The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-07-23
PEAK IN EXPORTS
MAY REDUCE COST
OF TABLE SUPPLIES
BY WILLIAM r. sANBoRN.


The fact that our exports of food
have doubled within the past five
years. and have undoubtedly passed
their peak in volume and value. should
now have a material effect in reducing
prices here at home. No such effect
has yet been felt and the public is
wondering when table supplies will
cost less money.
To tell the truth, nobody knows. Not
a single Gamer, packer, wholesaler or
retailer seems to be losing any sleep
in an effort to reduce prices, and GER
tainly not profits. Every one talks
scarcity, expensive labor and trans
portation, big demand and money to
burn. No one is poor; everybody wants
the best, only the best, and plenty OF
it. That is the song of the merchant.
Why figure the costs? Buy what you
want, pay our prices and look pleas
ant-'tis the proper thing to do"
But is 1t? We trow not. There is
a jumping Off place, somewhere. Many
are becoming of frugal mind. They
are asking questions. Many are going
without" among those who can afford
the price; and the poor are ever with
us, and these must deny themselves.
Albeit the wages Of poverty, today,
would have been affluence five years
ago.
No Break In Priees.
Prices have wended their upward
way, regardless Of efforts to check
them, although sugar prices were kept
in check for a time by government
purchases and war time regulation.
This might have still been true, had
the administration acted when 1t had
tho situation in hand. Sugar pro-
ducers are storing their undreampt of
wealth in casks. Cuba Is now the
most prosperous nation on the planet,
with it's sugar and tobacco, the latter
the finest on earth.
Canned Fruits and Vegetables.
That there will be q demand for
every article in tin and glass again
this season. and for all dried fruits, at
good prices, IL evident. The cost OF
raw material. Of ell kinds Of contain.
ers, tho high cost and scarcity Of labor
are all factors tending to not merely
maintain but to increase the expense
OF packing. Growers have demanded
more money this year, SIS to $40 pei
per ton for tomatoes, for instance, and
peas up 10 $50 per ton, with corn
prices yet to be heard from. But what
is one cent a pound for tomatoes, OF
three cents per pound for peas, com
pared with the price over the counter
in tin?
Retail Up, Wholesale Down.
The Bureau OF Statistics at Washing
ton in its Survey for June shows that
food prices had advanced per cent
this year, up to June Is, at retail,
per cent of this being added from May
Is to June Is. In the face of this ad
vance at retail the figures given show
that foods at wholesale had actually
declined nearly 3 per cent during the
same 80 days. This seemingly puts
the onus on the retailer, which, In
most cases would be just, but in others
not. He may have his shelves loaded
at higher cost than June prices, aftel
the break.
Price Of String Beans.
Most anything can happen in free
for-all price race Take a local in
stance-the prices of green beans ant
cabbage in Richmond a week ago. One
Main street store was selling string
beans at Is cents per pound, stree
stand offered them at 10 cents. while
down at the bottom Of Main street
cents was the prevailing price. and a
the city market, the same price, W.
are told Cabbage sold at IL cents ;
pound in some stores, at 10 cents II
others and at 5 cents in one or TIVE
instances. for exactly the same quality
Centerville asked 10 cents a pound OF
that same afternoon. In the meanwhil
the backyard gardener has been hav
ing string beans and cabbage galore
with beans to can and to spare for hi
friends. The we'll kept garden is
great institution; it is an amazing pro
Queer and money saver, and everythtn
is fresh.
Sugar and Coffee.
Sugar continues to show a softenin
tendency, as to raws, Cubans bein
down two cents per pound inside of
week, with a one cent net break o