The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-06-03
GROCERS OPPOSE
TARIFF INCREASE
GREAT GATHERING OF FOOD PUR-
VEYORS BEING HELD AT
ATLANTIC CITY.

ATLANTIC CITY, n. j., June s.
Determined opposition to any adj
vance in the tariff of freight rates on
food conodities, as proposed by the
railroads, will be made by the National
Wholesale Grocers' association. which
convened IN annual session at the Marl
borough Blenheim today Most of the
jobbers look upon the present freight
rates as quite high enough, and de-
clare that aroused public opinion will
prevent the roads from making any in
crease.
Todays meeting is beyond doubt
the greatest gathering of food purvey-
ors ever held in this country All parts
of the country, from Maine to Califor-
MIA, are represented, and there are del
egates in attendance from nearly 40
states. The association represents 80
per cent of the distribution of food
products by wholesalers in the United
States.
The initial session was called to
order this morning with President Will
liam Judson, of Grand Rapids, Mich,
in the chair Mayor F. P. Stoy delivered
an address of welcome Reports from the
various officers were presented this af-
ternoon, and the committee reports will
be considered tomorrow.
Tomorrow afternoon there will be a
session for addresses by manufacturers
who recognize the jobbers as the loyi-
cal distribution medium between them
selves and the retailers, ut which the
whole subject of the re!f tion Of ire
three factors of the trade u one an
other will be discussed In The evening
there will be a big banquet in the MARI
porouSh-B Ienhelm, when speakers Of
national reputation will address the cen
vention Fred w. Drake. of Easlon. Pa.
speakers will be United States Treas
urer Charles H. Treat, DR.. Wiley and
others of like prominence
The sessions of Friday will be de-
voted to miscellaneous business. the
election of officers and selection of the
place for the next session
In regard to the proposed increase
in freight rates, the traffic manager of
one of the largest New York wholesale.
grocers said:
THE jobbing grocer when an ad-
vance in freight rates is made. figures
up the extra cost to him of doing
the business and he adds it to the
price for which he sells the gods to the
retailer The latter paying more for the
goods is compelled to charge more. The
Increase in the minimum weight per
carload on food commodities we OPP
posed before it was made effective by
the railroads. This increase does not
affect us in the least. We buy hun
dreds of carloads of goods evrv wear
and it makes no difference whether the
minimum weight is 5000 pounds a car.
greater or less, our large purchases en-
able us to get the carload freight rate
This increase in the minimum weight
does affect the small buyer. For in
stance, if a small buyer can handle. say
a carload of canned salmon in p sea-
son when the minimum is SO, 900 pounds
a car, he will be compelled to increase
the purchase by 1000 pounds now when
the minimum weight from the coast is
10000 pounds a car.
I'VE have no serious complaints from
our customers except on the increa sed
cinimum. If the railroads put into eff
feet the proposed increase. it is safe
to say that public opinion will be
aroused to such a pitch that there will
be a readjustment of rates all along
the line. 1t is generally conceded that
public opinion is about the only thing
the railroads fear"