Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-12-16

I is that of the law and the policeman
| and the courts. It's a slow and an I'M
| certain way, and very limited in its
1 effects The better and cheaper and
surer way is also the simpler
IL is just to turn on the light
When John EIdredos of Potosi. Mo-,
brought at a store near broadway a
dozen apples at s1.25 from a barrel
when he had sold. less than month
Eefcre. for $1.5G. he knew something
nout what was happening to the pro-
ducer and fhe consumer. But he
wasn't in a situation, then, to trace
that barrel back through every hand
Ter and ferret out the separate charges
which each had loaded upon 1t, till 1t
got TO the final retailer. Moreover, It
wouldn't have been quite safe for him
TO have published all these details or
this continent wide swindle. even II he
mad been able TO trace them down he
probably couldn't have been convicted
OF libel but he might, by those de-
vices with which some lawyers are
familiar and some courts too handy
he might have been bankrupted by the
costs of defending himself. Our legal
system has reached that point where
il too often costs an innocent man
more to establish his right than 1t
ought to cost to punish the guilty one
But il an agent of the department OF
agriculture had followed John Ed
redge's consignment of Arkansas
Blacks from Potosi, Mo, to Broadway,
and had published. as government
report, the details step by step through
which the price of those apples had
been raised from $1.50 a barrel to
1875 a dozen, indicating the various
''e-afts'' along the route, there would
as.e been no libel suit against
Iumert The probabilities t.--
time either Mr. Eldredge would
got better price Tor his apples
81 SIR. Consumer of New York would
have been able to buy them at a more
reasonable figure.
Il wouldn't be necessary to foti-w
every consignment from every IA
to every buyer. 1t would merely he
necessary to follow a few and make
it very clear to big business" that
others We're likely to be followed and
that the light was liable TO be turned
on any transaction any minute No
more sherman laws e needed: no
costly additional organization is called
for. All Is required is the direc-
ton of some part of the organiza ton
we have to the desirable end of bring
ing iniquity to light.
! have no doubt that the gathering
of crop statistics and their regular
publication by the deps rtment of asri-
culture is q useful service to many. /
have even less doubt that the gather
ing of graft" statistics concerning the
charges foisted on crops between the
grower and the eater. and their regu-
lar publication, would be a more use
MI service to greater number If
the government can do the one, it
could do the other. Crop statistics
help the dealers and the exporters.
These other statistics would help the
producers and the consumers-who
really are more numerous and ought
to have more consideration than the
dealers.
In the meantime, while we are wait
Ing for some government department
To turn on the light, let me refer to a
the other day, from a New York paper,
about two recent tests of the cost of
Irving They are even more inform
Ing than that statement from the cir
smaller scale and conducted ty people
who buy at retail and in small guam
tifies- One is the experience of a
certain Trites of Terre Haute. Ind
and the cooks regular allowance is
81 a week. She knows her allow
ance and keeps inside of it," says Mr..
Trites. Don't let people talk about
the high cost of living until they try
TO live within their means. They can
do il AMI live well-that is, if they
wish
The other experience to which refer
is that of group of young women
IN the senior class of the Cincinnati
kindergarten training school. They
were recently placed in flat fur
n1shed by the school board end oidden
t.. ego il their own way They bought
their own food, did their own house
keeping and cooking, and kept strict
account of their expenses. At the end
Of the first weeks real test, they found
that their meals had cost them-how
much do YOU guess? Seven-centn-
aDfece-a day. Here is SAM lie menu
for one day-
Breakfas st.
Corn Meal Mush and Milk
Brown Bread or Toast
Coffee or Cocoa