The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1913-10-29
OFFICIAL PAPER OF cnoUrEAU COUNTY
WEDNESDAY, OCT. ~. 1918.
WHO GETS THE PROFIT?

ports that the prices of many com
modities have declined, but their cost
to the consumer has not been reduc-
ed. In the matter of farm products,
especially, market quotations are
much lower than a few months ago,
but the reduction in prices has not
yet reached the consumer.
In a e dispatch from Chicago it
is announced that 'active campaign.
ing on the part of bear traders carried
the wheat market sharply under the
seasons previous low price," The re.
port also stated that corn went down.
grade because of Argentine imports,
and liQuidating sales forced oats
down worse than any of the other Ger.
eals. The farmers received less for
these products but the average con-
sumner has not discovered a reduction
in his cost Of living, and he wonders
who gets the profit represented by
the difference between the price re-
ceived by the producer and the price
he is compelled to pay.
The claim that prices paid by the
consumer are not determined by the
prices received by the producer is
supported by a review of Chicago
livestock market quotations which
gives this exhibit:
For the week ending September 20,
1913, top native beef cattle, live
weight, were bought at Chicago by
the packers at $40 to $3.50 per
hundred pounds. The packers, in the
week ending September 81, 1912, paid
at Chicago for the same grade of beef
$40 to $11 per hundred pounds. The
figures quoted for both weeks are for
steers weighing from 1850 to $500
pounds. The difference between the
top prices is $1.70 per 100 pounds.
This means that the packers are get
ting a bullock of average size-say,
1,4OO pounds-at $3.50 less than the
price they paid a year ago.
Wholesale beef prices now vary
from half a cent to a cent a pOunG
lower than a year & for the weel
ending September "a. The difference
equal to 81 to $14 per bullock, is peck
eted by the packers as an extra profit
Beef at retail now sells at the same
price as a year ago, so that the pub
lie is being skinned" to the extent
of more than 1923 o. every average
carcass Of beef sold in the United
States.
The packers at Chicago are buying
sheep at 81 to $4.65 per hundred
pounds live weight, as against 81 tt
$3.50 per 100 pounds in September
1912. The cost to the packers has
practically not changed since a yea
ago. Nevertheless, mutton is nov
quoted wholesale at 8 to 10 cents {
pound, as against 81 to Sh cents .
pound a year ago. The figures indi
cate that the packers are collecting
an added average profit of $3.50 PEI
100 pounds or all the mutton sold IL
the country. The retail price is abou
the same as a year ago.
The packers are buying hogs a
Chicago at $7.75 to $9.15 per hundred
pounds, live weight, as against $S.5|
to $685. per hundred pounds a yea,
ago. The prices thus would average
about the same, namely, $S.45, in boil
years. Notwithstanding this fact
pork at wholesale costs the trade
cent a pound more than q year age
and the average advance at retail
? cents a pound.
1t is announced by Secretary Red
field, of the federal department o
commerce, that he proposes to con
duct an inquiry to ascertain the meth
DDS by which prices of various CON
modities are controlled. The result
of such an investigation will be of in
terest to consumers and producers il
all parts Of the country.