to lay bare actual conditions or expose
combine if existed The ice dealers were
accused of entering into combine for the purpose
of fixing and maintaining excessive prices
Practically all the committee did was to
politely ask them through circulars il they were
guilty as charged. large majority of the dealers
refused to make any reply. The few who did
obviously didn't plead guilty which was very
human and very natural under the circumstances
since it isn't the habit of accused persons to plead
guilty and provide the evidence for their own con
viction
Nevertheless, on the basis of the few answers
that were returned former Governor Kimball and
his associates found that "the ice dealers here are
engaged in supplying the people of Providence al
prices which are as low as made elsewhere under
the same conditions"
This a lame and impotent conclusion, bu,
it was in no way surprising to the public which
realized the fatuity and ytility OF the commtteeS
course in asking the ice dealers to provide the
means for their own condemnation.
Commissioner Webb's investigation was con-
Quoted along practical lines and the result is some
thing definite and tangible The commissioner pre-
sents facts and figures and il he draws no
conclusions the public can readily learn from
them the extent to which it is being bled on
the false and himsy assertion that shortage OF
ice amounting TO famine exists.
As matter of fact Commissioner Webb finds
that while the visible supply OF ice on hand on the
first of March of'the present year below the
normal, because OF the open winter, there was,
nevertheless sufhcient quantity to meet all de-
mands up to the first of December next
On the first of March last there was on hand
I78o5o tons, or II per cent. of the total quantity
delivered during the whole twelve months from
March /, 1905, TO March l. 1906 When it is re-
membered that there is very marked decrease in
consumption beginning in October and that there is
a reasonable chance OF harvesting ice in December
and January, IL will be seen that this community
never has been, during the present year, in any
danger OF an ice famine, and, that the claim that
such danger threatened was fabrication put
forward as an excuse for the extorton to which
consumers were deliberately subjected.
oII G.,I, II A.
dealers, including shrinkage and delivery, is S4o2
per ton. They are charging 81 ton wholesale,
while the retail price ranges from $40 to $1,000
per ton.
That is TO say, the ice dealers are realizing a
net profit OF S2o8 every ton disposed OF at whole
sale; S5o8 every ton sold at retail at the $40
rate and $II.74 every ton sold TO the people
who pay for IL pounds day at the rate of 20 cents
week.
II these rates do not constitute extortion per
haps the ice dealers will tell the public what they
do constitute. Ii the collection OF profit OF $II7i
on an outlay OF $4.o2 is not outrage upon the
people of this community who are compelled to
purchase ice in small qualities, perhaps these same
ice dealers will explain what is.
On their face the figures contained in the com.
missioner's report go far toward confirming popu
lar belief in the existence here OF ice trust a:
rapacious in its methods the coal, the beef the
sugar and other trusts that mulot the people in
tortonate charges.
Mr. Webb OF course, made no inquiry into the
trust phase of the ice question, but the fact thai
outrageousy excessive prices are charged through
out the community leads TO no other reasonable