The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1910-04-14
A REMEDY FOR
HIGH PRICES.

Senator Lodge Introduces a Bill
Making One Year Cold Storage
the Maxmum---A Question of
Public Health Also Involved,
| He Says.
| Washington, April. limit of one
year should be put on the use of cold
storage for the purpose of maintain
ing or advancing prices artificially.
This is the Judgment of the Senate
cost of living committee, and Chair
man Lodge introduced in the Senate
a bill to meet the recommendations.
presenting the bill Senator Lodge
said:
Under the resolution of the Sem
ate the committee to inquire into
wages and prices of commodities was
given authority to make recommended
tons, In pursuance of that authority
the committee now desires to recon-
mend to the Senate Legislation limit
ing the time perishable food may be
held in cold storage.
A Question of Hygiene. Also.
'From such investigation as the
committee has thus far been able to
make, it is satisfied that some limit
ought to be put on the use of cold
storage for the purpose of maintain
ing or advance prices artificially. 1t
is of the opinion that this limit of
time will tend to an equalization of
prices, and in some cases to a reduc-
ton.
"The investigation of this subject
by the Department of Agriculture is
not completed, but it has proceeded |
far enough to confirm by the results
thus far obtained the view taken by /
the committee.
"The question of the public health |
is not within the jurisdiction of your
committee, but it has no doubt, how
ever, that limitation on storage
would be hygienically of very great
value and would tend to check many
physical troubles which are believed
to be attributable to the practice of
keeping meats, particularly, in stor-
age for very long time"
To Go Into Prices and Wages.
The committee also asked the Sem
ate for instructions in the matter of
continuing the investigation into the
cost of living. 1t was estimated that
four months would be required to
complete the work and that it would
necessitate an expenditure of $65, 900. |
The outline of the suggested plan
was in great detail. 1t calls for state
ments to be obtained from forty buy
ers in selected localities covering
prices paid to producers of foodstuffs
and live stock from 1900 to 1910, the
wholesale and retail prices and wages
and salaries and the cost of machin-
cry entering into food production.
With an Eye to Fall Elections.
Senator Hale spoke in appreciation
of the fact that there was likelihood
OF even partial report at the present
session. He turned then to the con-
temptation of the possibilities in con-
nection with fall politics.
These questions will meet us at
home," he said, land they will be
agitated in connection with the con-
gressional elections.
Il trust" he added, "that we may
count on the committee supplying us
with much valuable material such as
all of us may find desirable between
now and next November.
Senator Bacon, of Georgia, depre-
Gated the suggestion of the Maine
senator. He had not supposed the
information was to be elected merely
for the purpose of supplying election
material.
Mr.. Hale agreed with Mr.. Bacon's
high estimate of the purposes Of the
committee, but at the same time he
said he realized 1t would be impossi-
BILE to prevent the use Of the material
in the carnnaiUn.