The Bingham County news., 1922-11-10
BINGHAM COUNTY NEWS


not cost the hotel keeper more than
15c, yet the greedy profiteer charges
his customer $500 or $3.50. But the
customer doesn't kick. Most of his
money has gone for service; for the
beautifully appointed dining room
with an Italian orchestra playing the
most popular opera in the hidden
balcony; spOtless napery used but
once; mon0gramed silverware and
porcelain; unobtrusive walters who
anticipate his every wish; the society
of well dressed people Of his own
class; for $4,000 chef in $4,000
kitchen in the basement.
Or he pays big price for the same
things in diner. He pays willing
ly, because he can get on the train
in the middle of a Nevada desert as
good a dinner and as good service,
considering the circumstances, as he
could in a Chicago hotel. He is pay
ing for service. But II he cheeffully
pays the price why should any idaho
farmer or newspaper kick?
But the wage Garner doesn't "a to
the high-priced store for his pota-
toes, or the high priced hotel for his
dinner. He goes to the smaller groc-
cry stores and if he skirmishes
around little he can undoubtedly
get all the potatoes he wants for a
little more than &c ger pound-Idaho
potatoes that cost $3.50 laid down in
Chicago and for which the high class
dealer gets $4.63. He goes into res
taurant and gets for 35c or 45c more
real nourishment than the rich man
got for $3.50. II he travels on the
train he takes his lunch with him, or
buys SOC mean along the way.
Are the wholesalers and retailers
profiteers? A congressional com
mittee reported ON the distribution Of
9,476 cars Of fresh fruits and vege-
tables sold at wholesale in the larger
cities between September 1920 and
July 1921. The average haul was
140O miles. Striking an average, out
Of each dollar which these cars brot
at Wholesale, the shipper received
60c. Freight cost 33c; cost of hand
ling in the wholesale market &c;
gross profit Of the receiving distribu-
tors, fraction over three cents. A
five year average gives the whole
sale grocers profit one and half
cents out Of each dollar received
from the retailer; his operating ex-
penses eight and half cents. In
1921 the retail grocer spent the dol
lar he got from his customer as fol-
lows: cost of merchandise, 8O.7c:
operating expenses, 1850; profit, Csc.
A seven years average gives operat-
ing expenses as 15c, and profit, 3.7c
81 grocers out of 100 sell out, close
up or go broke within two years. How
many farmers go broke in that time?
Are the railroads the ones who are
rObbing the farmer? According to a
recent report of the railroads their
average earnings up to August were
2.65 per cent, nothing very big. We
heard the statement made during the
campaign that the government guar
anteed the railroads six per cent, and
then the orator would dramatically
ask: Does the government guaran-,
tee you farmers six per cent?" The
fact is the government does not guar
antee the railroads any per cent. 1t
simply says the railroads may earn
up to six per cent, and not on water
ed stock as the politician would have
you believe. but upon the physical
of the railways as fixed by
valuation board.
If the government guaranteed the
railroads six per cent people would
not be oversubscribing for the $780,
100000 issue of government bonds
paying only four and one-half per
cent. Another thing the politicians
do not tell you. Inc railroads can,
neither raise nor lower freight rates
without the consent of the interstate
commerce commission. Nor should
the farmers who are 14O0 miles from
Chicago expect to get the same
freight rate on potatoes as the grow
ers in Ohio, Wisconsin and Mime
sofa, 100 to 300 miles away.
To accuse the BANKS, corporations
railroads, wholesalers or retailers
with being robbers and arousing the
antagonism of the farmer against
them gets him nowhere. All of these
agencies have plenty of troubles Of
their own. Suggest something con-
structive and helpful.