The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-01-24
SECRETARY WILSON
BLAHES RETAILERS
Declares Combinations in
Different Cities ReSpons-
ible for Conditions.

Declaring the retailers q Washington
are mainly responsible for the incgeas-
ed cost Of meat products N the Dis
tr5ct and that several combinations Of
such dealers existed iu nearly au cities.
Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson appear
ed before the subcommittee Of the Dis
t~ict OF Columbia Committee this morn
INK and talked al length On The general
subject OF the increased cost Of living
in the course OF his remarks, Score
tsrv wilson referred 90 Washington
as being one OF tae most htsh-prieed
e.gies tn the country so far as the sale
OF meat and other products are con-
Unable to Explain
He said he was. so Ear. unable tn OK
plain why the increased cost Of such
products should amount 10 only - per
cent in FhladeIphia auo New York.
and a. per cent in Washington.
That the farmer IS getting bat little
share oC these higher prices was an
other opinion expressed uy the Score
tary-
Secretary Wilson was called pa-ticl-
IarI- 90 give his views concerning hep
re=crtatlve No5re-s bin 20 regulate cold
storage IN the District Mr. Moore, how
ever. who IS chairman OF the subcom-
r7ittee. informed the Secretary that II 90
was found advisable ir would not be
difficult To extend the scope Of inquiry
10 the entire question OF food supply
The inference vas that -Ee zubCCu-
nfttec intends through the various
agencies Of the District ro go into Jae
whole question OF the advance iu prices
from the Earu TO the city residences
not only w5;l regard TO the needs Of
the community as respecting cold -t1r-
age. but also IS 60 prices a. between
. producer. and consumer
Secretary Wilson informed the sub
committee that his department was
now making ar extensive Investigation
Of the jet Of cold storage, with
particular reference To- the length o.
time meat. poultry. eggs, and summe-
products coaId be safely kept. Facts
and figures. be- said, soon would be
placed al the disposal of the committee
and until such time he suggested il
might not De advisable for him 10 ex-
Z press an opinion
Have Opportunity.
81 think You gentlemen have the op-
portuuity Of your lives" said the Sec
/ Rotary. Ito show several communities
how to regulate this business"
ETr. Moore asked Nj Wilson II he did
not think Congress had the power to
control the prices Of food products IA
the District Of Columbia. Replying. the
{ Secretary said
L am a farmer and not a lawyer,
+ YOU know but I think that Congress
( has the power to oTlns about such reSu-
/ latiOns in a reasonable way We run
/ orr deDa rtmeut on a common sense
/ basis and 7 give this opinion as a
/ farmer"
I what extent the farmer Is sharing in
/ the increased cost Of living
Farmer Satisfied.
/ VERY litue.~ said the Secretary. The
( farmer is getting fairly good prices now.
hut this a per cent increase that speak
Of is shared mainly by the retailer and
I the wholesaler. Unless d farmer is able
/ 70 come to town himself and retail his
own urodrIcts he receives but little bene-
4 III from the increased prices"
He offered TO the committee the serv-
ices of any Of the departments experts
who are now investigating with respect
Z TO how long meats might safely be kept
{ In answer to question from MI
3 Moore he said the limitation of storage
privileges might prove an incidental
I 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
+ NIr. Wilson. In Washington I ascribe
the higher price Of living to little bands
Of men who form combinations and re-
tail the foodstuds- These little bands
exist everywhere The fault lies right
here with the retailer He gets the
large. share of the profits. The farm
ers can not combine, that Is impossible,
ana = ,5isD7r4e, is row on between the
! DEPARTMENT OF Justice and the whole
saICvs as to whether they can combine
My opinion Is that there are little
LHn-tlnrrna On Eth Parnl