New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-12

has been necessary to perform after hours,
but the officials regard the inability of the
committee TO develop any scandal as most
satisfactorily establishing the efficiency
and integrity of the department
THE COST OF LIVING.-Secretary VIII
son is firmly persuaded that most of the
well founded dissatisfaction with the ex-
tremely high cost OF living is due TO the
intermediate charges which are added TO
the price Of foodstuffs after they leave
the farmers hands and before they reach
those OF the consumer. lie has twice called
attention i'm his annual reports 10 the un-
reasonable discrepancy between the prices
received by the farmer and those paid by
the consumer and he is now contemplating
taking the matter up at Cabinet meet
ing with view to provoking discussion
and If possible devisnC some remedy for
the situation Mr. Wilson says that more
than a century ago the poor people of
Great Britain suffered from this cause, as
they are suffering here now. and that they
were finally compelled to organize associa-
tons through which they made their pur-
chases at wholesale distributing the goods
among themselves at prices only sufficient
TO cover the original price and the cost of
handling. II is a fact which is easily
demonstrabe that the farmers receive for
their products rarely more than one-ffth
Of the prices the consumers are compelled
to pay, and II would seem TO be an easy
matter for persons Of limited means 10 band
together and send wagons into the coun-
try to purchase farm truck which could be
sold TO the members of the organization at
small fraction of the prices they are
now compelled to pay Secretary Wilson
also believes that an adequate parcels post
would greatly help the situation; that 1t
would tend 10 bring the producer and the
consumer into closer touch and obviate the
necessity of paying express charges when
are prohibitve The Secretary points out
that under the present system Of rural free
delivery carriers are paid rate of com-
pensation which would amply warrant ask
Ing them to carry parcels, but that IL mas
been impossible to secure from Congress
law authorizing such parcels post IL Is
also remarked that one of the dlff1cuities
Of installing a system OF bnylns olrecI
from the farmer is the eytravagant taste
which has been assiduously cultivated by
the retailers in cities, the consumer nav
Ing become accustomed to practically all
produce out Of season, the demand often
helng so far supplied by products shipped
long distances at high cost far in advance
of the season that when the local season
arrives II is necessary TO go elsewhere 10
find a demand. process which "orhs
hardship 10 farmer and consumer alike.
AN INTERESTING BROCHURE. - a
br,ef vet comprehensive brochure OF far
mora than ordinary interest has just been
i.euod nv the Bureau of Railway Econon-
,cs ON "The Conflict Between Federal and
state Regulation of the Railways. lhis
publication is the result Of comphauoh
rrade for the benefit OF an English writer
on economic subjects the matter being de-
eirned TO show wherein there Is CONNECT
hotveen federal and state control ana tle
r,-o,.isiops of the constitutions and the de-
ois;ors Of the courts bearing on the SUD
,ect There is no attempt at argument III
Tho brochure, which merely sets iorth inc
cots IN q concise and available form Which
r,,et nrove a convenience to every writer
on this and correlated subjects Ids Is
,nrh.ns the most creditable puphcauoh
,,.hiob has thus far issued from the newly
ostshlished bureau in this city.
G. G. II.