Bisbee daily review., 1910-03-27
fTucson Citizen.)

cred by the labor organizations. rep resentative of the Citizen called on Albert Steinfeld today and asked hls view of the situation. The Citizen maH said;
 MT Steinfeld. there has been con siderable agitation here in Tucson over the cost of living. You are the lagest dealer in merchandise in this city and must have given the ques- ton sf prices considerable study. Is it trun that the prices here are higher accordingly than in other sectionss Are the merchants here to blame or is this a condition prevailing all over the country
 MT. Steinfeld said;
 Prices of merchandise in this city are no higher than in other points similarly situated The cost of staples in every line has in late years materi- ally advanced in price all over the country. and therefore. a general asi- ,a,,on over the country has resulted |, the complaint of additional cost or living This is brought largely by 'ne fppdameutal rule of supply and de- mand. which regulates prices or all ar tieles The country as a whole mas haen growing more rapidly than the ab;Iity of the country to produce Tais particularly applies to products or tue soii such as food products, etc.
 "The merchants of Tucson are not to blame for the present apparehus high cost of merchandise and cost oi living. Modern merchandising today bas so many requirements, which mean added expense. which naturaliy ,,,,s+ he horne by the consumer. The merchant himself purchases ms soods where he car buy them the cheapest aim. to operate his business at tue lowest possible expense up to tne noint of delivery to the consumer. ana exDects in addition to such addeo cost and expense a reasonaole pfoht to cover his investment and laoor- ! am certain that the final result or the agitation will be that the average price asked by the merchants of Tucson will not be found to be an excessive charge baSeH upon the fundamental principle 50 far as our own business is concerheo we keep an elaborate accounting s!s- tenn covering the various items Whlcn comprises in addition to the original cost of merchandise the cost Of mak- ing final delivery to the consumer We aim at all times to keep ourselves thoroughly posted both as to the cost of operating our business, and feel that we are doing in both respects good work; that is, that we are not having too much for our merchandise nor it it costing us too much to oper- ate the same.
 As to the final result of this oper- alton I should be very glad to have a committee of citizens inspect our rec ords covering the various depart ments of our business and decide for themselves as to whether the final result is excessive or unreasonable.
 q regret very much that an agi;a- ton of this kind should be taken up by some of our citizens with charges made for which there is no foundation of fact. We shall be only too glad to meet a representative of any such or gauization or repreSetatlve citizens to 20 over in detail the matters above re- ferred to. If there are any sugges- tiors that can be made by which we can reduce the cost of selling merchan disc, we shall be pleased to be so ad- yised. We feel that the result Of our labor and efforts in serving the public. in addition to the capital in- vested, is anything but excessively re- pad by tine showing made in connec- ton herewith.
 T know as a mater of fact that the agitation as to high cost of living is a general one being agitated all over the country. but I can see no way this can be materially changed except the surrounding conditions change. So far as the merchant Is concerned, it is impossible for him to operate his business except at a req sonable profit upon his investment and labor given. The only %ay can sSe that the cost of articles at the original place of purchase and the reduction Of the cost of doing business. l venture to say that for the last few years not a merchant in Tucson can show any thing but a very reasonable per cent of profit on the capital invested, not saying anything about labor in con nection herewith, and under such circumstances no betterment in this direction can be expected It is true that in some other points in the ter ritory certain staple articles Of mer- chandise are being sold at somewhat less than they are in Tucson Thisis brought about first, because in some instances the freights are somewhat less than they are in Tucson. This is Iy because in most of these outside points the class of supplies which are sold are not Of the high standard which are generally sold here in Tucson. and which the trade here have been ac- customed to purchase.
 Tt is our intention to put In a lower class of staple articles in our grocery department SO as to give the consumer the opportunity of pur- chasing at a less cost as a result of a lower standard of merchandise. They will then be able 10 better judge as to whether this will answer and satisfy their demands as com pared with what they have been us- ing heretofore.