The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-16
State Food Department
Finds Retail Profits
Unreasonable.
SUGGESTS REMEDY
FOR STU ATION
COOPERATIVE Stores Will Keep
Prices Down-Purcell Finds
Profits in Virginia Cities
Without Reason, and Vary
ing to Unaccount-
able Extent.

Profits charged by Virginia retail
dealers in articles OF human food are
in many cases unusually large and arc
not to be accounted for by location.
amount OF business or any other rea
sonable cause. Such is tho deliberate
conclusion of the State Dairy and Food
Department based upon investigation
and tabulaton of retail prices charged
In Virginia cities for articles OF food
entering into the daily consumption OF
the people
The need for an adequate and effec-
tive remedy for this condition of affairs,
affecting as ii does the high cost of liv-
ing. which has become such general
burden. Is realized and dealt with in n
statement issued yesterday by Assistant
Food Commissioner Is. L. Purcell. In
the face of eXorbitant profits demanded
ny retailers from the people of the
State, he believes that the widespread
public interest in the increased cost OF
living Will work out a remedy.
Suggests Remedy.
There Is one solution-the only one
which has been so far worked out TO
any extent. TINS Is the cooperative
store. Such institutions have been
more or less successful wherever
tried. Mr.. PurceU says. but more sue
cess has attended them in foreign coun-
tries than in the United States. This
fact may be due, he thinks. to differing
social conditions and environments.
Commenting upon the cooperative
store as remedy for the unreasonable
prices which the consumer now pays.
Mr.. Purcell says: Where these stores
have been established they have had the
wholesome effect in the neighborhoods
in which they are established of at
least holding the profits OF the retailer
down 10 4 legitimate basis. Statistics
show that the remuneration for labor
has not Increased in anything like the
proportion OF the cost OF foodstuffs.
ard when it is found Impossible. even
when the most diligent efforts arc made,
TO meet the daily expenses of living,
most serious condition presents itself
for solution, and there must be rem
edy supplied. This subject is worthy
of tho most serious consideration of
State and nati onal authorities and the
best thought OF the most progressive
economists.
Realizing thin Importance. there Is
bill now before Congress authorizing
the President TO invite foreign govern
ments to participate in an international
conference TO inquire into the high cost
OF living Throughout the world. and It
is confidently hoped that valuable in
formation VIII be gathered at this con-
N'lll4pll WHICH WIZ! IN oNS o. liz 6ISGE
est assistance in solving this mach
vexed problem"
Mig Difference Shown.
Comparative figures given on. yes
terslay by AIr. Purcell show the profits
charged in various Virginia cities Tho
discrepancy is most marked and is APP
parently uneNplainable except upon the
basis OF arbitrary rulings. For in
stance Charlottesville dealers accept 10
per cent profit on bacon. hams and
shoulders. while Lynchblrg gets II TO
~ per cent. Clifton Forge, % per cent. ;
stanton 20 10 30 per cent; Richmond.
~ per cent and Norfolk. 20 to so per
cent.
Coffee is sold on closer margin of
PROFIT by the stanton retail dealers
than hy those OF any other city report
ed Grom II to % per cent, while soma
Norfolk dealers. get much larger profit
on so<ne grades than is charged in
other places. their profits running as
high as 70 per cent.
Richmond touches high-water mark
in profits on teas. where 60 10 $50 per
cent Is charged. Norfolk dealers.
however. appear satisfied with smaller
proh,s on this item than those OF any
other c'v IN the state. although rents
are presumably higher there than in
the smaller places
Graduated sugar costs moro in