The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-06-19
BY WILLIAM r. sANeoRN

If it so happens that young man
of your acquaintance is about to be
married. and it so happens that his
income Is less than-say $4,000 a year,
we suggest that a five pound cannis-
ter of choice coffee should prove a
most acceptable wedding gift to his
happy bride.
Let those who will give percolators,
and others provide silverware and
jewels, according to taste and circum-
stances, but remember that coffee is
fast becoming as precious as refined
gold. But gold never advances in
price while that of coffee has been
constantly climbing for months. Take
our hint and give coffee, providing, OF
course, that you can afford the pleas
ure of making such sensible and
timely gift.
Coffee advanced two cents per pound
on Tuesday, not merely in Richmond
but nationally, on a number of stand
ard brands in packages. One of these
popular sellers in this section now
costs retailers 43 cents per pound,
while less than year ago the grocer
sold it to all corners at % cents per
pound, at a profit. In taking backward
glance to the time when things were
normal" we remember widely
known brand of Rio coffee which sold
as low as cents in 100-lb. cases, at
Chicago, and was sold In many thou
sands of country stores as leader at
three one-pound packages for a quar-
ter of dollar. Wholesalers are to-
day charging 351s cents per pound for
this cheapest of Rio coffees.
Result of Speculation.
There can be little doubt that the
advance in coffee of all grades, and
from all coffee countries, is largely the
result of speculation during the past
few months, but that we should have
an advance of two cents per pound, on
roast coffees in a single day, seems
out Of all reason, as indeed it is.
1t is only fair to state, however, that
this increase in price was simply the
result of bull campaign on green
coffees on the New York Coffee Ex-
change, which still continues and
which is likely to lead to still higher
prices for roasted eoffees, both in
bulk and packages.
Some maintain that prices are top
heavy and that a decline is due, and
they may be correct. On the other
hand there are many who claim that
coffee is headed for still higher levels.
Figures are seldom interesting so we
will briefly state that there are at this
time but 100000 bags of coffee in
sight in our stocks, and afloat for the
United States, against 2,256, 900 bags
on June Is of last year. This, how
ever, scarcely begins to tell the story
The Brazilian government owns more
than 100000 bags of coffee, bought
: IN tai
which it can now realize profit OF
$50 100000 Then there are the large
stocks in the interior of Brazil and a
new crop of Rio just coming on the
market, TO say nothing of the reserves
in other South American countries and
in the East Indies.
The real pith of the situation is the
fact that there is no scarcity of coffee
in producing countries and coffee
famine is therefore impossible. But
Brazil is in control of the market
through her large production and i'm
mense holdings by the national treas
ury. 1t is likely that these will be
: unloaded in a manner which will not
too greatly disturb prices nor diminish
the profits now in sight. In this case
any decline of importance in coffees
would now seem remote, while still
8 further advances may be made at any
time.
Food Prices Holding Firm.
1t is a little early to anticipate the
retail prices on canned fruits and veg
etables at this time, because compare
lively few future" contracts have
been made by Gamers with wholesale
distributors. 1t has been the rule TO
many years to contract the outpu
of canneries as soon, perhaps, as con
tracts have been made with the frui
or vegetable growers for their crops
But war conditions have changed thi