The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-06
PRICES MUST COME DOWN OR CITY WILL SUFFER IN FUTURE Prevailing Prices Pointed Out As Detrimental to the City'S Welfare LONDON SAYS BOWRON
 IS MAN FOR NEW STORE Would Start Cooperative Venture and Put Man of Mr. Bowron's Stand
 ing at Head of the
 Institution.

Have the high prices prevailing in Birmingham given the city black eye? Such is apparently the case, Judging from the statements of men who are in position to know.
 Said Judge A. c. Howze, special judge of the Jefferson county criminal court, last night: Something ought to be done to reduce the cost of living in Bir- mingham. The prevailing high prices have become detrimental to the prog ress and welfare of the city. The mat ter is becoming something fearful, and it can not and should not be allowed to go any further. The high prices are not confined to staples and groceries alone, but the same conditions exist in a number of lines. I think that if you can only make the people as a whole realize the true condition this alone will be great factor in the strife for lower prices. I am not well informed on the cooperative plan, but hope something will be done to bring about a reduction of prices"
 Frederick W. Dixon stated yesterday evening: Several years ago quite a number of people left Birmingh on complaint that the cost of living here was too high. The Commercial club started to investigate matters, to com pare prices here with those Tn other southern cities, but it was decided it would not be a good thing for the city and the matter was dropped"
 When Alex London was asked last night about the cooperative store prop osition he said: q have investigated that matter and could find no place where the store has proven a succe ss in America, but over in England 1t Is recognized as the best protection for the consumer.
 "The army and navy stores do a bus mess every year of more than million dollars, and sell everything under the sun. Stock is owned in these stores by hundreds of citizens, and they get heir share of the profits as well as the privilege of buying goods at a very little margin above cost.
 "It would be absolute failure to go into such proposition half shod. Such man movement, make careful study of 1t and publish a plan, after which it ought to be conducted on perfect busness-like principles. Groceries could be taken lp first and afterward spread to other ar ticles MT. Bowron is the man for the task
 When asked for an expression of his views on the high prices of staples and groceries, and what he thought of the proposed cooperative grocery company Judge A. O. Lane of the circuit court said: While I am not definitely informed, I believe prices are higher here than m tNo t.rI, at rate. I am inclined to think that tho cooperative plan Is a good idea provided prices are higher here than elsewhere. If there Is any pool among the grocers for maintaining prices it should be broken up but if there is none we should sup- port our home grocers. l am utterly op- posed to any kind of a combination, and if there is one among our grocery con cerns I think the cooperative grocery store would be a good thing"
 Joseph B. Babb secretary of the Con- mercial club, had the following to say yesterday afternoon: "There is no doubt that groceries are too high in Birming- ham, but I am not sure but what the same conditions prevail elsewhere. I be- lieve that the high prices which prevail in the city start from the very ground and go on up the scale. Rent here is HE II, Cltl hs diS pau WNii' thc uiioh SSdit is high and the expense of operation runs high am not sure that the cooperative plan Is the proper one.
 However, Birmingham is big enough to have her faults brought out and looked into. The Age-Herald's S movement is a good one, but it seems to me that the best plan is to find exactly where the respon- sibilty for high prices lies, thrash it out and have it corrected"
 Several grocers were questioned yester- day afternoon to whether prices were being reduced any and negative reply was received. Meanwhile. however the popularity of the cooperative grocery is increasing letters being received daily from people who would take stock in the proposed store.