The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-11-01
SENATOR MeMuLLeN AND AIcts
PRICES

prices, cited the advance in the prize.
of gasolene as a malignant example
He said that within the snort pert III
of a little more than a year gasoleus
had doubled in price That this ad
vance was brought about by the trus'
controlling il. and that il vas don,
for the purpose Of enriching a fes
owners % the injury 81 the many thA
necessity forced TO BE- consumers s..
the product
This paper holds 20 the theory thar
we ought to- approach the discussI1n
of these questions remperatey ana
fairly 1t matters no more 60 us Nh.
controls the output or gasoiene rlar
who controls ri,e price o. other Dr.
ducts. We think thar all should
measured by the same yardstlca ans
discussed from the same standpoint
Generally the price 0f f4ngs 3
controlled BY the av %, suppl. aat
demand
We know that the mauufaet4re llf
use of automobiles dad mot sa
in the past few years A4e
fully advanced the teIand -ts
lent, SO We should not H- STAR 90
the advance in its price no more
we should be startled bv tar 4d e.4.e
il the price of rubber or Naer aaas
that have come into quick use
Then. too, who are fae maar 1a
are injured by the advance ID ae
price of gasolene? Surely uu
the poor for they are nor sapnoe.
to be the owners Of motor BOATS r
automobiles.
Then. TOO. see how the mauacmr
of automobiles and MOTOR boats nad.
possible by the use Of gasoie-e have
given employment to la5or
Now. We do not want 20 oe lnae
stood as defending the TRUSTS. .1r
are not bent on committing political
harakiri. certainly not in view 30 'aa
fact OF Mr. Wilson's almost cerarf
of election.
If such a thing be possible. ee
ply want to be fair reasonable aat
consistent in the discussion 81 le-.
problems.
How is it. Senator with the price
Of other things that We know are no
controlled by the trusts
Not a few years ago, but only fek
months ago, eggs We're selling 1r
teen cents per dozen. While tho sen.
ator was speaking eggs We're selling
in our local market for forty-hve cents
per dozen.
Nc one holds that this IS a malls
nant scheme on the part Of the proc
ducers to cheat and swindle and grow
rich off the consumers OF eggs
Like gasolene and all other pro-
ducts. the price of eggs is regulated
by the old immemorial aud ancient
rule of supply and demand
How long has it been. senator.
since sweet potatoes were selling Tor
thirty cents per bushel? They are now
selling for eighty cents and one dol
lar per bushel No one sees a plot In
this to rob the consumer.
Do not we who are living IN the cot
ton growing states want to see cotton
command fifteen instead Jf eight
cents per pound. and yet we must
confess that there are more consum-
ers than producers of cotton.
And then, Senator. is it a better
sign of good times" to see eggs sell
ing for fifteen cents per dozen rather
than forty-fve cents per dozen Pots
toes thirty rather than eighty cents
per bushel? Corn forty cents instead
Of one dollar per bushel? Cotton
eight instead of fifteen cents per
pound?
If not, then why make such a shrek
about the price of gasvlene? We own
no gasolene stock. mores the pity
and We know of no friend of ours who
is SO fortunate, but. honest Iniun
with the fabulous demand for il that
has sprung up so suddenly. is not gas
olene about the cheapest product on
the market?
1t is cheaper than turpentine, il is
cheaper than alcohol. it is cheaper
than any spirituous or malt liquors,
it is cheaper than any mineral water
that flows naturally out OF the bow els
of the earth. and is bottled and pue
upon the market
Is it a crime to be consistent ana
fair in the discussion Of these prob
lens?
AS self-pr is the first law
OF nature, it occurs to US that We
ought not 20 find fault with our farm
ers for getting as big price for their
products as the markets VIII justify.
1t occurs to US that there viii BE-
more OPosDeritv in the state IL our