The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-09
Farmers and Packers Are Held
Accountable for ADVANCE
In Meat Prices
RETAIL DEALERS TALK
ABOUT COST OF MEATS
Ono Man Testifcs That Beef Has Ad-
yanccd ID Per Cent and Poultry and
Pork so to 100 Per Cent
in Ten Years.

Washington, March s.-Retail meat
dealers today placed upon the farmers
and the packers responsibility for the
higher price of meat In testimony given
before the Senate committee which began
its inquiry into the increased cost OF iiv-
ing.
Five retail men from New York, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore and Washington were
heard, and Walter Brown, a Washington
dealer who kills his own meat, was the
only one who did not admit that the price
of meat had gone up at least 10 per cent
during the past five years. Mr.. Brown
insisted that prices were practically the
same now as then. All agreed, however,
that competition among the retailers kept
the price to the consumer as low as pos
sble, consistent with the price charged
by the wholesaler.
Each witness vigorously denied the
charge that the retailers were respon-
sible for prevailing prices, and none would
admit that any agreement existed among
them as to prices. While no one charged
that the packers were In combination,
all of the witnesses who had dealings with
them declared that there seemed to be no
competition among them for the trade of
retailers. and that their prices ranged
about the same. When complaint was
made to the packers about advancing
prices. they said the latter explained that
the stock was scarce.
The committee will meet again tomor-
row afternoon.
The wholesalers will next be heard, and
after that the packers.
Prices of Meats.
Walter Brown, retail meat dealer, told
the committee that retail prices OF meats
were about the same as those for five
years ago. He had bought his meats in
Maryland and Virginia ON the hoof and
did his own saughterng. He declared
the retailers had no agreement among
themselves. but that their prices were the
same for all meats except pork, which
was the highest he had ever known.
When asked by Senator Simmons why
dealers who bought from western packers
could afford TO sell as cheaply as he could
after he had dealt directly with the farm
er, Mr.. Brown replied:
'The packers save everything. They
make good profit off the parts of a bull
lock that We throw away Therefore, they
can afford to sell to the dealers at a prce
which enables them to compete with us.
The packers could put us out of business
If they desired, but we are too small for
them to notice"
Then ! gather from your testimony
that there has been an unjustifed clamor
on the part of the public that there has
been an increase in the cost OF meat?'
inquired Senator McCumber.
Yes
Best Quality of Meats.
J. c. Walker, a member of a market
company. who caters to the fashionable
trade In this city told the committee
that he bought his meats in New York
because the best quality was shipped
there from all over the country
He said beef had advanced 10 per cent
and poultry and pork so to 100 per cent in
10 years. He quoted figures to show how
prices of meats had increased all along
the line. He said he had made inquiry
of Armour & Co.. the packers, to learn
why meat had gore up. and was told that
this was because there were 5000 900 less
hogs and 100000 less cattle in the coun-
try than there were 10 years ago.
Are the prices at which you are selling
today higher than five years agoT' asked
Senator Smoot.
"Yes. quite little"
Higher than year ago?"
Slightly"
Senator Gallinger asked the witness to
state his personal views as to the cause
of the increased price of farm products.
Mr.. Walker declared he believed the ma
|
rush to the cities from the farms and that
there was an under-produotion which
could not supply the increased demand
Mr. Walker thought the advent OF cold
storage had made it possible for people
OF all classes to have eggs throughout
the winter. He argued that 45 cents Z
dozen was not an unreasonable price to
pay for eggs in the winter and recalled
the time ten years ago when they brought
81 per dozen.
Competition Too Keen.
John r. Holman, who conducts q mar
ket in New York city. was tho first
witness at the afternoon session. He told
the committee that competition among the
retailers in New York was so keen they
had been unable to keep pace with the
steadily increasing prices which the
wholesalers ad forced upon them during
the last 10 WARS. He said the increase
during that period amounted to about
cents a pound on beef both to the
retailer and to the consumer. Asked by
Senator Simmons why the retailer had
not added something to the price to the
consumer TO cover his increased expenses
for help and rent the witness said:
The merchants in New York city are
being crushed to the wall by the whole
salers who represent the packers We
have to sell at the lowest possible price.
otherwise others would underseli US and
we would lose our trade
He declared the retailers had no agree
ment among themselves or that they had
any agreement with the wholesalers not
to sell under a certain price, He inti-
mated. however. that there appeared to be
an understanding among the wholesalers.
Beef had increased about 20 per cent In
five wears. he said. and pork and poultry
had doubled In ten years. ,N
s. X. Harrison, representing retail ero-
GERS and meat dealers of Baltimore, tes-
titled that the trend of all prices had
been higher during the last is years.
He said the retailers had been making
less and less profit.
Mr. Harrison said the Elgin market
controlled butter prices He declared the
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