Gilpin observer., 1919-08-14
MNBR COLORADO Editorial ASSOCIATION
From the Ranch to
the Dining Table

holland, secretary OF STATE, mas
adopted in the special investiga-
tion of food profiteering he has
just inaugurated. To carry out
this slogan he has placed four in
spectors in the field of research
with instructions that they are to
get busy, and get busy fast.
=" ''What the people want is facts
and action" declares Secretary
holland. Charges of profiteering
in food and other products absol-
utely necessary to the welfare of
the nation are rampant. Some say
the farmers are to blame," he
says; "others blame the wholesale
dealers, others the retailers and
yet others the commission men.
Others say that high wages have
made us money-mad, extrava-
giant herd of thoughtless people
who deserve to be robbed"
"Our laws admittedly are weak.
But it is my idea that if we give
the people action and the facts,
the people will adopt measures to
curb the food hoarders and other
bandits in as effective a manner
as our western people put stop
to horse thieving in the early
days.
"The first matter to be looked
after, therefore," declares Secre-
tary holland, "is to obtain this ac-
tion and the needed facts. To do
this the only logical course is to
trail the products of both the soil
and the mill from their starting
point to the consumer. 1t is not
within my power to go on this
still hunt for other than products
of the soil. l am able to do this
because the Factory Inspection
and the Merchant Commission
laws are both under my Office.
Neither of these are as broad as
they should be, but they are broad
enough to empower my deputy
factory and my Commission mer-
chant inspectors to obtain infor-
nation | hope may prove valuable
to the people.
"The plan | am working on"
the secretary of state continues,
should smoke out the artful
profiteers. And l want to say
here and now that if my investi-
cations are as fruitful as l antici-
pate, it will be clearly demonstrat-
ed that the farmers and ranchers
are the victims, even more than
the public, of the outrageous food
profiteering which is affecting
our country as terrible plague.
Among the products to be es-
pecially trailed from the ranch
to the dining table are potatoes,
eggs, melons, fruits and perhaps
poultry and dairy products. My
inspectors are stationed in differ
ent sections of the state so that
local conditions may be consider
ed in the final analysis. They will
trace case of eggs, to illustrate
the system, from the rancher
right on thru to the householder
and to the restaurant. The case
of eggs brought the rancher, for
example, twelve dollars or forty
cents dozen. There you have
the starting point. Now then, as
certain the different prices re-
ceived by the wholesaler and the
retailer and the restaurant man,
ALLOW fair charge for expense
and risk in handling, and we
should know who got the big slice
Mr.. Consumer paid. 1t may not
work out as planned but it is
worth trying. And l think the
same plan, worked out along the
same lines, would be worth try
ing by commissions investigat-
ing the robber prices charged for
fuel and clothing"
Secretary holland will report to
Governor Shoup the result of his
efforts in chasing Old Mr.. High
Cost of Living and will render
other expert aid to the state
chief executive in this all import
ant work.
Governor Shoup is taking an
active and leading part in the
fight for justice now on in Colo
rado," says Secretary Noland,
land there is every reason to be-
lieve that he will carry his part
of it to a finish. He is not allow
ing petty politics to intrude and