The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-13
SOFT DRINK PRICES
They Have Been Raised ut All
Topeka Fountains.
And . Citizen Makes Trust
Charges to Attorney General

Violations Of the Kansas antitrust
law are alleged by Topeka iawyel
in a letter to Attorney General Jonn
8 Dawson, 1, which it is charged that
Topeka druggists have recently entereu
into q combine and conspiracy to m
crease the price Of soda fountain
drinks. Investigation of the alleged w
olation of the antitrust law IL demand
ed in the letter and the communicate"
v,i,l he turned over to Attorney GEN
eral John s. Dawson as soon as ne
returns from Washington.
Recently prices Of virtually all SODA
fountain drinks were increased IN TO-
peka. These increased included egg
and nut concoctions as well a. ice
cream drinks. This Is the duh sea-
son of the year in the soda fountain
business AZ a result there has been
but little complaint about the increases
of 50 to 100 per cent In soft drinks
But next summer 1t will be different.
OF course next summer the prices may
be reduced and the old schedules OF
prices established. Again they may
not. So the matter of a general move
on the part Of the soda fountain oper-
ators to increase prices has been
checked up to the attorney generais
ONCE for investigation.
The first intimation of the increase
in prices was brought to the attention
Of the attorney general through q To-
peka lawyer whose name would not be
divulged. The letter to the states lie,
gal department tells Of the alleged
soda fountain trust in Topeka and Is in
part az follows:
'On or about December !, certain
persons, f-ms and corporations engag-
ed in operating soda fountains in the
city Of Topeka, simultaneously and
manifestly by preconcerted action.
adopted and posted in their places OF
business. lists or schedules of prices of
certain soft drinks dispensed at said
fountains which materially increased
the charges heretofore made for such
drinks. For example, quote from
memory-the price Of nut sundae was
increased from 10 to Is cents, egg
chocolates from 10 to Is cents; egg
drinks with matted milk. from IL to
20 cents; and last-and to my mind
worst-chocolate smooths from to 10
cents. For the last named drink,
cherish strong prediction. which at
the former price was able occasionally
to indulge. But regret to say that the
new price will be prohibitive 80 far az
am concerned.
Friend of Chocolate Smooth.
II AS true CuaC some excuse eXl8IS
Tor raising the price Of egg drinks, for
reasons obvious to all, but why raise
the price Of nut sundaes? And espe-
cially why raise the price Of the hum
BILE chocolate smooth-the poor mans
ice cream soda? I have not heard Of
any increase in the price Of nuts or Of
ice cream. and besides. the average
chocolate smooth contains so little ice
cream that any increase in the price
of the ingredients could not appreciably
affect the cost Of the drink.
Now, I submit that the acts related
constitute a trust within the pur-
view Of section 1, chapter 265. laws Of
1897, and embraced in chapter 81, gen.
eral statutes of 1909, which, defines a
trust as Combination Of capital, skill,
or acts by two or more persons, firms
or corporations ETC., to increase or re-
duce the price Of merchandise, produce
or commodities Under the facts stat
ed. can there be any reasonable doubt
that this law has been grossly vio-
lated?
1T may be that the increased prices
will not bear heavily upon the public
at this time of the year, but II they
prevail next summer. the pinch will be
severely felt
Attorney General Dawson is now in
Washington, where he went to argue
the constitutionality Of the Kansas in
Aurance law affecting the regulation Of
insurance rates by the superintendent
of insurance. When he returns to To-
peka. the complaint of the Topeka
lawyer will be considered In the
meantime the price Of chocolate
smooths, nut sundaes and egg drinks
the new schedule adopted by Topeka
merchants.
Wings play a most important role