The Washington times., 1910-01-24
SECRETARY WILSON
BLAHES RETAILERS
Declares Combinations in
Different Cities Respons-
ible for Conditions.

Declaring the retailers OF Washington
are mainly responsible for the incress-
cd cost Of meat products IN the Dis
tr5ct and that several combinations Of
such dealers existed iu nearly all cities.
Secretary OF Agriculture Wilson appear
ed before the suhcommlttee OF The Dis
t-'ct OF Columbia Committee this morn
ing and talked al length on the general
subject Of the increased cost of uvius-
IN the course of his remarks. Se-re-
rarv wilson referred 20 Washington
as being one Of the most hlsh-priced
c.ries In the country So far as the sale
Of meat and other products are con-
Unable to Explain.
He said he was. so far. unable 20 eN-l
plain why the increased cost Of such
products should amount TO Only - per
cent iu Philadelphia and Nsw York.
and A. per cent iu Washington.
That the farmer is EcttfuS 3ut a little
share oE these higher prices vas an
other opin 7n expressed 10y the Secre-
On Cold Storage
Secretary Wilson was called particG-
Iarl- 20 give his views concerning Rep
rezcrtative lIo5re-s tiU 90 regulate cold
storage IN the District Mr Moore, how
ever. vino IS chairman OF the Subcom-
rnittee. informed the Secretary that If IL
was found advisable f. would not be
difficult To extend the scope II inquiry
TO the entire question OF food supply
The Inference was that Che >ubCom-
mittee intends through the various
agencies OF the District. to go into Jaa
v-hoIs question Of the advance in prices
from the farm TO the city residences
not only with regard 20 the needs OF
the community as respecting cold =tgr-
aEe. but also as TO prices as between .
producer and consumer
Secretary Wilson informed the sub
committee that his department was
now ma kills an extensive investigation
Of the subject Of cold storage, with
particular reference 20 the length of
time meat. poultry. eggs, and summer
products could be safely kept Facts
and figures. he said. soon would be
placed al the disposal of .he committee
and until such time ne suggested il
might not be- advisable for him TO eX-
press an opinion
Have Opportunity.
'I think you gentlemen have the op-
portunity OF your lives said the Sec
reta-v. Ito show several communities
how to regulate this business
NIr. Moore asked Nj Wilson if he did
not think Congress had the power TO
control the prices of food products IN
the District Of Columbia Replying, the
Secretary said
L am farmer and not & lawyer,
YOU know but I think that Congress
has the power to bring al bout such reEu-
lat50ns in a reasonable way We run
our department on common sense
basis and I give this opinion as a
Mr Moore next asked Mr. Wilson TO
what extent the farmer Is sharing IN
the increased cost Of living
Farmer Satisfied.
VERY HttIe.- sad the Secretary The
farmer is getting fairly good prices now.
but this q per cent increase that I speak
Of is shared mainly by the retailer and
the wholesaler. Unless a farmer is able (
TO come to town himself and retail his
own nroducts he receives but little bene-
fit from the increased prices
He offered TO the committee the serv-
ices of auv of the departments experts :
who are now investigating with respect
TO how long meats might safely be kept
In answer 10 N-eStl-tl II eAll MI q
Moore. he said the limitation Of storage
privileges might prove an incidental !
step toward lowering the prices
Up to District.
Il believe that it IS up TO the District
of Columbia right now TO show other
cities how TO regulate themselves" said /
Alr. Wilson In Washington I ascribe I
The higher price Of living TO little bands /
Of men who form combinations and re
tail the foodstuffs. These little bands I
exist everywhere The fault lies right |
here with the retailer. lie gets the 4
larger share OF the profits The farm /
ers can not combine, hat IS impossible, 4
and > disulrre is Tow on between the I
Department OF Justice and the whole I
SalCrs as to whether they can combine
MY opinion is that there are little 4