The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-13

the chief restraining influence Is the fear
OF tariff change.
Some betterment is noted In iron and
steel Hesitation and uncertainty stiIl pre-
we're decline in the price OF cotton by
reason OF a prospect of bumper crop
is favorable feature looking far ahead
But for the moment It is discouraglng
trade. There Is little demand for goods
and those interests who have large stocks
OF either cotton or goods are present
sufferers.
But for political. uncertainties 1t is
thought that general trade would improve
wonderfully. AS il is. 1t is a good -opin :
ION that moderate expansion VIII be re-
corded this fall provided. OF course. that
no calamity befalls the crops.
Large Crops Likely
Every time the sun rises millions OF
| ent. Even the ubiquitous gentlemen whose
| mission IT Is To find damaged crops are
unable to discover widespread devasta :
tion. The weather since the early part
OF July has been remarkable both in the
south and In the west Some idea OF
the actual improvement can be gath
ket value Of cotton and grain has fallen.
The betterment in agricultural condi-
tions has had much to do with main
tanning the confidence Of our nnanciers
aGing devclonment at home and abroad.
Harvests OF 5000 900. 900 bushels Of corn.
more than Ioo, 100000 bushels Of wheat
and II, sos. 600 bales OF bottom form a
strong foundation for a security mar
ket.
Oppose Grocery Trusts.
Newspapers in several large western
cities are claiming the existence of COM
binations among members Of the gro
cerv trade TO fix prices One report
states that cooperative store move
ment has been started In Des Moines to
combat the alleged grocery trust" In
fhut tafa 1S,a
singled out as the points Of attack The
secretary OF the Retailers association of
Des Moines has replied to n list of ten
paesSs bep ep to oauy R2 by ,5s Of The
working methods of his organization. The
questions include the following; do you
meet and fix prices" HAS your organ
ization In any manner attempted TO pre-
vent cutting of prices by grocers mem
bers or nonmembers OF your orsaniza-
tton?' rs 1t your policy to work for uni
form prices among the grocers or Is that
matter to which YOU pay no attention."
A general denial to all these questions
was made by the associations secretary
The answer TO the last question was: 1--WE
do not and never have attempted or ad-
vised Inform prices. but we do advocate
that retailers handle only such goods as
can be sold at a legitimate and living
In Denver, there are similar charges
that wholesalers and retailers are work
ing toSether to control prices. The claim
is tIhl lfle ledUlTG "nOleSalcrs meet each
morning and fix prices TO be charged
tn the retailers and that violation OF the
agreement means death knell Of the Of
feodnr in a business way
IT is difficult to credit such charges IN
these days OF antitrust activity, espec-
tally where the necessaries OF life are
concerned The western trade 1t Is true
have made more practical use of their
organizations. but the Denver charges
sound improbable nevertheless. II Is Diff
hcult to imagine the New York whole
sale Rrocers getting together each morn
ing and fixing prices. In the old DAYS
tnev used To attempt something like that
with sugar, but the story goes that each
participant was figuring before he got OUT
OF the meeting how he could take ad-
vantage OF The agreement TO hurt his
competitor. Those days have long since
passed In this market at least
Railroads Making Overturees.
In line with the policy OF the railroads
during the past year TO establish more
harmonious relations with shippers and
the public generally. the management OF
tne chicago Great Western has issued
circular to all station and bridge men
on It's lines urging them to cultivate the
friendship and good will of farmers. as
communities,
Figures especially complied by The Jour
nal OF Commerce show that In july n
total Of S233, 7se 100 was paid invcsfo-s
representing dividend and interest dis
oursement by railroad industrial and
traction corporations. banks and trust
companies, The national government and
New York City. This compares with
sad sadZsn; cs1 eS ;S3S year ago, an Increase OF