Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-09-20
Is the Retailer a Proriteer? Look
Into His Costs Before You Accuse

| declared publicly should be stood up
against a stone wall, in front of a fir
| ing squad.
But Look Into the Cost.
But before you accuse your retail
merchant of protiteering in commodi-
ties which have been listed on the
governments food bulletin, and bought
at the postoffiCe for delivery by par
eel post, look into the cost price of the
retailer. Then YOU will not be so
| readily inclined to shout profteer, and
declare that your merchant is robbing
you.
Local merchants paid for rice a year
ago, or at the time the government
was buying the same rice that it is
now offering to the public, 5000 per
lcwt, or almost 10R cents pound.
This rice was sold at retail in hun
dred-pound lots at $1150, or a triae
over cent a pound profit, and in
small quantities at 1914 or IS cents.
The government price list on this
same rice being delivered now is s7.79
per cwt. The government is selling at
loss and the taxpayers must stand
the difference.
Beans bought in August, 1915 cost
the local retailer s13 per cwt., and in
bag lots were sold at a margin of l
cent or IA cents a pound. In small
quantities, oyer the counter, 10 cents
pound was Charged, but these same
beans sold by the government were
bought in 1G0-pound lots at 1854. The
governments expense of doing bust
ness is all paid from taxes.
knowing the difference between the
retail price and the price being asked
by the government, the consumer cries
Immediately, "proftcer," but if he
studied the price to the retailer he
would buy government beans and rice
when cheaper, but he would not ac-
cuse the retailer. The retailer. maxi
ing a profit of a cent in large quanti-
ties, or cents in small, is taking only
4 reasonable profit. If a retailer does
not make a profit over the cost Of do
ing business he is losing money, and
that is just what the retail grocer does
in many articles he handles.
Price Higher Now.
To go further into the question Of
cost to the retailer, no retailer who
bought rice and beans a year ago in
August has any of that stock on hand
now, but the government has. The
rice which cost 5000 per hundred a
year ago cost a. cent or two more a
year later; consequently the retail
price has to be increased that much,
even tho the sale price was in direct
with rice bought by the
government a year ago. and now on
sale to the consumer. Beans that were
bought a year ago at S11.50 cost a cent
and half more this summer, hence
the price must be increased that much
to maintain the same small margin of
profit.
Cost Of Canned Goods.
Another staple in which the govern
ment has dealt in large quantities
during it's unloading process of sur
plus army supplies, is canned goods.
Looking into the cost of canned goods
to the retailer q year ago, and the
price for which the government was
selling the same article this summer:
Retail Govt.
Cost Sale
Article Price. Price.
No. 1 baked beans, doz.. $40 $2.59
No. baked beans, 2 doz.. 2,70 2.19
No. baked beans, 2 doz.. $50 2.91
No. canned corn, 2 doz.. 1928 FIT
No canned peas, 2 doz.. 1928 FIT
The government prices include par
eel post.
1t can be seen very readily that the
retailer. buying canned goods ct the
same time the government bought a
year ago, could not compete with the
government price in selling the same
goods now, providing that the retailer
still had the goods on his shelf. II he
Is a good merchant he would have
moved the stock long before this, and
the same goods bought a year later
and on sale now would have cost more
money The government can collect
its loss from the income tax.
So II you are soon to eat boiled
rice. and baked beans, and canned
peas. and army bacon. corned beef
hash. or timed beef. remember that
If you are paying income tax you
are simply getting little rebate; II
you are not in the income tax class.
pat yourself on the back and remem-
Der that some other fellow Is paying
Tor your grub, m, mi. 5-5555 : ~
Don't go to the grocer ind yell
"profiteer" 5ai & ..3