Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-12
ONE OF THE DEAR
PUBLIC IN IDEAS
ONLTVING PRICES

Right along with the general
fight against the high cost OF living,
the attention of Mayor H. NJ.
Schriver has been called to certain
effects on the living cost charged
against the state public utilities
commission
The mayor received a letter this
morning from a person who signed
| it as "one of the dear public" The
letter gives the writer's opinion on
some of the causes for high prices
and charges that the utilities com
mission has done nothing to check
them but il anything, boosts them.
The mayor said the letter was well
worth the attention OF the public
1t says that proper regulation
mot legalized extortions) of the
cold storage warehouses will
quickly result in big reduction in
the high cost of living"
The communication follows:
1T is a well known fact that one
of the most potent and effective
means or avenues for boosting the
prices of food is the cold storage
warehouse and apparently but
little attention is given this matter
by public bodies.
I'm this state such warehouses
are under the supervision of the
state public utilities commission,
but nothing thus far appears tn
have been done by way of regula
ton except the authorizing of in
creased rates, and during the last
Is months there has been a gen
eraI increase in storage rates.
Zone refrigerating company was
granted permission to increase the
storage rates twice during said
period. This company has a cap
ital of 100000, and undivided
profits (after paying indirect divi-
dends) aggregating approximately
s., 0O0, 00e. which 1t gouged out OF
the public by excessive rates-nev-
ertheless. the company was per-
nitted to increase it's storage rates
and further, this $4,000, 900, more
or less, has been in the past and is
now being actually employed
against the public; for instance, a
speculator can buy, say one or
more carloads of eggs by making a
small initial payment and the re-
company will loan him
tout of it's surplus profts) the bal
ance of the purchase or cost
price, at current interest, and thus
enable him to carry the eggs until
prices have advanced TO where re
can unload on the public at hand
some profit. This also applies 20
all other foodstuffs.
"All the large cold storage
pursue the same
course. They are, in effect, doing
a banking business, which is a vio-
lation of their charters, and the
utilities commission is remiss in
it's charged duties. in allowing such
practices to exist, and also as to
excessive storage rates
Fails to State order. 7
The utilities act requires that:
The commission shall make an an |
nual report which shall contain !
copies of all the orders issued by !
il, and any information in the pos
session OF the commission which 1t
shall deem of value to the people |
Of this state
This the commission does not |
10 in respect to storage ware
1866 and 1851 of
volue v Opinions and Orders,
1915 merely state the date certain |
schedules containing advanced /
storage rates. etc, are made ef1ec-
i've. but does not print the order |
mot even the context thereoD as
required by the act The public
S therefore not advised as to the
-eason or necessity of said ad I;
RANGED rates, which is contrary TO
and a violation of the wording and
intent of the utilities act. The /
commission is now costing the
people OF this state $35O,00O per
lnnum
Proper regulation (not legal
zed extortionsl of the cold stor-
lge warehouses will quickly result
n a big reduction in the high cost
If living.
"ONE OF THE DEAR PUBLIC nj