Omaha daily bee., 1916-09-02
MILK DEALERS ARE
NOT IN A COMBINE
County Attorney Magney Gives
the Results of His Investiga-
tions on Prices.
ANSWERS THE IMPRovERs

Milk dealers OF Greater Omaha
have not combined in restrain OF
trade in increasing the price of milk
to its present price OF S2-5 cents per
quart, according to an exhaustive ex-
animation just concluded by County
Attorney Magney. On request OF the
Riverview Improvement club and
other civic organizations, operations
of milk dealers we're investigated The
following letter from the county at
torney, addressed to Secretary J. A.
Van Haven of the Riverview club,
outlines the situation in detail:
In order to violate The law those engaged
in the milk business must enter into COM
bination for the purpose Of fixing the price
Of milk, and preventing its sale at a price
less than that fixed by the combination.
This can only be done when practically all
of those engaged In the business In this
city enter into the combination.
l have made careful Investigation of
the situation in Omaha, and find that no
such combination exists and that there Is
now and has been at all times competition
among the milk dealers. The Atlantic.
which is probably the largest distributor OF
milk In the city. charges an average price
of 2-s cents per quart. These prices have
been fixed by the company without regard
to the prices demanded by other dealers.
The Atwood dairy has been charging from
Sis to IAN cents per quart This company
has not consulted other dealers with refer
ence TO these prices and announces that 1t
is contemplating raising them somewhat In
the future. find that the small dealers
are not all selling milk at the same price.
Some of them have recently raised the
price to cents per quart, others expect to
do so in the near future. A large proper
tion Of them have been selling twelve-quart
tickets for a dollar, and many insist that
they will continue to do so, find also
that the Milk Dealers association has taken
no action relative to the price OF milk. Not
more than half of the milkmen of the city
belong to the association, and the associa
ton has had no meeting within the last
three months. One or two meetings have
been called within that time. but not more
than half dozen attended, and no business
was transacted.
Each individual cam legally fix the price
of his milk as he seek fit. His customers
can buy or not, as they please. The wrong
is in combination which arbitrarily fixes
the price of milk and prevents its sale for
less.
Those familiar with the situation allege
that there are many reasons why the price
of milk has gone up 1t Is contended that
good COW now sells for ss5, while for
merly the price was s45 or $50; that the
price of feed and bottles is much higher
than formerly, and that because of rigid
Inspection, the expense of getting the milk
to the consumer. as required by law, IL
greatly Increased, / not prepared TO
say, whether or not, these conditions Justify
the recent raise in prices by some Of the
milk dealers. That is a question about
which there may be an honest difference of
opinion.
l am convinced, however. that there Is
no combination which has arbitrarily fixed
prices. consequently there Is no combination
in restraint OF trade, within the meaning OF
our statute.