The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-10-29
And There Is Also Some
Defense of Barre Mer-
chants Association
CITY COUNCIL WILL
SEEK co ERENCE
12-Lb. Per s lar Purchase
of OtheS roceries Said
to Bs 1igh-Handed"


situation was taken by the city coun'
ell last night and along with it went
some harsh criticism Of the method
now in vogue for distribution of the
slight supply being received and alsc
some justification of the scheme. Such
expressions as high handed" "no fair
ness" and symptom of restraint OF
trade" were employed in the denuncia
ton OF the plan of selling half pound
Of white sugar with dollars pur
chase Of other groceries. The upshot
of the discussion was that commit
tee was appointed, consisting of AL
dermen Alexander and Mcmillan and
Mayor Glysson, to confer with the sug,
ar dealers Of Barre concerning the ar,
rangement.
Alderman Alexander brought the
matter before the council, but il
seemed that at least two Others had
it on their tongues ends to present
they having been importuned to get
the city to take some action. Alder.
man Alexander considered the system
of distribution high. handed and AL.
derman Mcmillan could see mo fair.
ness" in the method, the latter taking
as an example a family of eight, il
which the head of the house was earn,
ing 1925 a day, and comparing thai
family with well-paid families of les.
size, the man of small wage being un
able to buy enough groceries in
weeks time to give his family the sug
ar they required, while the family o.
higher wages were able to purchase
more sugar than they really needc!
because they had the money to expeni
on groceries.
Alderman Mcmillan thought tn,
card system of distribution was non,
too fair but considered it much better
than the present method.
Mayor Glysson said he had beer
bombarded with complaints and he con
sidered the present system borderin:
on restraint of trade"
Sharp criticism was advanced, too
on the ground that some merchants
were said TO be charging 6ts cents fo
one half pound Of sugar in violation
of the price limit determined upon b,
the government. t.--Aaother alderman
told of specific injustice of the pres
ent system because one man, whit
bought 95 cents worth of groceries
was not allowed to buy half pount
of sugar, simply because his total pur
chase lacked five cents of the mini
mum amount required
Without expressing opinion eithe
way, Alderman Healy moved that tht
mayor be instructed to appoint com
mittee Of three, of which the mayc
was to be one, to confer with the suga
dealers of Barre. Alderman Scott sec
onded the motion while at the sam
time expressing the opinion that tn,
present method is not 50 bad after al
inasmuch as everyone has to buy gro
eeries and thus is able to buy sugar ii
proportion Alderman Scott also add
ed that he considered the example q
the S2,2j man advanced BY Alderman
Mcmillan to be an exception, which
caused Alderman Mcmillan to respond
with a fervid declaration that it wa.
by no means an exception.
Alderman Loranger said he was un
der the impression that the dealer,
were doing what they could to make
fair distribution of sugar whenever
they had sugar in stock
Then the government came in fol
criticism because it had not, long ago
restricted the sale of sugar more sharp
ly in the case of the candy manufac
turers; but, by this time, the talk had
simmered down to point where tht
council considered it advisable to meet
the sugar dealers, which action wa,
voted for, followed by the announce
ment of the committee as above named
City to Make Counter Proposition t.
Traction Co.
But sugar was by no means the only
prolific topic of discussion last night
for the council, after much debate, de-
cided TO present counter proposition
to the Barre & Montpelier Traction &
Power Co. in response to the company'i
plea for the right (n to increase the
through fare between Barre and Mont
pelier to Is cents straight, (2) to put
on a 45.minute schedule of cars and
f3) to put on one-man cars. This
will be framed by special
committee of Aldermen Mcmillan,
Healy and Scott.
What this counter proposition will
be is not determined upon but it il
probable that it will contain a pro.
posal that the traction company ba
permitted to decrease the number OF
through runs between Barre and Mont,
pelier providing it will increase its 10.
cal service by keeping the bob cara
running all the time instead of park
ing" it at the junction of Washington
and Elm streets and at Jones Bros
curve during considerable period OF
the day. 1t was declared by more than
one that the traction company had been
losing patronage because it made no
effort to encourage traffic, especially
inside the city limits. If this bob
ear" were TO be operated all the time
and at stated schedules, it was con-
sidered by the promoters of the plan
that the public would ride rather than
walk, as the people have walked in
preference to waiting>a long time for
/ local car A fiye-cent fare may be
for the inside the city run.
Sentiment last night seemed to be
opposed to the increase of the through
fare to is cents straight. On the one,
nan car proposal there was little ex-
preston of opinion. Now and then
here was an opinion toward turning
lown the entire proposition of the
traction company and have the case
20 to the public service commission OF
he state for adjudication, if the trac-
ion company desires to take it there;