St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-08-02
RESPONSIBILITIES Of Consumers.


show that the middleman is chiefly
Irresponsible for the high cost of liv-
ling. 1t gives its facts. if facts they
are, in the form of an account of the
experience of a prosperous farmer in
New York state who found a busi-
ness opportunity il the city through
which he thought he could better his
condition, and so moved to the city.
The rest of the account relates TO the
surprises he met by reason of the
difference in the prices of farm
and in the city, where they are doled
out in small parcels at retail.
He found grapes, which he raised
on his farm, and which were only
two cents basket when he moved
to the city, 40 cents a basket in the
city; potatoes, which were worth
only 3 5 cents a bushel in his old
home, cost $3.50 in the city; pork,
for which the farmer received from
four to six cents a pound, cost him
from 20 to 80; eggs which were 20
cents dozen in the country, cost
him 48. and so on through the entire
! list of farm products.
The man did some figuring and
came to the conclusion that the diff
ference between country and city
prices was not to any large extent
due to the cost of transportation,
and settled down to the conviction
that the middleman was responsible.
This would be the natural inference.
| II it was correct middlemen would
be getting rich rapidly, but as they
are not, there must be other elements
entering into the problem.
In discussing the cost of living the
News has in times past pointed out
some Of the things by which it is
enhanced, and these show that con-
sumers are to considerable extent
responsible. They demand a great
deal in addition to the commodities,
and it is no more than right that
they should pay for what they de-
mand. Those who pay their bills
have to do this, and in addition they
have to pay for much which they
never have, but what other people
pay the bills of numberless dead
beats" besides their own.
If all the consumers would go to
the stores, pay for what they buy and
take it away, prices would come
down Immediately, but people will
not do this. They order by telephone
and expect prompt delivery of the
smallest orders, the price, in many
cases being less than the cost of de-
livery. Everything must be "charg-
ed and the dealer is obliged to en-
plcy bookkeeper. to keep the run of
things. As an additional burden
many customers fail to pay, the
dealers know this is going to be SO
and adjusts the prices so that, by
and large, if he does a. fair amount
of business he will come out whole
at the end of the year.
The provision business is competi-
tive. 1t is open to all, and any man
who can figure that it is as profitable
as represented by those who harp on
the difference between country and
city prices should lose no time in get
ting into it Rutland News.
The Stunt of Wild Apple Tree.
Again speaking of apple growing
in Vermont, and particularly of the |
peerless White River valley, prompts |
the Landmark to arise and tell the
story of a little runt of wild apple |
tree and the stunt it is doing this |
year.
Four years ago this spring the lit
tie wild sapling that had diameter
at it's base of about one inch, was |
found among a group of wild brush I
and growth upon one of the valley /
farms. The owner thereof decided at I
once to graft it, as the location of
the tree was alike desirable and con-
yenient.
After clearing the ground from
about the tree of brush and vines the
top was cut off and two scions were
inserted and duly waxed. The variety
grated was the Mcintosh Red. Both
scions lived and made prodigious
growth the first season. The second
season one of the gratis was cut out
leaving but the one to form the new
top of the tree, for all the original
top was likewise cut away. AS the
seasons came the scion continued to
grow and last spring, the fourth after
grating, saw the tree in beautiful
~ formed new top, and in May it
b1ossomed quite freely. To-day the
tree has % apples scattered among
its branches and every one is as fair
and beautiful as a rose This in spite
of the fact that no spray was used.
The owner hopes to see the % apples
mature, and in two years from now
anticipates that the yield of the tree
will be at least bushel of number
one apples, and we believe he is
justified in such anticipation.-[Th The
Thirty-five Standard Oil Companies.
The papers report that the Stand
ard Oil Company, obeying to the best
of its ability the recent decision of
the supreme court, is being split up
into thirty-five companies. Each
holder of a certificate for one share
Of Standard Oil stock. is to receive
thirty-five certificates for stock in
various companies in place Of it.
The Stndard, it seems, might be dis
solved into 125 companies, since it
includes that many, but it is adj
vised that if split up into thirty
five it will probably be legal.
Of course these changes involve
huge amount of work Of course,
too, they are economically wasteful
They may send up the price of oil
and the other petroleum products.
That is sad reflection, but the fight
against the monopolistic corporations
is not Immediately a fight for cheaper
but for restriction of
mower, Com netitinn is still we SLID