The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-10-05

This of course, would not be a Sc
rious matter mad wages increased In
the same ratio. but this is not true
From the close Of the hard times in
1895 to 1906 wages increased 10 per
cent. but the price of commodities in
creased 30 per cent" In other words,
when America had vast natural re-
sources so that every one could have
100 acres of land to farm. or could go
into an unlimited forest to chop down
trees. or enter virgin mines for coal
little labor secured large returns in
products and wages We're relatively
htgh or putting It contrarywise. using
wages as a basis. the products them
selves were relatively very cheap. For
example. corn sold on the retail mar
ket in Iowa towns during the seven
ties at from cents to 20 cents per
busheL During the last ten years It
has averaged from 80 cents to 70 cents
IN those same markets.
1t was tho local stress of these and
other conditions that brought about
the establishment Of the public mar
ket in the city OF Des Moines. Prices
were. or at least seem to be- exorbi-
family high Two factors had been al
work in Des Moines forcing living ex-
penses to a high point First was the
general ADVANCE IN Inc cost OIL iNlnE.
which applied here as elsewhere. re-
sulting from the Increased cost OF
many of the common necessities of life.
This no doubt followed natural eco
monte law and was due 20 the rapid
increase of city poulation compared to
rural population. 10 the exhaustion Of
our natural resources such as the
wasting of the fertility of the soil the
wanton destruction of our great for
ests. the destruction of the great sheep
and cattle ranges of the west by over
feedine. e*c.
Then. too. Des Moines had within a
few years passed from struggling
town to something Of a city. But a
few years before she readily drew from
the mel ghborinR countryside all need
ed farm produce at country prices.
Within a few years the countryside
became unable to supply this demand
for produce and prices for It advanced
70 metropolitan prices and even great
er. For example. but a few years ago
eggs cost but little more in Des Moines
than in any outside country town. Up
on our investigation of prices just be-
fore the public market was opened, II
was found that eggs Of doubtful age
retaned IN Des Moines during the sum
while country prices throughout the
state ranged at from cents to as low
as s cents a dozen for strictly fresh
eggs.
Besides these two forces which con
| spfred to increase the cost of living in
Des Moines. It was strongly asserted
by many that there was at work a food
trust consisting OF the retail grocers,
wholesale grocers. commission men,
creameries. the butter and egg houses
and the peddlers Whatever the truth
4 Of this matter may be. he effect was
/ just the same as though there had
/ been such a combination. For in our
/ city OF less than 100. 000, there were
I 800 grocery stores and at least as
many more places selling fresh fruits.
canned meats. vegetables and bakers
/ products Six or seven hundred such
establishments. all trying to pay rents,
clerk hire, cost of delivery and lit
] tie proht of course. all added to the
/ price. all of which had finally to come
out OF the pockets of the people and
no doubt contributed greatly to our
cost OF "ving
/ These interests naturally feared and
! opposed the market. For a long time
they had the sympathy of other bust
ness interests no doubt upon the
ground of mutual protection. one bust
/ ness man feeling the necessity Of sup
I porting his fellow merchant who hap
pened to be a grocer on the grounds
of esprit de corps For long time
this general hostility succeeded in de-
/ feating the market. The masses of the
people were demanding the market
but for some mysterious reason f.
never materiaIized, Public officer:
We're loudly proclaiming that they fav.
ored a market. but they were never
! quite able to bring it about for lack o,
funds or other convenient reasons.
Finally. however manufacturers an6
other business interests began TO fee
the necessity for easier living condi
tions for labor else they could not NEE
the competition from other cities wher,
better conditions did exist The news
papers Joined in the crusade and wha
had long been advocated in certain
quarters. but had as long mysteriousll
failed sprang into existence full grown
The first day Of the public market Il
Des Moines there were twenty
wagons and an eager throng of buyers
: The word was carried throughout tn
city and to the farmers for mile
around. The second day there wer