Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-27

last agency in the distribution Of the
most necessary commodities, Is the real
culprit in this social tragedy and ought
to be disciplined
In giving publicity to these assertions
and charges the grocers feel that your
paper was actuated only by the pure mo-
tive of voicing crying evil and perform
or unfair to small class of traders of
this city. whose condition is really worse
than that of the average citizen; and.
therefore. hope that you will permit them
to the end that public sentiment shall
not be inf1amed and prejudiced against
them, and that the real evil be sought out
and remedied.
Competition Inhibits Combination.
In the first place this charge that the
grocers keep up these unnatural prices
necessarily implies a confederation on
their part for that purpose and the total
elimination Of competition. when, as a
matter of common knowledge, the sharp
est possible and most cutting kind of
competition exists in the trade, as wit
messed by the numerous grocery shops in
all sections o. the city and the frantic
effort Of each grocer for trade.
This keenness of competition is en-
HANGED by two elements governing the
TISts TIC SIIldlI Capital really re-
quired to start UP grocery store, and
second. the relatively little experience
necessary to venture into that field of
industry. 1t is now a known fact among
the grocers that most people of any
means quit the business because there is
no decent living in 1t and those who re-
main do so Of necessity.
Hardships of Grocer's Life.
He is the hardest worked and most i'll
used of merchants. He is the first to
open in the morning and the last to close
in the evening, and the character of his
work requires him to be up and going all
day. In hard times he is the first one to
fall back on and in prosperous seasons
the last one to be thought Of to share in
the prosperity or even to be paid just
obligations.
In fact, he is put OFF for everybody else.
For all this he obtains but a bare living
of a much lower standard than the aver
age citizen.
There is not the slightest foundation In
fact for the assertion of the Secretary
of Agriculture that the retailers profits
are AZ per cent. In truth, his gross
profits are not over 20 per cent. and IL
you deduct his expenses, such as rent,
light, clerk hire, maintaining of a team
in most cases to deliver goods, waste
and deterioration In his stock, and bad
accounts, there is barely 10 per cent
profit left for him.
Grocers Grieve Over Situation.
There is no one who feels the present
crisis more keenly and who has more
cause to complain than the grocer him
self, for since the advance in prices, the
sales. as far as quantity Of goods is
concerned, are smaller and profits less.
for his outlay for the same article is
nearly double and the profit is no larger.
In conclusion we would say that the
grocers court the most thorough and
searching investigation of the conduct of
their business, confident that the result
will prove them to be the scapegoats Of
present agitation and direct public re-
sentiment to the proper source Of the evil,
to the end that their own material con-
ditions will be greatly improved.
DAVIS BLUM,
Secretary Capital Retail Grocers' Asso-
citation.