The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-02
Trains Going West.
COST OF LIVING.

Who is to blame for the high cost Of
living? Ask any ten men in Fargo and
you are quite likely to get ten different
Explanations. The cost of meats and
q groceries is attracting considerable at
tention. Investigators insist the prices
paid for the raw products are not so
high that consumers should be charged
what the retailers impose.
The price of meats is one great cause
:, of argument Farmers are being paid
a slight advance over old prices for
cattle and hogs on the hoof and poul-
try-but it is contended the difference
is by no means as great as the adj
vance in price by the meatmarket men.
al While the farmers are getting some
advantage, the packers and the meat
market men are pocketing the profits,
according to the popular idea.
IL This is denied by the dealers. They
claim they are purchasing a majority
Of their meats from the packers and
advance prices only as they are adj
vanced on them. /
The grocers continue to slip I'D a
notch or two on some of the staples.
The prices Of flour and flour products
have advanced. This year vegetables
are more difficult to secure in this To-
cality. Some canned goods are higher.
- Both the retail grocers and retail
meat men deny the existence of a food
trust in Fargo. They wax indignant
when reference is made to the story
that they meet at regular intervals and
/. FIX prices. They insist they are charg-
Ing only living prices and are not ar
tempting to conduct any get-rich-quick |
schemes.
4 1t is a noticeable fact that few
grocers and meatmarket men in Fargo
seyer go broke-though they would I'M
doubtedly have succeeded financially
In some other lines of effort.
They admit the soft imputation tba.
they charge enough for their goods so
ssthe people who are good pay will foot
the bills of the dead beats. Thev saw
That if all could agree to conduc. their
2 On strictly cash proposition
They could afford to sell for less. The
poor accounts that are charged to prof
II and loss, the expense of collectors
-and other incidentals would be obviated
and the prices could be lowered
rs Some OF them insist that If a dealer /
mad the nerve to start strictly cash
sfnarket in Fargo he could afford to sell
sat 10 per cent less and would GET the
cream of the trade.
N The retailers deny that thew could
transact just as much business ana
more cheapiy by having the grocery
stores and meatmarkets on the side
streets. 1t has been commended that
They would get just ais much regular
trade where rent was cheaper. they
admit It would make little difference
with the old customers--but that h.,
having desirable locations on the main
thoroughfares they secure a sufficient
.runber Of new customers and do
enough transient business to pay for
eheir rent.
Ask any grocer or meat dealer In
Fargo one Of the causes of the high
cost Of living and you win be informed
that the expense of delivery is an inn
portant factor. A customer on the ex-
treme edge Of the city win order is
cents worth Of meat or groceries and
Instead Of taking them home win re-
quest their delivery. or telephone or
iers viii be sent in for goods that must
b carried . long distance. IT re-