Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-01
CAUSE NOT LOCAL
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| tons on the following commodities:
Meats, fresh and salt: eggs, milk, butter.
| flour. coffee, sugar. tea. fish, oysters. coal
and wood.
1T is appropriate to note in this con-
nection that the testimony Of the local
dealers, based on entries in their original
books of account. many Of which were
produced before the committee. was In
| substantial harmony with the prices
quoted in the press and trade journals,
with only such trifing variations as would
necessarily be expected in the prices OF
supplies handled by different merchants.
With but few exceptions the staple
products entering into consumption by the
Washington public have steadily advanced
in price during the last decade, and the
| committee has addressed itself with es-
pecial care to locating the specific causes
Of these increased prices. The cost Of
various articles to the local wholesale dis
tributing agencies, the cost to the retail
err and the ultimate cost to the consumer
have been examined with mfnuteness OF
detail and the committee finds that In no
instances coming under its observation
has extortion been practiced upon the
public by local dealers. The profits ex-
acted by the wholesaler and by the re-
taller have in its judgement been reason
Justify the conduct Of the respective lines
Of business.
Witnesses Assign Reasons.
"A number Of reasons have been assign
ed in the testimony of various witnesses
before the committee for the increased
prices OF the articles consumed by this
community. While the effects Of the
tariff. combinations in restraint Of trade,
rail and water transportation charges, the
establishment Of cold storage plants, al
legged monopoly in ownership of refrig-
orator cars. the relative If not absolute
scarcity Of farm labor. the increased cost
of certain commodities to the producer
by reason of somewhat rigid inspection
laws enacted In recent years. such as
the meat inspection, pure food and milk
inspection laws, and other conditions like
ly to affect the ultimate price to the con-
sumner. have been discussed. these discus
sions have rested mainly upon hearsay
and theory. and the committee has not.
estimate the influence of these several
matters as affecting the local market.
The committee Is convinced, after
weighing carefully all of the evidence
presented for its consideration, that the
artificial conditions, II any. affecting the
cost OF supplies of every character enter
ing into the needs of the Washington
household are beyond local control. and
1t is with much pleasure and satisfaction
that the committee testifies to the
straightforward methods OF our local mer-
chants and the disinterestedness with
which they have. in the light of its In
vestigations. steadfastly refrained from
imposing burdensome exactions upon the
public. These remarks apply not only to
the dealers in articles of food, but to the
merchants handling household furniture,
housefurnishingS, dry goods, clothing
hats. shoes and articles of domestic use
generally.
OF Incidental Importance.
"while the effect of the introduction of
cold storage In the preservation Of food
products is. in the opinion Of the commit
tee, only incidentally of Importance. so
far as its influence on prices has been ap-
parent in the hearings. this method of
collecting produce OF all kinds during the
plentiful seasons and storing them for
distribution during seasons Of scarcity
has been the subject OF a wide range of
discussion, first as to the healthfulness
of products after undergoing protracted
period of storage, and. secondly, as to
its effect on the market prices of the
products stored.
THE testimony adduced before the COM
mttee has borne out the statement that
the cold storage of articles for reason
able periods of time is not prejudicial to
their food value, but that If the articles
be carried in storage for unreasonable or
indefinite periods of time. and then re-
leased for sale. the effect upon the con-
sumner is deletenous There should, in
the judgment of the committee. be re-
medal legislation by Congress regulating
the storage of food products, either by
providing for conspicuously imprinting
the date upon the individual article stored
or by some other practical method, and
prescribing fixed allowable periods of
storage Of each particular class Of arti-
cles.