The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-27
The OTHER SIDE.
Retailer of Meats Discusses High
Prices From His Angle.

To the Editor of the State Journal.
| After reading the article in your is
sue of December %. 1909, headed as
| Packers In Trust" it prompts me in
my crude way to say something as to
my opinion on this matter, not being
interested in political matters but treat
ing it in a strictly business manner.
In regard to our Antitrust laws 1
am as much in favor of enforcing them
as any one and have great respect for
any and all national or state servants
in doing So but think that corporate or
organized capital invested have the
same consideration as private capital
have been a retailer and also in
the stock raising business for more
than 80 years, it looks to me like too
many people are accusing certain causes
for these high prices too often without
investigating the primary cause for
their investigation.
The stock feeder and farmer is feed
ing 60 cent per bushel corn to make
this product and all this feed is grown
on land that has doubled and treb-
bled in the last ten years and also their
labor q will estimate) demands double
what it did ten years ago, and I think
that period of time is a very fair basis
for comparison.
/ remember well that a few years
ago when many farmers and feeders.
feeding 80 cent per bushel corn and
the same cry was that the people were
paying TOO much for their meats and
provisions and previous to that time
when we fed IL to 20 cent per bushel
corn the packers and retailers were
| looked upon and considered as robbers,
end they certainly were. comparirg
| their net profits with those at the pres
ent time, and a large per cent of the
| retailers quit the business for a more
| lucrative emDlOymCQt
| Also please note that it is said about
| 20 cent lard and also as to the best
| beef and pork cuts being 20 cents per
pound, which is only double the price
| when 10 and 20 cent per bushel corn
W as being fed. This agitation now calls
| to mind only few years ago when the
| Western Cattle association as produc-
| erS, and the eastern consumers were
| both petitioning congress to Investigate
| the packers as trust. 1 presume that
| the prime motive in view was to eS-
| tabliSh a more satisfactory price both
| for the producer as well as the con-
| sumner, 1 have often wondered how it
could be done, and it has always APP
peared to me that it ended up with a
costly investigation and probably a
| heavy fine. of which the real cost fell
on the producer and consumer without
much relief to the general public.
/ think that the public in general feel
| that all commodities produced by labor
are high in comparison with the near
past, and I also think that the people
are very well satisfied with the situa-
ton that way. But back to the high
| prices of meats and provisions at the
! present time, my opinion is that there
| is mistake in thinking that these prices
are high. the packers will have to
| pay much better prices for this best beef
and pork during the next six months
or it will be a loss to the average pro-
| Queer more especially in the beef lines
| / note the cost of living has become
problem to the wage Garner and J
| think it will be more of a problem TIC