The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-02-15
WOULD ELIMINATE MIDDLEMAN
Racine and Kenosha Worknen Discuss
Proposition and Racine Will Be First
to Try Proposed E.xperiment-Local
Men Slow TO Take up Question.

l
put up a new plan to the Manufacture
ers association of Kenosha in the near
future in the suggestion that the as
ISOLATION open UP a store for the bene-
fit of the workmen and seek to find
way to reduce the cost of living to
these men. It is declared that it is al
most impossible for the men who are
working in the shops at wages of from
$1.75 to 1926 day to make both ends
meet and the workmen have held sew
eral conferences with workmen from
Racine, and the plan Of opening a store
for their use has been worked out. AS
lyet the plan has not been formally
laid before the officials of the Keno
sha association. With eggs at fifty
cents o dozen, the market price in
Kenosha today, and with the prices of
butter, meats and all other necessities
soaring, it. is declared that there must
be something done to make it possible
for the workingmen to live.
The scheme proposed is not an elab-
crate one. 1t simply provides for the
elimination of the profits of the middle
man by the opening of a store at which
provisions will be furnished to work
men of the various factories at small
margin above the cost. The margin will
not be any greater than is actually
necessary to maintain the store. The
Racine Association Of Manufacturers
has decided to take the matter under
consideration and it is probable that
the action Of the local association will
be for a great part governed by the
success or failure of the Racine expert
ment. There will be plenty of time for
the test, as it is alleged that at the
present time there is no reason to be-
lieve that there will be any great fall
ing off in food prices.
Mr.. Bolles, secretary Of the Racine
association, today said:
eve are considering the plan of
lowering the present high cost of liy-
ing for the people of Racine, so far
as may be in our power. Plans have
been talked over and it seems to be
the idea that the association should
iopen one or two stores where will be
sold staple groceries, flour, butter, eggs,
meat, etc.
1--WE realize that there are hundreds
Of men of families employed in our
factories who earn but $1.75 to 1925
per day. They cannot properly support
their families and live on that wage
because Of the high prices of all articles
on the market. A man earning So day
cannot purchase butter at SO cents a
pound for his family, neither can he af-
ford to purchase eggs or many other
articles because of the high prices.
The employers are paying employees the
highest possible wage and we believe
that if we opened stores we would be
able to assist these employees and their
families by selling them groceries and
other food articles at a slight advance
over the cost price. Possibly the
merchants Of the city will object to
such plan on our part but we be-
Ilieve we should take this step. We have
80 y
"a list of over 1000 people in Racine
who are employed or are seeking EN-
ployment and we seek to aid all of
them. The conditions in the Industrial
world in Racine have not been bright
but the situation is now far better than
it has been lat any time since last
March, and during the month of jan
uary the Merchants association OBJ
Itaihed employment for 900 people,