The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-04
''3 E'I,. WILL BE APPROVED. Citizens Continue to Discuss High Price of Staples
 In Birmingham FEW REDUCTIONS NOTED FROM LAST WEEKS PRICES Eggs and Lard Are Down Slightly, But Both Irish and Sweet Potatoes
 Have Made Advances
 This Week.

The words of John M. Caldwell are ex- pressive of the public sentiment. He said yesterday: 'I don't know much about the plan of the proposed cooperative grocery company but I do know that the price of staples and groceries is entirely too high, and ii cooperative society is solution of the problem, it is a good thing"
 Thomas H. F'riel, former Mayor of North Birmingham, said last night: If your agitation of the question of high prices on groceries is kept up and brought to a focus. it will be a good work, in- deed. Groceries are too high The rail- roads have been under fire and have un- dergone some stringent legislation, yet j do not see that the people have been benefited to a great extent. Such may be the result of the present agitation of the grocery question; we cannot tell. I would like, as everyone else would. to pay less for groceries, and favor the plan that will bring about a reduction of prices"
 Tt costs about 30 per cent more to live in Birmingham than in Selma,' said the Rev Dr. A. J. Dickinson, who came to this city from Selma.
 Everybody admits that groceries are too high, and all are striving for lower prices Most of them believe the cooperative grocery store would bring down the cost of living, and for this reason believe it a good thing.
 But the prices of staples and groceries are not being reduced to any marked de- gree. Lard seems to be on decline, but with this exception practically everything is at a standstil. Leaf lard was quoted by wholesalers yesterday at 91a cents a pound, A of a cent lower than it was last Saturday. It is retailing at 121a cents a pound.
 There are no cold storage eggs on Nor ris avenue. Fresh eggs are being sold by the produce men for F cents. They are retailing at 20 cents for the regular run and 9 cents dozen for the selected eggs. This is about 10 cents lower than eggs were selling for week ago.
 Flour is still unchanged One of the largest wholesale houses quoted a medium grade of flour yesterday at s5.50 a barrel and the best four at $6.25 The popular brands of four are being sold the re- tail market at 90 cents a sack, which IS g. 20 a barrel
 Renovated butter was sold on Morris avenue yesterday for 2S cents and cream cry butter for 30 cents Creamery butter is retailing for 40 cents a pound. There is no reduction in these prices.
 Both Irish and sweet potatoes have ad- vanced 15 cents a bushel on Morris ave- nue since last week. Irish potatoes were sold by the produce men yesterday for s1 a bushel ands sweet potatoes for s1 .15 a bushel The consumer paid 35 cents peck for both Irish and sweet potatoes yesterday-s1 40 a bushel. The retailers figure on a loss of 10 per cent in handling potatoes.
 Bacon and other meats are holding their own at the prices which prevailed last week, the established brands of bacon be- ing quoted on the retail market at PIE cents.
 Everything in the produce line is high and shows no signs of coming down. un- less the market becomes glutted.
 The complaint of high prices is not wan ing by any means. The question has be- come a live one and the continual demand of the public for lower cost of living through some means is expected to bring results. The cooperative store however, seems to be the solution in the mind of the consumer generally.