The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-29
SAYS MANUFACTURER HAS RIGHT TOlFIX
 PRICES ON PRODUCT Flour Quotations Given to Show That Birmingham Is Be-
 ing Imposed Upon
REGENT REDUCTIONS IN
 PRICES PAID BY JOBBER
Local Manufacturer Cannot Buy Goods From New York Because He Is k Charged With "Undersell-
 ing Listed Prices"


 Clabaugh of Clabaugh, Walters & Grove, that the Southern Wholesale Grocers' as- sociation is a combine, or trust, fixing the prices on groceries, Samuel P. Fowlkes, president of Fowlkes & Myatt, retail grocers, replied to a representa- tive of The Age-Herald yesterday
 q have not read Mir. Clabaughs letter carefully, and for this reason cannot go into general discussion of the charges which, I understand, he makes. It has never impressed me, however, that the Southern Wholesale Grocers' association is a combine or that it fixes prices on groceries; in fact, I have always consid- cred it an organization similar to the Re- tail Grocers' association of this city, with the same objects, but dealing, of course, with the interests of the wholesalers. as the retailers association deals with the interests of the local retail merchants"
 In reply to the question: "How do you construe the question, Would you be willing to sign an affidavit pledging your self to maintain prices on all listed goods? MT. Fowlkes said:
 1SS EiSnr Q FIX FFtCES.
 'It is only right that a manufactures should fix legitimate price on any pro- prietary article that he may turn out, and maintain this price. For instance, the Arbuckle company fixes a price on their coffee, a price which it believes to be fair, and requires that this stipulated price be maintained. If this were not done there
 
 therefore, they require their customers to maintain their listed price. The way l understand it, it is the business Of the Southern Wholesale Grocers association to see that its members do maintain this listed price, and thereby protect the man. ufacturer and the other jobbers and avoid a demoralization of business. think MT. Clabaugh has misconstrued the meaning, and misunderstood the intention of the question as to whether he would agree to maintain prices on all listed goods"
 Asked what he thought of prices on gro ceries MT. Fowlkes said: " Groceries have been and are too high. I know this be- cause I have to live under these prices, 
 In fact the price on some things has all ready been reduced. Leaf lard, which we sold for 15 cents a month ago, Is now down to 121a cents a pound, and break fast bacon, which sold for 21 cents, we are now selling for 171a cents. There is general demand for lower prices all over the country, which I believe Is not being unheeded.'
 Prices Here and Elsewhere -. The question that is of particular inter- est to the people, however, is the differ ence of prices here and elsewhere on arti- cles that are absolutely necessary to a livelihood. An investigation shows that there is difference.
 | Flour is one of the best examples. On an article that is found in every pantry | there is very wide difference in cities l about equally distant from the mills. l Pillsbury flour is considered one of the best patent Hours milled. In a Baltimore l paper of very recent date firm adyer- 1 tised Pillsbury flour at $6.25 barrel. In | Washington on the same date it was at l s6. 50 a barrel. In Birmingham It sells for 1 S750 a barrel. Pillsbury flour is milled in | Minneapolis. The question is asked, why should there be a difference of SIPS to l S1. 50 a barrel between the price in Balti- l more and Washington and Birmingham | when there is comparatively little differ ence in the distance of Birmingham and Baltimore from Minneapolis: Birming- ham gets the advantage of water rates as far south as Memphis
 In Columbus, O. l A Columbus, O., paper had the follow I ing to say in it's retail market list a few l days ago:
 "A decline of 20 cents a barrel on flour was announced Monday morning by local millers. This brings the best grade down to $ a barrel, the medium to $4.S0 and the lower to s46O. Lower prices are due to l the declining tendency of the market for wheat
 l It will be noted that the best grades of flour are being sold in Columbus for | $5. The best grades are being sold here I at price s250 higher than the Columbus 1 price, A decline of 20 cents barrel Is 1 also announced on account of the declin- 1 ing tendency of the wheat market. Bir- mingham has not felt the effect of this l decline.
 In Jamestown, N. T., city of about 1 the same size as Birmingham, fancy pat ent flour was offered In the retail market l for $6 a barrel, straight patent for s6 and I Magnolia flour for $5.6O. In Boston the | following quotations on flour appear in one of the papers:
 '"Spring patents, $5.50 and $5.90; spring l clears, $450 to $475; winter patents, SAYS | to s5.10; winter straights, $4.5O to s4.75; winter clears, s4.35 to s4.5O; Kansas pat l ents, s51O to s5.55 rye four. $40 to $5.35; l graham, $4.l5.'
 But getting nearer home, in their March ! grocery list issued yesterday. Drennen & Co. advertise the finest patent flour, every sack guaranteed, per barrel, s5.1o." Straight patent flour is listed at s4.75 a barrel.
 Several other items are of interest. Granulated sugar is listed at 5 cents a pound. The prevailing retail price is 5x cents. Leaf lard is listed at s4.75 per 50-pound can, which Is 91a cents a pound. The prevailing price is 12l2 cents. Reductions to the Jobber. Inouiries reveal that within the last 30 days there has been a noticeable reduc- tion in prices to the jobber on number of canned goods. Canned tomatoes and hominy were two articles picked up upon glance at the list. On December g.