The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-02-10
MEAT PROFITS BIG
SENATOR M'cUM5ER DECLARES
FARMERS GETS INADEQUATE
RETURNS FOR PRODUCTS.
WILSON COMPARES PRICES
Secretary Shows Enormous Advances
Both by Wholesaler and Retailer
Says Rates on Sugar, Tea, Spices,
Crackers Have Been Reduced.

Washington.-"That the farmer gets
an inadequate return for his prod
ucts," was the declaration Of Senator
McCumber of North Dakota, Friday,
while discussing the question of in
creased foodstuff prices in the senate
The senator made some statements
which, If they are founded on fact,
show that the packers, wholesalers
and retailers of meat are making prof
its beyond the conception Of the hui
man mind in their enormity. He used
his own knowledge, report of Secre-
tary Wilson and a price card of the
senate restaurant to prove his con-
tention.
AN average beef animal on a Da-
kota ranch brings $7O," he said, but,
according to the prices here" pointing
to the senate restaurant bill of fare,
ut is sold to the consumers who eat
there for the enormous sum of $1,000,
enough to buy half a farm. And
prices in the ordinary restaurant show
that the $40 beef animal is sold for
50 2,000 The fact that the farmer gets
but $40 shows that he does not get the
money, and the effect Of the bills to
take the tariff of meat and the prod
ucts of the farm would be to establish
legislative boycott against the tiller
of the soil"
The comparison of prices submitted
by Secretary Wilson Of the department
Of agriculture show enormous in
creases by both wholesaler and re-
tailer-the advance being greater for
the retailer in one product and for
the wholesaler in another, but mostly
the big advance was by the whole
saler. Here are some samples:
Bread-Wholesale, Isl; retail, 49,.
Butter-Wholesale Elgin, 29.S;
creamery extra, 275; dairy, 24.6; re
tail, 30.6; no quality indicated.
Wholesale, 26.9; retail, 2O.3
Coffee-Wholesale SO; retail, SO.
Eggs, new laid-Wholesale( 39.S;
retail, 1862.
Wheat -four Wholesale, spring
43.6; winter, 26.S; retail, 24.4; no
quality indicated
Lard-Wholesale, 63.3; retail, 1872.
Beef-Wholesale fresh, 11.8; salt
41.9; retail, fresh, 14.9; salt, 1915.
Dressed Mutton-Wholesal PA;
retail, 26.8.
Bacon-Wholesale 54.4; retail, 52.9
Ham-Wholesale, 219; retail, 31.2.
Milk-Wholesale, 800; retail, 1S.1.
Potatoes-Wholesale, 70.6; retail,
25.5.
The report shows that prices on
sugar, tea, spices and soda crackers
have been slightly reduced.
The advances shown by the secre'
tary were for the year 1907 over the
year 1899, which was regarded as nor
NAL. And great as those advances are
they have been greatly swelled by ad
vances since 1907.
In the report of the secretary, which
was in response to the resolution OF
Senator Crawford. he shows In a
measure why advances by the whole.
salers were generally greater than
those by retailers. The substitution
Of poorer goods in the case he gives,
the report says:
1T is not possible, in taking the re.
tail prices over large area, to secure
results standardized with the same
degree of accuracy as In the case OF
wholesale prices. 1t was known that
in the retail trade, as prices advance
substitutions are made of the same
name but of inferior grade. 1t is i'm
possible to determine to what extent
this process of substitution may have
taken place in the various articles"