The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-10
WHAT MIR. CANDY SAID.


One of the witnesses during the
early stages of the New York state IN
yestigation into the causes of the high
wheat prices and the increased cost
of bread to the consumers was e. H.
CANDY. president of the, Chicago
hoard of trade. In the fragments or
his testimony that got this far he was
quoted as expressing the opinion that
the 6-cent loaf of bread would not
necessar ily add much to the burdens
of the moor because they could eat less
bread. This prompted some comment
in these columns to the ERECT that
such an observation stamped MI
Canby as a rare economist, ana that
the poor might better their flnanclal
conditions UNNECESSARILY by not eat
ing anything at all.
But it appears that this comment
was an injustice to Mr.. Canpy. hs
writes that no such sentiment was
ever expressed by him. Neither mas
it ever been in his mind.
cat the recent investigation con-
Quoted by the attorney general OF
New york. writes Mr.. Candy, IN
answer to the question if L thought
the consumption of bread would De
materially reduced by an increase IN
the price of one cent, 1 replied that IN
view of the general extravaganza In
the country and the many millions OF
dollars expended annually for the pur-
chase of chewing gum, cheap cigars
and a large amount of other worthless
trash, that l hardly thought change
of one cent in the price II bread one
wav or the other, would nave any
material influence on the amount con-
sumed. 1 believe that is a fair state
ment in the absence of any proof to
the contrary.
II further stated that it was not falr
for the great manufacturing and COM
mercial cities to expect the farmers OF
the country to pay good prices Tor all
the goods they were compelled to puf-
chase and then deny to them the
right to obtain good prices for their
nroducts when conditions warrant
good prices as has certainly peeh the
case this year with our wheat ana
other cereals. The people of our large
cities are vitality interested in sood
crops. but the producer is also VltalE
in receiving for MS crops
prices which will pay a proflt over
the cost of production. In other
words. is it fair to accept low prices
which pay little or no pro1lr as an
entirely natural situation and theh
TO complain when natural condltlohs
warrant remunerative basis OF
prices? Furthermore, is 1t correct
TO assume that low prices are for the |
hest interest of the country when we |
know that good business with IN
creased purchasing power or the peo-
pie is only possible when values are
IN a remunerative basis.
"NIr. Walsh of Kansas City recent
" stated in a public interview that
ow wages were the curse of the coun-
nv. This is, perhaps, correct out
think it can also be truthfully said
hat it is not possible to have good
wages and at the same time success
fully conduct a campaign for cheap
products
1.-The entire trend of my testimony
was to the effect that it was unfair for
consumers of our agricultural prod
acts to fill the air with complaints
when prices advance due to perfectly
natural conditions, and overlook the
TACT that if the same argument was
applied to their sources of income eV-
erything would be reduced to the
cheap basis and the cry of hard times
would fill the land"