Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-08-28

| I from
to 42c; Ivory soap costs Sc, sells SC
to SC; Fels soap costs Sc, sells sc
| to SC; Santos Coffee costs 40c, sells
45c; Blue Valley butter costs 81 1-2c
sell CSC, evaporated milk costs Z 5-6c
! sells sc to 10c; Campbells Soups cost
1Oc, sells 12c, granulated sugar costs
3-4c, sells 10C to 10 1-2c; bananas
cost 33c to 35c a dozen, sell for 4Oc
to 45c; potatoes cost $500 to S2.25
per bushel, sell S2.25 to $3.50 or Soc
half peck.
Are we profiteers?" continued the
grocer, Judge for yourselves. Costs
and retail prices on fourteen staple
articles herewith submitted prove
our contention. Grocers study the
markets and use their capital to
protect their customers on adNanc-
ing markets as long as possible
Take retail prices on soap to-day,
which are as low as wholesale prices
as an example. The salaries of re-
tail clerks are less in comparison
with ability and work required than
in any other line of work. The
average cost of doing business is II
per cent. on sales and the average
mark-up is less than 20 per cent
Most of the grocers believe that
there should be some way provided
for wholesale delivery of produce
by farmers and truckers in this sec
ton. Under present conditions they
are compelled in many cases to go
to other towns and to points outside
of the city to purchase their sup
plies.
1t is also contended by the grocers
that the selling of what is called
"hoarded" food may result in de-
| feating the very purpose of those
who are endeavoring to reduce the
! high cost of living. illustrating this
point a writer in the New York
| Times says:
THE fact that there are large
quantities of foodstuffs il the store
houses seems to be sufficient proof
that they are being boarded. Until
recently, even little school children
were expected to know that it was
necessary to collect and store food
| in the season of plenty so as to have
| it when needed in the season of scar
| city. Butter and eggs are gathered
most easily and cheaply in April,
May and June, the season of their
greatest production, and stored for
winter when little or none of either
! is produced. 1t was even thought
at one time that the person doing
/ such work was of help to the people.
/ Now he is a hoarder and public Of
| ficials propose to seize his stores and
| force them on the market when
! they are not needed, and they will
| be gone by winter when they will be
needed. In a few weeks apples and
| potatoes will be stored and their
owners probably charged with
| boarding.
Although present prices are high
and burdensome, the people can get
along because vegetables are cheap,
and many have gardens. The use of
our stock of stored foods now would
be foolish beyond relief.
at is quite possible that there are
very large stocks in store, and that
/ some of them belong to spectators.
1t may be also that the buyers have
over-estimated the market and have
stored too much. If so, they have
encouraged production by the farmer
| by paying him n large amount for
! his goods, and they will do the pub
! lie at least a measure of good by
selling at loss
Either there is a surplus or there
| is not. If there is a surplus it is
good thing. as next winter, when we
need the food the most, 1t will be
plentiful and cheap. If there is no
surplus, it would be suicidal to take
! the food out of storage now and
sell it.
How are the people of the cities
to be fed in winter If foods are not
stored in summer? And who will in
vest his money to store. foods here
after when his goods have been
seized and sold?
"Will not somebody whisper to
| the officials having these matters in
| charge that the grasshopper policy
of eating all you have in the sum-
mer without a care for the winter
was disapproved some centuries ago
! by good authority"