The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-21

their product to the wholesaler at certain price
eff you do not buy now," they say, the price will
be higher later on The wholesaler often is
compelled to purchase at the Gamers demand
and to sign contracts, which the Gamers take to
the banks and put up as collateral
The Gamer goes to the farmer and buys the
latter's fruits and vegetables before they are in
the seed, or before they are ripened. He offers
good price, naturally, and the farmer is glad to
accept it. Once in control of the foodstuffs, it
is easy for the Gamer to fix the price of his out
put. That explains why today fruits and vege-
tables are higher than ever before, right here
where they are grown.
In the United States district court in Boston
last week several offenders were sent to jail for
conspiring illegally to maintain the price Of fish
The department of labor statistics report, re.
Gently issued, showed that food prices were high
err in Boston than in any one of so leading cities
AS an instance, bananas sold in Boston for 4e
cents dozen, whereas the average for 40 other
cities was SO cents dozen. Yet bananas are
brought directly to Boston from the West Indies
the United Fruit company selling them at whole
sale for about 20 cents dozen. Bananas ought
to sell in Boston for at most 35 cents Dozen
which would afford ample profit for all who
handle them.
DR.. J. R. Mohler, chief Of the bureau of ami.
NAL industry of the department of agriculture
at Washington, tells us that more than one-third
of all the swine in the world are raised in the
United States. Still, hogs are selling for more
at the Chicago stock yards than at any time in
our history. Senator Arthur Capper of Kansas
told senate committee less than week ago that
there had been a sharp decline in the price of
cattle in his state, yet the retail prices of meat
in Washington had kept up to the high level and
in some instances had been increased.
New England print cloth manufacturers are
selling common bleached muslin at such high
prices to wholesalers and jobbers that they assure
us this stuff, which used to retail at s, 6, and Z
and at most at 10 cents, must be sold to the con.
sumner at not less than 25 cents yard. Specu.
lators are to blame. The manufacturers do not
like to sell to these SPECTATORS but they are
only human, and the legitimate dealer is forced
to pay the abnormal prices offered by the OUTLAW
purchasers.
DR.. Homer Hoyt, formerly Of the University
of Chicago, one of the leading specialists Of the
trade board which made the investigation Of
rising prices, says: eve in the rarifiec
atmosphere of the new price level and we cannot
go back. We have almost twice as much money
in circulation as before the war, hence we are re-
celving twice as much and spending twice as
much The average man enjoys the luxury Of
handling more bills. It seems as if all of are
more prosperous, but let us not be deceived. A:
matter of fact, our 1919 dollar will only pur
chase on the average half as many goods as thu
1913 dollar. The 1919 dollar is worth only a:
much as the 1915 half dollar.
1--WE have not yet become accustomed to thu
new price level. The adjustment will not be per
feet until every one gets about twice the money
income he received before the war. Thus we fine
laborers entitled to higher wages; we see public
utilities demanding higher fares; we witness tn
raising of rents. All of this is part of the pro
cess of adjustment to the new price level"
All this he somewhat facetiously blamed OF
the kaiser for "he started the war and the wa
started the initiation Of prices"
But that doesn't explain away the food prof
iteer, who, as indicated. undoubtedly exists every
where. Prices are higher than they ought to b.
on account Of speculation, manipulation control
BY some means, through the passage of the Ken
yon BILL or otherwise, the government will hav,
to take hand and curb the profiteer. We do no
like to be alarnists, but if the government doe
not take action there will be riots and the foot
profiteer will get what the miners Of Franc,
threaten to the food and other commodity hog
over there.
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