New-York tribune., 1912-02-07

After this present winter Of our dlscon-
tent 1t seems ironical to mention tho matter
of ice. Yet as surely as the summer comes
to us, the ice question will rise again. Like
the poor 1t is always with us. And the
mounting prices of everything else insure
that ice likewise shall go kiting upward.
This for good reasons-horses and horse
feed cost more. labor may not be greatly
enhanced in value, but that is mere de-
tail Any way you look at II summer ice
bills loom portentious. So II may be worth
while for the indwellers Of towns, villages
and suburbs, pure and simple, to begin
making treaties OF amity with the ice
barons.
Mighty human creatures those same Ice
barons-all they want is what belongs TO
the business, and little bit OF velvet "on
the side" But take them by little and by
large, they had much rather oblige pubic
than affront II. Witness the case OF
suburb which took thought for itself while
the furnace was a matter OF very much
more immediate moment than the refrig-
orator Sundry citizens consulted, COM
pared accounts, computed needs, then
asked the ice company whose insufficient
wagons ran laggardly through the streets,
for prices on ice delivered TO consumers
directly from the car In reply they learned
that ice would be thus delivered, and glad
ly, at rate less by more than half the
price of ice delivered at the door \ little
more correspondence resulted In an ar
rangement by which an ice car stood upon
a handy siding throughout the hot weather
in charge OF q man who sold to all comorS
for cash as much or as little ice as they
would buy and cart away.
Carting away was bugaboo at first but
the matter soon arranged itself, by help
Of the Wheelbarrow brigade and ncghborly
comfy Those who kept traps and horses
made ii a point OF honor 10 haul home
ice for horseless friends. other folks em-
ployed the barrows, either running them
themselves. paying a tritle for use. or en-
gaging regular delivery from barrow owners
intent on turning an honest penny. SeV-
eral OF these were stout boys, earning
money for an education Their charges
were so moderate that even after paying
them the ice bills were cut pretty well In
half Further, there was no scautng OF
supply, no vexatious waiting for the Ice
wagon, almost no loss OF either food or
COIllOTl lIIbiHl lh'Ntib ~ ~ '''' -
time Altogether. the experiment turned
out so well It has been continued TO this
day.
Now there are is safe to say, hundreds
OF small communities whore this sort OF
thing could he successfully dom" II is
among the simplest and safest forms Of
noighborly cooperation. And in ncighboriN
cooperation lies nearly the best hope OF
mitigating present conditions. Rising prices
are not arbitrarily established IA the re-
suit Of wicked greed on the part Of tho
trusts. Rather they come in large meas
ure from the subdivision OF business, cspe-
cially the business OF supplying daily
needs Every man who handles a product
between It's first occasion and its ultimate
consumer needs must get "A living out OF
handling IL. The product, and through II
the ultimate consumer. has 10 pay the cost
OF such living. Indeed. high prices may
well be likened 10 a stairway No step is
steep but all run IN the same direction
upward AS result there In a widely diff
ferent level at top and bottom.
Take eggs for instance. hfty cents the
dozen seems frightful-cspccially II YOU re-