The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-08-12

" plSFSNt tliS llO1 Aiidl opSAoIAoiA VI
the law of supply and demand. Dis
regarding the surplus stocks in the
hands of the government, there was
a greater supply of foodstuffs in this
country on June ! of this year than
at the same date last year. In the
combined total of a number of the
most important foods in dry and cold
storage the excess is quite 10 per
cent. And yet prices have risen. The
supply of fresh eggs on hand in June
of this year, for example, was great
er by nearly 10 per cent, than the
supply on hand at the same time last
year and yet the wholesale price was
fowls had increased as against 80
cents year ago. The stock of frozen
fowls had increased more than 298
per cent. and yet the price had risen
also, from 81 and a half cents per
pound to 81 and a half cents. The
supply of creamery butter had in
creased 129 per cent. and the price
from III to SO cents per pound. The
supply of salt beef had been aug
mented per cent. and the price had
gone from $34 a barrel to S36 bar
rel. Canned corn had increased in
stock nearly 90 per cent. and had re-
mained substantially the same in
price. In few foodstuffs the prices
had declined but in nothing like the
proportion in which the supply had
increased. For example, the stock of
canned tomatoes had increased 102
per cent. and yet the price had de-
clined only rs cents per dozen cans.
In some cases there had been the u.s.
ual result of an increase of price fol-
lowing decrease Of supply, but in
almost every instance the increase of
price had been disproportionate to
the decrease in stock.
The attorney general has been
making a careful study of the situa-
ton as a whole and of the laws that
can be applied to better it and con-
vinced that, under the stimulation
and temptation of exceptional cir
cumstances combinations of produc-
ers and combinations of traders have
been formed for the control of sup
plies and of prices which are clearly
in restraint of trade, and against
these prosecutions will be promptly
instituted and actively pushed which
will in all likelihood have prompt cor
cetive effect. There is reason to be-
ieve that the prices of leather, of
coal, of lumber and Of textiles have
been materially affected by forms of
concert and cooperation among the
producers and marketers of these and
other universally necessary commo-
dities which will be possible to re-
dress. No watchful or energetic ef-
fort will be spared to accomplish this
necessary result. + trust that there
will not be many cases in which pros
ecution will be necessary. Public
action will no doubt cause many who
have perhaps unwittingly adopted IL
legal methods to abandon them
promptly and of their owh motion.
Great in Publicity.
And publicity can accomplish a
great deal. The purchaser can often
take care of himself if he knows the
facts and influences he is dealing
with; and purchasers are not disin-
clined to do any thing, either singly
or collectively, that may be necessary
for their self protection. The depart
ment of commerce, the department
of agriculture. the department of Ia
Dor and the federal trade commits
sion can do a great deal towards sup
plying the public, Systematically and
at short intervals with information
regarding the actual supply of par
ticular commodities that is in exist
ence but not available because Of
boarding, and with regard to the
methods of price fixing which are be-
ing used by dealers in certain food
stuffs and other necessaries. There
can be little doubt that retailers are
in npart-sometimes in large part-re-
sponsible for exorbitant prices; and
it is quite practicable for the gov
ernment, through the agencies l have
mentioned to supply the public with
full information as to the prices at
which retailers buy and as to the
costs of transportation they pay, in
order that it may be known just what
margin of profit they are demanding.
Opinion and concerted action on the
mart of n,1rchasers can probably do