Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-13
PREDICT INCREASE
IN COST Of FISH
Continued from First Page

ness was affected by the fish trust it
was that of the restauranteur. and a
representative of the paper was sent
out on a still hunt for information.
The first place visited was in the
heart Of the city, and permission was
given to hold conversation with the
chef, who has been in charge of the
buying for fifteen years, and his story
was a telling one.
Bought from Net Owner.
He stated that he Lad always pur-
chased the fish for the restaurant by
the hundred pounds direct from the
nets up to ten years ago, when he
was induced to change and patron
ize dealer who was buying his stock
in New York. He made the change,
and for a year he had no trouble,
but after that the price to him in
creased so rapidly that he decided to
go back to the nets and be indie
pendent of the dealer, but he was
very much surprised to learn that
this could not be done, as the pound
net owner sold all of his catch to the
dealers in New York and that he
would have to see them.
This he did, and after two weeks
of battledore and shuttle-cock, and
tired Of being made fool Of he de-
cided to do as he was told
and bought his fish from
dealer who also had. to buy his
fish from the trust instead of the
pound net owner, but the restaurant
chef had to pay the increased price,
which included the tax of the trust.
In following up this lead the Star
learned that the books of this large
eating house showed an increase in
the cost of food fish that amounted
to fully 80 per cent, while it was
only possible to increase the cost 10
per cent. to the diner. Of course no
one thinks that any restaurant would
stand such a loss, and it is gener-
ally accepted as a fact that the
amount is made up in some other
manner.
This case is typical of many others
looked into by The Star, and they all
prove beyond a question of a doubt
that the fish supply of New Jersey is
controlled by handful of men in
New York, who don't like the nom de
plume Of fish trust" but, no matter
what name is applied to them, it
would have just the same odor
Not Effort to Curb Fish Trust"
When one takes this statement to
heart he can't help but think that the
remark of the fish dealer as stated
at the head of the story is true in
every particular. We hear of at
tempts made to curb the loan shark,
of a bill to abolish grade crossings,
of hours after hours spent in framing
jury laws to better send the people to
prison. the burning of midnight oil in
an effort to convince people that this
way or that way is, better If they
care to vote for their favorite legis-
Ia TOR IF he fi9sa1age eff 70
amendment to the constitution for
the right of woman suffrage, but not
one attempt to give the people a
chance to reduce the high cost of
living by forcing the fish trust to let
go its grip on the States supply.
Food fish is higher today than it was
a week ago, and from inside Informal
ton received the price is to go still
higher In fact, the trust is getting
ready to force the price higher than
it ever was before, so that they will
reap a harvest during Lent, when
many people eat fish in some form
several times a day
Boost Prices for Lent
With them this boosting Of prices
is an annual event, coming as regu-
larly as their devidends and they look
forward to it with just as much
pleasure There was time when the
people looked forward to the lenten
season not only because of their re-
ligious beliefs but also of the chance
it gave them to get away from meat
for q time, but today they have a
feeling of misgiving in the matter be-
cause Of the high prices, and there
doesn't seem to be any chance to get
away from them. With fish higher
in actual cost than beef, and eggs
higher than them both the outlook is
not at all pleasant for the man of
family with small salary to contem-
plate. He cannot fall back on a cheap
fish as is frequently the case with
beef because cheap cold storage fish
is not fit to eat By this we mean
fish that has been in cold storage a
period beyond the safety point. He
must grin and bear it, and all be-
cause outside influences control the
fish supply of New Jersey, an infiu-
ence that can be broken by some
energetic member of either house of
the Legislature without any trouble.
"Our new cook has been with us a
whole month"
you lucky woman