The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-27
STILL. THE CONSUMER PAYS.

1t is charged by the Railway Age
that dishonest and selfish propa-
ganda" is being carried on by COM
mission merchants regarding the eff
feet of existing freight rates upon the
shipment of fruits and vegetables. 1t
points out that the commission mer-
chants are carrying on a widespread
agitation among the producers of fruit
and vegetables to arouse sentiment
against the existing rates, whereas the
fact is. it says, that even since the
rates were advanced the cost of trans
porting these commodities che long
distances they are carried is only one
fourth to one-fifth of the toll taken
by the commission merchant and the
retailer for buying and selling them.
whether freight rates are, or are
not. too high and should be reduced"
says the Age, cit is easy to show that
it is the. extortion practiced by the
commission merchants and the retail
dealers, rather than the present
freight rates. which are responsible
for the fact that the producer of these
commodities is being paid very low
prices for his products, while the
Consumer in the cities is being forced
to pay high prices for them. Recent
ly much >propa ganda has been spread
among the producers of vegetables in
Texas, Florida. and other southern
states, and also in California, regard
ing the present freight rates. 1t is
Time that a few cold facts regarding
these matters should be told" The
Age then proceeds to set forth its
facts as follows: e
On April i1s the average price paid
TO the producer for cabbage in Texas
was 81 per tom The cost of trans
porting IT to Chicago was $3.50 per
ton. This includes not only the freight
rate, but also the cost of icing the
refrigerator car and the federal tax.
on freight charges. The total amount
that the producer received for pro-
ceived for hauling it about 1900 miles,
was 1.67 cents a pound, or $3.50
ton. On the same date cabbage re-
tailed in Chicago for 7 cents pound,
or $40 a ton, or $106.70 per ton more
than the total amount that the pro-
Queer received for producing it, and
that the railroad received for bring
ing it to Chicago Where did this
$106.7o per ton-whieh >was as per
cent of the totafs retail pfice-go to?
very large part of it went into the
pockets of the commission men who
are carrying on the, present propa-
ganda, and the rest went into the
pocket of the retailer. The toll taken
by them was four times as much as
the railroad received for hauling the
cabbage from Texas to Chicago.
On the same date the producer In
IT. 10 fOr xxT1lif q
onions. The cost of transportatio
to Chicago was S29.64, and the total
received by the producer and the rail
road was $71.64 a ton, or abs cents
a pound. At the same time white
onions sold at retail in Chicago for 10
cents a pound. or 5000 a ton, or
r$12S.36 more than the amount that
the producer received for producing
them. and that the railroad received
for bringing them to Chicago. Most
of this difference went into the peck
cts Of the commission merchant and
tn retailer.
On the same date the producer in
Texas was paid IS a ton for spinach.
The cost of transportation to Chicago
was $30.36 per ton, making total of
s35,36 per ton, or LII cents pound,
that the producer and the railroad
together received. AT the same time
the retail price of spinach in Chicago
was cents a pound, or $500 per ton,
or $264.64 per ton more than both the
producer and the railroad received.
Who got this $264.64 per ton, which
was almost 80 per cent of the retail
price? Most of it went to the very
commission merchants who are carry
ing on propaganda against the pres
cent freight rates.
There may be much truth in what
the Age says, but it merely clinches
the fact that the consumer gets It
coming and going.