Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1919-01-03
THE MIDDLEMAN's PROFITS"


There is too big difference between what the pro-
gets for his product what the pays
No question about it. The condition has caused hard
feeling for years Yet there funny things about
the matter which often overlooked. The consumer
who the bills does the least kicking Most of the
complaint from the producer There OCCASION
al and spasmodic but have heard Of
concerted objection Perhaps this is because
the mostly to blame for the condi
ton. We insist a service which costs money-in
city demand grocery meat market and
other food product service which than
the food product itself. The other day Twin City
chant published statement Of costs in connection with
plea for his customers to permit him adopt the
and carry" plan doing business. traced bushel
of potatoes from the time they taken off the at
the freight yards in Minneapolis until they delivered
in paper sack lots to the kitchen of the
and showed that it actually cost in payments for wages
to clerk bookkeepers, delivery men, ice other
necessary help which added to actual overhead
expense amounted MORE than the potatoes
at the Minneapolis freight yards. We me this in
cident could be duplicated in the story of other food
transactions every day We have statements to the
effect that if of ood would buy in quaint
y and cash. that the spread between producer and
could at be ut down onehalf. When the
farmer gets SOC bushe for potatoes for instance and
reads in the city that potatoes selling at 81
per busheI, he believes the who cha dies pota
makes than does the who produces them. In
maybe this is true but every cost could
be traced it would be found that there mighty
big to be paid after the spuds the freight
in the city terminals These represent Ect
ual cost Of service performed and in do they
present profit. The consumer knows this and yet he
insists the service that COSTS nasmuch he
to be willing to it, it like good deal Of
the sympathy expressed is wasted. There is hardly
in the city who does not know how he an
buy direct from the producer he wants to but it is
much easier to step to phone order 25c worth of poa
toes insist that be hand picked and sorted
ask to the deliveryman get move as u
to dinner time and then tell the clerk to "charge it.
The records show that ninety per cent of all
storekeepers go busted. Is it wonder?
AS the long casualty lists continue to be published
since the war, gradually begin to realize
has been after all, gigantic loss
upon the battle fields. However, after all these lists
have been published get but faint glimpse the
throuout the warning nations The Literary
Digest Of two weeks reproduced from writer in
the New York Tribune vivid pen picture The writer
visuazed this great loss of human life He said that
all the dead to be marched down Fifth Avenue
York, twenty abreast marching from daybreak to
down, the relative time required would be follows
The passing Of the American soldier dead would require
whole day; the British would march ten days. the
French, eleven days. the Russians would require five
weeks The total of all the would require
Two and on-half months to pass a given point The
enemy dead would require six weeks The marching Of