The San Francisco call., 1910-05-15
Unable to Get Hearing From
Trust and Forced TO Ac=
Cept Low Price
ST0RLESI TAKES FEE
FROM THE MONOPOLY
Men Who Risk Lives at Sea Are
Ground Down TO Pittance
by the Combine
COMPLAINTS AGAINST
BRIGANDS ARE USELESS

DhlUANDS AXE OSELESS
THERE was trouble on fisher
mems wharf yesterday when the
trust offered TO settle for the
weeks catch at 5 cents pound for
rockcod and ? cents for cod. The
men refused to take their money from
Nicola Storlesi, their agent, and sent a
delegation to appeal to the trust. The
delegates were unable TO get even a
hearing. On their return there was a
general conference. 1t was useless to
buck the trust. The men could either
accept or refuse what the trust offered.
As they had TO live, they decided to
take the money.
Trust Profits Doubled
While the fishermen received in re-
ward for their toll and boat expenses
; cents d pound for rockood and ,
cents for cod the retailer paid the trust
during the last week g cents for rock
cod and cents for cod. After assum-
ing the expense Of the waste through
cleaning. with the loss of weight in
heads. tails and cntrails, the retailers
sold the more expensive FISH to the
consumer al Is cents and the cheaper
At l2iz cents a pound.
This loss through cleaning explains
the fallacy of Paladini's argument that
81 was the retailer who charges the
fich prices When Paladini said he
sold cod at only cents. lac also failed
To state that he sold the Gsh as he
bought IL. unclesned. and nlsde prof
Of g cents.
The retailer has rent to pay and
must besides cover his own outlay
Of capital and time. His price is nee
essarily higher than that OF the house
TO house peddler. who nourished before
the trust came into being.
we are glad to sell TO people, to
peddlers for 4 cents Carlo Massolete,
a rockcod man. declared at the wharf
yesterday. When asked why he d
not. he replied.
Trust or Nobody
IF we sell TO people the trust won't
buy. Cinnamon. they give good price. If
we sell TO Cinnamon. Tarantino says.
You sell TO Cinnamon; I don't want
your fsh' No trust buyers take fish
if we sell outside
Then Massolete beat the bosom of
his blue shirt and defed the trust
They cut my head off. I no care.
Fishmen can not live. We make s. d
week Paladinf no pay for gasoline
for boat. no gets washed overheard.
lie robs the poor fisherman and gets
rich
Massolete has defied the trust be-
fore, for he has q suit pending against
Tarsntino. who represents the West
ern company on the wharf. He had re-
fused to let fish go to Tarantino one
ray last September, because he con-
sidered himself cheated by the West
ern. Tarantino, according TO his ac-
cuser, pulled q knife and took the fish
by force. The market was short and
the Western was used to having its
own way.
Offers to Settle
After the damage suit was filed
Tarsntino offered 70 settle by paying
cent a pound above the market price
on Massolete's 345 pounds OF fish and
also the court expenses. The offer was
refused.
The tyranny practiced by the trust
is well shown in Massolete's case. He
owns two boats and employs five men
as assistants lie paid out $I4 for
gasoline alone. His entire expense
this week for fuel. provisions. sardines
for bait. since rockcod are caught by
hook and line, and wharfage came to
s3s.75. Against this he received S95
gross for his fish, leaving the men less
than SO apiece for their days and
nights OF work. discomfort and expo
sure.
In this $95 catch were two devilfish,
for which Massolete says he should
have received double the $40 given him
by the wholesalers. Dewlfsh. like
squids, are held a great delicacy by
some people.
Trust Has Whip Hand
The men on Fishermen's wharf talk
Of revolt against the trust, but don't.
The trust dominates the retail markets
Through the monopoly of certain kinds
FISH and makes itself the main Gus
toner at the wharf Tarantino takes
UP fully half Of the bay catch for the
Western company. So the trust has
the whip hand. Massolete may defy it.
Continued on Page SL. Column ?