Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-07-05

Certainly a comprehensive plan that
promises competition with all but the
railroads, but it has some very excel
lent sponsors, especially among promi-
nent representatives of the agricultural
interests, and it at least shows how the
middleman is generally regarded in this
fight against the increased cost of liv-
ing. William Wallace Brauer, cattle
dealer and exporter, states the case as
follows: "I believe the exorbitant
prices paid by consumers for meats
and general farm products not only
have not benefited the producer but
have lessened the buying power of the
consumer. And Mr.. Brauer, being in
me busines Of supplying cattle, natur.
ally wants the buying power of the con.
sumer increased.
The National Soil Fertility League is
also interested in the high cost of hv-
ing. While the primary purpose of the
league is to help the farmer to make
his farm more productive, that addi-
tional production is naturally expected
to reduce the cost of living as well
as put some money in the pockets of
the farmer. II, H. Gross, president
of the league also sees menace in the
middleman, however
"There are too many men and too
many profits between the farm and the
consumer table," says Mr.. Gross.
Cooperative selling and cooperative
buying will eliminate some of these and
thus reduce theexpense. The parcel
post may be used to advantage, also.
But the cost is too high now-too many
people to pay and too much handling.
The distribution of food supplies after
they reach the city is about as cumber.
some, inefficient and wasteful as could
be imagined There are at least three
and probably five shops where there
should be one, and the ordering of sup
plies by telephone with demand for i'm
mediate delivery requires the mainten
ance of delivery service that must be
paid tor. The housewife would save
money and get better goods by mar
Keting in person, and as far as posi-
BILE buying nonperishable goods in tn,
original packages.
"Then there is the credit system
That also has its effect upon the cos
of living, for the cash buyer, unde
existing conditions, must pay enougl
more for what he gets to cover tn
losses maze through those who run aC
counts and fail to pay, There ar
, thousands Of those throughout the city
and the only way to eliminate them j
to reduce the business to a cash basil
Where that has been don cit has bee
found possible to reduce prices ia
q below the. tpresent level In larg
n Ohio city one man, running ten or,
q Gerry and provision stores, has foun
4 it possible to sell 90 per cent under tn
prevailing prices by cutting off credit
!. entirely and putting his delivery sy
tenn upon reasonable basis. He d,
q livers only purchases amounting to 8
. or more.
!. "Then, again, the high cost Of livin
is in some measure due to our failui
to distinguish between what we reall
need and what we merely want. TC
A many people are wanting to crafty po
q terhouse appetites on soup bone il
J. comes. The cheaper cuts Of meat al
4 wholesome and palatable. Any scho
q Of domestic science or governmel
i bulletin upon the subject Of meats wi
!. point the way to economy in this lin
4 We are too fussy about our eatir
and too much goes into the garbal
q can. But primarily there is too muC
Il handling between the producer and Il
?. consumer, and the middleman gets t.
q much of our money"
,s So we get back to the middlems
g again, and then we receive anoth
n jolt. While it is unquestionably trl
r that the elimination of the middlemG
l. would greatly reduce prices, so high {
authority as the bureau Of statistics
the department of agriculture asser
g that he is not responsible for the i
e crease. He may be unnecessary, he me
e levy an unnecessary tax upon the co
Q. of living, we may be better off wit
e out him,but he has not been gettii
/. the increase that we have had to pa
r. according to the bureau for his ma
b, gin of profit is just about the san
IS now that il was twenty years ago. II
r. bureau demonstrates this by compariI
- the average wholesale and retail pric
r; for two ten.year periods-1s93-19O2 al
1t 19O3.1912.
IS It finds, for instance, that the pri
a of wheat advanced 80 per cent, b
IN wholesale price of flour 20 per ce