Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-01-01
THE HIGH COST OF LIVING.

HE New York State Food Investi-
eating Commission has issued
4 report Of its Committee on Mar
,.o., pricss and Costs. This report
deals with the food problem on some
of its aspects, but not by long ways
on all of them. Nevertheless some Oh
tbe committees findings are interest
ing, The committs finds for one thihs
that the consumers buying IN small
lots necessarily pay more than they
would IL they bought in bulk lhey
want these packages sent home IN
stead of carrying them, and TINS, wihle
they apparently overlook the 1act' Iney
must pay for. For Instance they polhI
ont one example Of grocer, VINO got
angry because customer wanted him
IN deliver two eggs, and another nan
n pint Of milk, the distance in each
case being more than half mile The
committee points out that the cost OF
delivery would be far greater than
that of the material. While this Is an
extreme case, II serves to illustrate the
point that the purchaser in small
quantities, requiring delivery is him
self to blame for the excessive price
that must be charged If the grocer Is
TO keep even. The committee goes so
far as to say that fer this reason the
small retailer is forced to add 30 per
cent to the cost Of the articles on an
average, and yet only makes per
cent profit by doing so. 1t also finds
that "the high operating cost Of the
individual retailer makes his elimina-
ton inevitable" However, when he
is eliminated" 1t may console him to
know he is only losing 5sper cent in
stead OF the whole 49,
But II the individual retailer Is ito
CO." who or what 10 to take his place?
viii big corporation or a trust, han
ding the retail business Of city
make food products any cheaper?
VIII firms become more humanitar-
ian, got larger hearts, greater gener-
osity and increase in public spirit as
they increase In size?
Does our experience with coal oil,
steel, meat, coal and other trusts lead
us to believe that a retail food trust
would be largely eleemosynary?
If that is the idea the committee is
advancing, then 1t must remember that
there are many from Missouri
As a matter Of fact tho difference
between the price paid the producer
and that paid by the consumer Is too
great, but there are many reasons for
this, for which the retailer or middle
man are not TO blame. Many products
are perishable, ana the dealer must in
handling them protect himself against
loss. Then. too, the credit system in
evltably causes some loss, which must
be taken note Of by the retailer in
fixing his percentage Of profits,
But suppose the retailer Is elimin-
ated, the consumer and the commits
sion man reformed, the producer or
ganlzed and marketing and storage
facilities made the best. Undoubtedly
there would be q great saving, but
who would get IL? The producer?
Hardly. The consumer? Judging by
past experience, this is extremely
doubtful. Would they divide It be-
tween them? Well, they never have,
Or would some one else, some big
ger person or company step in and
see that prices were still kept low for
the producer and high for tho consul
mer while he or It absorbed for his
or their private snap the profit Of this
difference?
Tho latter would happen, provided
the usual course In such cases was fol-
LEVIED, and unless humanity had sud
denly ceased TO be selfish and forgot
how TO prey upon its relowman,