The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-01-29
HIGH COST OF LIVING Is
DISCUSSED BY MERCHANTS
Copper Country is Affected in a
Small Way by the Meat Boy
colt. Some Theories.
FARMER AND TARIFF BLAMED

| ~ asANeAAtb AhAiiASA Ail1 iASii
prices asked for food products
is beginning to make itself felr
| in Houghton and other towns In
felt i'm Houghton and other towns in
the copper country. This has been
proven by an investigation carried on
among the merchants of Houghton and
Hancock, the conditions in these two
towns taken as an index to those of
the othr placs in this part of
the country.
While the effect here has not been
as marked as il is reported TO have
been in other parts of the country, 1t
is, however. noticeable. according to
the opinions voiced by some OF the
merchants. The demand for meats
has fallen of so as to be noticeable
and those who are buying meats are
asking for cheaper cuts than were pre-
yiously demanded. Another article OF
food that has been considerably affect
cd by the high prices asked for ii, is
butter In many homes the butter has
given place to butterine, some mer-
chants having put in the substitute for
the first time.
Pork and Butter Lower.
The first product to be reduced in
price in this section was butter. The
price was reduced five cents per pound
the first Of the present week following
Immediately upon a reduction of six
cents Of the Elgin market, which con-
trolls the situation throughout the
middle west and even into the eastern
states
Pork was cut about two cents
pound to the retailer at about the same
time that the butter was affected and
the consumer was given the benefit of
the reduction, as he generally is given
Il by the retailer. The price of beef
has remained the same as ii has been
for some time but the market men
are looking for a precipitous decline in
this meat within a few days.
Who Makes the Money!
The householder who is now paying
such high prices for his meats AMI
other foodstuffs is of the belief that
there is no foundation in fact for the
charging OF these high prices and is
constantly asking the question, "who
gets the money! This. substantially,
is the question that reporter for the
News asked the merchants of the twia
cities OF Hancock and Houghton.
There were a variety of answers, all
Of them, however disclaiming that the
retailer was getting any more OF II |
than he absolutely requires to keep
doing business for the benefit Of
the general public. Some of the mer-
chants advanced their reasons for
these statements and quoted figures |
which bore out their assertions to a |
fnality. man who conducts one Of |
the leading markets in Houghton do
clared that his final net profit for the |
month now ending. after taking out all |
expenses, as rent insurance lisht and |
help, would be ioss than four pe~ cent. |
Farmer is Given Blame.
"The farmer is the man who Is max.
ing all the money out of these high |
prices" said Charles A. Mills when |
seen at his meat market IN Sheldon |
street, and you can hardly blame him. |
either. When corn is selling at 90 |
cents a bushel the farmer win not feed |
Il to hogs for marketing. MANY people |
are inclined to put the blame upon the
packers. but I don't think the packers
are responsible for the high prices"
clogs recently sold on the hoof at |
the yards in Chicago at 1915 per hun
bred" continued Mr.. Mills, land at
that time the packers were selling US
these hogs in the form of pofS at IL |
cents. When you consider that II hog
weighing 100 pounds on the ho)f win
produce only so pounds OF pork. losing |
20 pounds in dressing. you WI zee
that the price per pound to the packer |
is nearly - cents, without the freight |
up here, which IS paid by the pager |
ana which amounts to another half
cent a pound. This. you see, makes the
price to US as low as the packer pays. |
OF course the packers have their adj
vanced methods of handling the an,
mails which greatly reduces the cost
and then they make use OF the by