The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1919-10-02

IA ne does all the tact and resourcefulness OF
diplomacy in negotiating with the Big rive
mot the League of Nations five) for that oe-
licious product Of theirs that is so essential 20
our bodily strength and we-being. We should
be pleased TO remunerate him generously, as
we generally do, for meat is meat these days
and we should thank him. besides, for ms sue
cess in securing it for us at any price that IL
mentioned Some ladies have been known 10 so
far forget their early training IN depor.-
ment as.to go into the local meat market PICK
over any meat that may be left outside OF tne
safe q mean refrigerator) and when they nave
selected what they think is the best piece nand
it to the meat cutter to snipe off part OF the
bone griste, etc. quite forgetting that tne
diplomatic meat dealer had to pay for the Done
and gristle and is therefore out whatever MI
lady made ham cut off.
No. times have changed; the butcher is
butcher no more; he is a merchant; buying ms
stock in trade from the Big Five and selllng
direct to hiss customers at the usual per cent
Of profit that other merchants do business on.
In the general Transformation that has. taken
place during the past fifty years among mer-
chants dealing in foodstuffs probably the gro
Ger has undergone the greatest changes IL Is
somewhat questionable if the name grocer by
which we refer TO him is the name tnat ne 10
entitled TO or not In the old days when ne
bought his goods direct from the big merchant
his goods came in bulk in rougb-iookng boxes
Bags and barrels. In those days he was "shure
huff grocer, and as such had real he man
Job he had TO be strong, so that he could JERK
salt pork out of the brine, handle the sugar
barrels break in their top ends and be arusts
enough TO make a cornucopia out OF hash brown
paper that would hold say dollars worth OF
sugar. or 20 pounds. He had to be something
of an acrobat, too, so that he could stand on
his head in the barrel while he scooped up the
& Ia n cf
acrobatic man who usually Joined the church
early in his career so that his customers might
not be inclined 20 insnuate that he mixed sand
with the sugar.
Time works great changes. Now. the grocer
70 a man of ability dresses like the proverbal
banker has HIS name in gilt on the front door,
owns a magnificent machine known as cash
register not that he fears loss from himsen
or clerks but simply that the customer may
have the satisfaction Of actually knowing that
he paid so much for the article purchased and
that the money now reposes in the beautiful
metallic repository has a magnificent refrigera-
tor that adds quiet dignity to the place. Then,
too he has such marvellous devices as cheese
cutter that can cut cheese thin enough to make
il lust right for a microscopic specimen an cleo
trio coffee-grinder and rooster, and other de-
vices that the real grocer OF other days would
be unable TO comprehend.
FANCY WRAPPERS.
The grocer, or more properly the food mer-
chant now buys his stock in trade, all beauti-
fully done up in packages. cans and bottles
The name of the contents is artisticaly dis
PLAYED on the various packages, cans and bot
ties, full directions are given on each as to how
best TO open the package. how the contents are
10 be used or TAKEN and the probable effect on
the human system If the contents are used or
taken internally. OF course. this applies more
particularly TO such groceries as patent serials
Aunt ELIAS pancake flour. certain molasses
and syrups done up in beautiful cans also TO
certain soups, flavorng extracts, condiments,
etc Yes sir, the grocery business has now as
sumed all the ear-marks OF a profession. The
grocer is no longer a grocer. he is professional
purveyor of foods and other things halfway
between foods and medicines Pretty soon he
will be required TO pass an examination as TO
character and general knowledge of the many
strange and mysterious things that are appear
ing on his shelves. II he passes the eXamlna-
ton he will be entitled to the degree of ''pur-
veyor of food" Why not?
The -four milling industry has been CONSOLE
dating more and more in the wheat-producing
regions, and many local mills have been forced
TO retire from the business, not being able 10
compete successfully with the large and nation
ally known milling concerns. These large con-
Germs are supreme in the realm OF flour, meal,
ETC. their immense organization and equip
ment coupled with the most approved modern
methods of production, have given them pract-
cal control of the wheat and flour business OF
the entire country.
SALARIES AND WAGES.
One of the most important questions inti-
matey connected with the increasing cost OF
the necessaries Of life is that of the proper
reimbursement of salaries and wages from time
to time so as to preserve the proper ratio be-