Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-20
Taking II a. 1t Comes

aktnQ u az u comes
There is a striking similarity in
the conversation in which those
struggling against the drop in prices
indulge. The sugar manipulators.
also a wise hammered department of
our government. a few short weeks
ago were assuring us that prices in
sugar could not come down because
there really was a shortage. The
price has come down. sugar is plenti-
full, the banks are to loan the Cuban
Spectators good American money to
relieve them from embarrassment.
What the Boston restaurant pro-
prietors told the investigators sounds
much like the sugar talk of few
months ago. One of the chief of
these. manager of what is regarded
one. of the most profitable eating
places in that city. declared that the
thirty cents charged by him for a
ham sandwich the ingredients Of
which cost less than six and a half
cents. was a price he would not be
justified in lowering. He may
change his mind. Just as important
members of the business world have
already done so.
In justice it should be said the cost
OF the materials going into the food
is by no means all that the purveyof
must consider if he is to succeed.
When he has paid the rent, the coal
and light bills. the interest on the
capital invested, the wages of his
help and for the mending of his fraz-
zled nerves because of help that
doesn't help he finds that the "over-
head expense adds much to the cost.
No doubt many times. IL the public
could really know all about the ac-
tual cost of the service it receives, it
would not complain Of profiteering SO
often.
On the other hand there never was
a time when greater effort should be
made to give as much as possible for
the money as now. when it seems
that some by reason Of the high
prices they have been getting have
become incapacitated for doing BUSH
meas an a strict b,,c;,1~. hn.;. ~
reed not expect gratitude of the pub
lie for doing this; the public was
ever ungrateful. 1t is the same pub
lie that howled because the dealer
who had bought advantageousIy dur
ing rising prices sold on the current
basis and pocketed the profit; and it
Is shedding no tears over the dealer
who bought sugar for more than he
now can sell it. That public expects
him to pocket his loss without a
murmur, notwithstanding it objected
to his pocketing the profits when he
could. No, the dealer is not to expect
gratitude from but must seek the fav-
or Of that public and SO will consider
his future as well as his present:
should be mindful of the fact that
all over the country farmers. who
have struggled to raise the crops ON
which all prosperity is based, are in
very many instances losing not only
labor and effort but good dollars be-
cause of falling prices which they are
helpless to prevent It has been
demonstrated that any attempt by
the Government to regulate prices ID
fraught with mischief. that in the
end supply and demand must be the
solution OF the problem.
II requires mighty smart men to
do business successfully on a falling
market and 1t Is an easy guess that
they viii be found among those who
are "bucking up" taking it as il
comes with smile, alert to every
saving and possible Improvement and
strengthened by the conservation Of
their profits in the day Of rising
prices.