Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, February 25, 1921, Page 8

D S L e LT T T L RS (Written Specially For The Bulletin.) Tast week, we talked a little about {the. relation which prices paid by con- jumers bear to prices paid to farmers, rinense ‘e tried, at that time. to go as easy as could with the retail dealer. At any we gave him the benefit of thé We ‘assumed, ‘since he had to $rite, *dguht. jréduce his prices largely to the consum- Zers, that he had soms excuse for trying “a eut Mown his buving. expenses. awdging from a recent address in New York city, by i'r. Porter, New York state eammissioner of fords and. markets. we were gether too charitable. He asserts that wholesale prices for farm sproducts in the New York city market ‘ate down helew ven pre-war rates, Com- mission stores in. the wholesale sectio: ‘are Alied with perishable products which *he wholesale merthants are unable to ®ell even at pre-war prices” And he waye, right out loud, that a great many Deople belisve “the retail trade is not giving peeple the benefit of low whole- snle prices” Neo mam is in better position to know the facts about both wholesale and re- tai] prices o/ farm products in New York eity than Commissioier Porter. When sueh statements come from such a man, they are worth more than all the assar- tioma of interested profiteers in that Shy: lcek-infested Gomorrah. Me gives facts and figures to back up his beliefs. For concrete illustrations, take these sample cases A Genesee county, N. Y., farmer who phipped in’ x carload of good potatoes, last week, got $1.50 a barrel for them After, freight, etc, has been paid. Last , at this time, they would have t him from $8 to $8.50 a bar- el ! A earlead of emions from eentral New Yeork brought seventy-five cents per 100- pound bag. After freight, etc.. had been de- _ducted, the farmer got a net return of twenty-five cents a bag, out of which he k&4 te pay at least fifteen cents for each ®Bag. This lert him ten cents a hun- dred pounds to pay for the seed, the la- bor, the fertflizer, and all the rest of his imnumerable producing expenses, - “Last year cabbages brought from $75 ~te $100 & ton wholesale. Now the farmer i‘. well ‘o get from $12 to $15 a Seuwthern and California early vegeta- bies are being wholesaled at quite as abeurdly low prices. - A -recemt carlead shipment of Cali ‘fornia celery brought, at wholesale, $559. The shipper's bill for freight, commission, e!a, amounted to $626.66. -A Texas spinach grower sent a car- load of 756 baskets which sold at whole- male for $467.35. He paid In frelght and FARMERS NOT GUILTY OF HIGH PRlCED PILLAGING other charges $720.66. © A Florida trucker sent a carload of 480 crates of lettuce. It sold at whole- sale for $339.48, *The freight alone ‘amounted to $339.75, and lcing, war-tax, ‘cartage and commission broight the ship- Per’s. expense up to a intal of $491.65.” The lettuce raiser paid $152.17 for the privilege of giving away his carload. The spinach grower paid $253.35 for a similar privilege. But the hungry people of New Yerk city, who wanted portions of that lettuce and that spinach and those onions and ‘cabbages, etc, when they came to huy their daily rations found no correspond- Ing' reduction in the prices charged them., by the retaflers. . They paid a cent or two, less than last year, to-be sure, but mo- iwhere got the half or two-thirds re: “duction which the wholesalers and re- tailers were forcing ‘upon the farm- - erm. A New York city newspaper, which | teok up Dr. Porter's assertions and made an independent investigation of them has fully corroborated him. As a result of its inquiries in both” retail and whole- “sale markets, it ‘found.conditions which' summed up in the' statement that “the public is net getting the benefit of the big drop in wholesale prices.” . The reporter following up wholesale ‘and retail quotations of various farm pro- MAucts. A bag of Maine potatoes, weigh- Jing 180 pounds, sold at wholesalé, the merning 6f his investigations, for $2.50. That afternoon, they were selling in the retajl market at five cents a poand, or at the rate of $9 for the 180-pound bag. ‘The discrepancy was equally marked i 1 1 to it with neatness and ‘dispatch. But, speaking in general terms, it does | not_seem as if the spokesmen for the re- | tailers of New York city make out a 1 very good case for themselves. That is, it it is to be assumed that other people have the right to live, move and have ll being. Of course, if all the millions of consumers and all the other mijlions of producers are here simply on sufferance for the behoof and profit of middlemen, if these millions, are merely pawns in the game to protest the ;ookl and knights of predatory profiteering; if “the market” is not a reflection of supply and demand but simply a register of thimble-rigging in the wholesale and retail prices of sweet potatoes, onions, cabbages and turnips,” he says, though not quite so absurd in celery, lettucc, romaine, “etc. Ha also quotes the local director of the office of focds and markets as saying: “There is no deubt In the world that retailers in food are still profiteering. People should know how cheap produce now is in the whelesile market.” In answer, the retailers set forth three arguments. The first is that of waste, They contend that much in perishable stuff epoils on their hands, and that they must make such profit on what they aetually sell as to recoup them for this wastage. This argument is perfectly sound, so.far as it goes. But there was just as much wastage in -such products during the former times, when Wholesale and retail prices kept within gun-shot of eac hother, as now when they are worlds a part. What was sauce for the goose then is good enough for the gander now. The second argument is that of the bread bakers. They're making bread now, they say, from wheat bought three months ago when it was high, and they can’t afford to lower the price of bread till that old fiour is used up. This simply a trade version of the old juggle. “Heads I win; tails you lose,” and is hardly worth consideration. I has al- ways been assumed that dealers who traded on the market ran ‘their chances on that market's fluctuations, taking profits when they could and bearing loss- es when they must. It has always been assumed that they must “follow the market” downward as well as, upward, and rely for success upon their shrewd- ness in forecasting its changes. To that they shall be allowed to make big money when they buy cheap and have the market go up on them, but‘must not lose money when they buy dear and find the market going down on. them, im- plies a degree of artless hoggishness which even they ought to be ashamed of. Their third argument is that buyers ‘won’t any longer clean up their shelves for them, but insist on picking ‘only the choice portions of their stock. Said one butcher, "holding up a juicy chunk. ot steak: “Women won't look *at either end of this, even if it is good meat They will take nothing but the middle. The rest is left on our hands. They are'too busy running to movies and matinees an& then getting home just in time to throw something together. The women are to blame. for -retail high prices. - Let them stay at home and'learn to cook stews ana such things, and not demand the best of everything and you would see prices come down.” This ‘srgument 1 fiemly deline to comment upon, It is herewith passed along to those concerned, in the deep-rooted conviction that they can and will attend ehicanery—why, then, the case is dlf- ferent. In that event, the profiteers are logical. If they are, indeed, the sole heirs of all the ages and the proper pos- sessors and rightful custodians of all the world's money, the sooner they get It the sooner the trouble will be over. But both past experience and pres- ent. observation unite in indicating that this theorem will not be agreed to unanimously. Indeed, it the primary objeet of all so- cial and economic functions is' the great- est zood of the greatest number, it ought not to be. The worid is hardly likely’ to go back to oligarchical rule. wheth- er by an oligarchy of oldest sons or by one of middlemen. It was Shakespeare's ancient Pistol, I believe, who asserted that the world was his oyster which he with sword would open. Yet, if the veracious chronicler of his adventures may be believed, he didn't open it, after all. That which the . swash-buckler Shakespeare’s time couldn’t do, there is small chance of the graft-grahbers of our time effecting. But, dear friend of the busy . tewn, there Is just one thing which is daily becoming " staringly manifest That is. that the high-price pillaging of which you complain’ is one which you and you alone must put a stop to. You have been criticizing and denouncing the farmer as the original source of high rices. That you have been wrong in this, all the time, we have believed. That you are wrong In it, now, only a seif-blinded wil- fulness can -deny. The farmer has been pushed and crowded and driven into the last ditch where he can't give away his products, through the channels, without paying for the privilege. You'd do better, henceforth, to turn your criticisms and your inventive to- wards those regular channels, and see what you can do for yourself in clear- ing them out. Some good may, sometimes, come from fighting vour enemies. But ne good will ever cg > from bludgeoning vour friends. Especially, when they're already down v | and out, THE FARMER. e Cromwell.—A. carload of -horses from Indiana has arrived here for Louis Ka- batznick. In the car were 27 hofiel and two mules. o of! In spite of the severity of the storm Sunday, the morning service and Sunday school were held as usual, but with re- duced attendance. The evening service was omitted. The pgstor, Rev. R. G. Pavy, is beginning a series of' Lenten sermons on vital questions of religion, commencing with What Think Ye of Christ? given this week. About 18 incnes of snow fell Sunday and with the wind rising, causing it to drift, by night trafic was at a standstill. A car from Storrs garage which attempt- ed to make the usual Sunday afternoon trip to Willimantic was stalled on Spring Hill on the return and the passengers were obliged to spend the night at homes there or walk "0 their destipations. How- ever, the roads were opened Monday morning, although it was not until Wed- nesday’ that ‘a state highway truck ap- peared and cleared the state road from Willimantic of most of the remaining snow. Off the state road, horses are more popular tkan cars. . A bean supper which the Tawasi Bible class was to serve Monday evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Hawkins had to be postponed. The meeting of Echo grange was omit- ted this week. The Young People’s ‘club met at the home of Mrs. G. ‘Wyman Thursday jevening of last week. The topis was 1 Original Essays, and the committee in charge, Miss Blanche Davoll, Miss Lil- lian Dunham, James Eaton, each of whom read essays written especially for the meeting. Miss Davoll gave an account of the development of the essay and read as her especial contr:butien The Value of Disagreement. Miss ' Dunham chose as her topic Making Believe, .and James Eaton'amused the rlub with an essay dealing with a days éxperience with a Ford. A vocal solo'by Miss Coe and a piano solo by Mrs. Willis. Homer com- pleted the program. Sandwiches, cake, cocoa and candies were served. The Ladies’ society met Wednesdey af- ternoon of last week at the home of Mre. W. R. Davoll. It was voted to adopt the name Ladies’ Aid society of ~Mansfield Center, the aim being to continue the work of the Willing Workers, as the so- ciety has been called during - the past years of its activity. During the wan ti e work of the Willing Workers of necessity gave place to that of the Red Cross. Several people had a narrow escape from injury Friday afternoon wlen a motor truck owned by Max Riben' of Wormvood Hill overturned, throwing the ocupants underneath the car. The ncci- dent occurred on the Willimantic state road near the home of Mrs. A. W. Olin and was occasioned by a blowout of a near tire, causing the driver to lose con- trol. None of the occupants were injured although considerable damrge was done to the car, including a bioken rear end and wrecked wheels. The Yillage achool was closed Monday and Tuesday as planned last week, the teacher, Miss Beatrice Coe, going to her home at Riverton. Mrs., Willis Homer of w:unm who has been visiting her parents, Mr. a Mrs. G.. H. Wyman, returned Tuesday. Charles G. Hall, who has been out ‘of town for several months, returned sn'r- day evening. | A valuable reference book received at | the library is Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. . NORTH WOODSTOCK Mrs. William Gordon, who is eritically ill in Day Kimball hospital, Putnam, re- mains aboyt the same. Howard Perrin of New ‘Haven was at Elmer Corttis’ over Washington's birth- day. No services were held in-the church Sunday owing to the_snowstorm. Mr. and Mrs."MerFill Keitf of Danlel- son were local - visitors-.gver the week end. The soclal Friday. evening was well at- tended. The' program consisted of .old- time eongs. ~Cake, _sandwiehes and cd were served. [Virginia Corttis attended ‘he Te- given "at the closi.g in th- bridu s ay evening of the da el ich she was a member. Lumeu' instTtute was held in Society h#jk-Wednesday, Teb. 23d4. Speakers from Congecticut Agricultural college gave talks on fruit. joultry -and dairying. eta SOUTH KILLINGLY ed on friends hers Wednesday. Mabel Spink has finished work Das- conter ielson and has returned home: e Ruth Coffey enjoyed an automeblie thip 1o ‘Worcester Saturday. Pupils having perfect attendancs i the | local school for the year are Ruth Coffs Francis Coffey, Alice Spink. Pupils celving high honers for the week ending| Feb. 15th are Ruth Coffey, Lillle Young,, Francie Coffey, Lucius Whitaker, AIM Whitaker, Emma Terwilliger, Margaret Terwilliger, Juanita Mills. ~ Pupils re- ceiving homors are NI Deahefy, Alice Spink, Antoinette Masarella. —High hohors require average of 95 per ceal and_ honors an average of 30 per cent. A. E. Han been reappoinied fire warden for this distriet. Through the kindness of Lies, Waller Williams the children of the dpcal Sunéay school enjoyed a candy uny‘t the Cone Sandwiches, doughnuts,scheese and coffee |- - were served. , i C. M, Perrin was appol sioner to, iear testimpmy in the’ of Mingie Karl Cole vs. Thomas, Cole in divorce, iproceedings. - The hearinz took pldce'last week Thursday. Tl‘e plaintiff was represented by J. Bennett Southard of New York and the defendant by Law- yer Torrey of Putnam. CHESTERFIELD Miss Meredith Tinker spent two days recently with Mildred Powers. Miss R. Elizabeth Tinker. who spent the week end with her parents, has re- turned to Grassy Hill to resume her teaching. Jacob Kaplan and J. 'E. Powers were breaking out the roads Monday. Mrs. Jeanette C. Phillips has returned home. after visiting Mr. and Mrs. George Lincoln. Miss Bessie ‘Miller of New oYrk spent the holidays with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. Miller. Qn acsount of the snowstcrm. Postmas- ter Harry Auwood was two potrimis- delayed dh; in the mail delivery. . % Lilly. Kaplan of New York is spenling her vucallon with her parents here. John Knrnnsacke'fibodl left - Sunday for Portchester, N Mr..and Mrs. F. wolle spent the holidays at Fairy Lake farm. Advocates of home industries are not always industrious when iat home. Warning! sregal i jafierriosn:t Rew. ‘W Byron Place and h-flyqu chiidren is his. el o TeAs B Hal made a buw's- l_fi:l M ’tfl Saturday. lllt.lblm Then it is Genuine 1i Unless you see the name “Bz;,er" on tablets, Jou are not getting genuiné Aspirin’ prescfibed by physicians, for 21 years and proved safe by millions. Accept only an “unbroken package” ‘of “Baver Tablets of Aspirin,” which contains p:oper directions for Colds, Headache, Pain, Toothache, Neurilgia, Rheumatism, Neuritis, Lumbago. Tandy tin boxes of 12 tablets cost but x Few sumbe—Larger packag. Aspirin is o trade mark ¢f Bayer Maaufacture of Monesceticastianet of Salleylicasid WALTHAM 712 Main St. Twenty-seven Inch Pre-War Price 59c. Thirty-six - inch even Twist Yarn without a rival. Pre-War Price 39%c. very firm Thirty-two Inch Boston Mfg. Product’ at any price. All the new Spring patterns, soft color- ing, large and small plaids Per-War Price 78c. heavy ducks to the INSTANT RELIEF FOR ALL THROAT IRRITATIONS CABRIGGS COMPANY _ H B Figs in Syrup, pound...... )f TRY THEM ALL It Is a Common Query on the Part of Many People as to Where They Should Buy Their Candies. We Reply—Try Them All Provided You Try Ours Too Our Prices the Low Level for Desirable SPECIAL FOR SATURDAY Molasses and Peppermint Cuts, pcund An Ideal After Dinner Candy. Pennutlneb—Sort of Peanut Brittle Puffs— . . Somsthing new and very nourishing, pound. ...... 49¢c ¢Assorted Hard Candies—Pure Sugar—Just the thing i for Children, pound .................. Fresh Made Fudge—For Saturday Only, pound. Dates With Nuts—F: or»&lo:e not eating nndydurmgLent, pouncl................ S.F. PETERSON Inc. 130 MAINSTREET Give Our Candy to Your Children cees 39 first, last, and all the time. White Flannel Heavy fleece 36-inch 2 Lapland <. 5.5. 220 Swiss Muslin........ 39 Mercury Shirting Yarn dyed, 32 inches wide ’39c Thirty-two Inch Ginghams Bates, Amoskeag, Kalbur- nie. They are fancg dress plaids, checks an Roman stripes...... ZZC ' Sunfast Drapery.... ... 59¢ Flannels Popular:brands. Dainty patterns-in .pink and bjye. The _kind " you; have paid 39¢ for.. 150 NOTICE TO DEALERS Where it is not our inten- tion to serve storekeepers and peddlers, we cannot refuse, but we do reserve the right to limit quantl- ties. BOSTON 124 Bedford St. SEERSUCKER GINGHAM 20-in. Cotton Diaper $1.45 UNBLEACHED COTTON A cotton ' 5c GLENKIRK GINGHAMS No finer Gingham on the market 1921 WILLIMANTIC 55 Church St. Pink, Blue' and Nurses Gray stripe. Fresh from the loom 24c 18 finest voile. Kimona Flannel 36-in. heavy fleece’ Kimona Flannel, in all the wanted patterns. Colorings are wonderful. White Voile Forty inches wide, enough for any use, and worth double at Ginghams 27-inch Staple and Plaid Ginghams. A small but choice lot. Don’t wait 150 and regret it......... Piilow Tubing (Andros- cogEm); oGVl s hidle Sheet Blankets Gray Blankets with pink and blue borders, subject to mill imperfec- $l.69 HONS oo ool Long Cloth ‘Red- Star” chamois fine 29¢ Curtain® Muslin - (Cross- ) e o RO HUDSON 8 Market St LL OUTL: STORES COMPANY | - —BATH STREET— 18 OPENING SATURDAY **|Your Wish To_ Be Gratlfled The opening of this store brings our mills t6 your door and every advantage there——too—-dour lmlll are the largest in the East, making the finest fabncs knoWn—weavmg, convertmg ind ]l'mtmg, Cameo Cloth Chamois finish, 36 ch inchesiwids. oo okt Black Sateen .vi0.... 49¢ Percale A very choicg lot of Per- cales, yard e, standard and high co soft fi nish, large range ofpat- 15C o O R SR White Voile Remnants 19¢ , $1.49 Imported Madras 32-inch yard dyed corded stripe, soft color- 79c ings. .o e 18-inch Diaper Cloth $1.35 Figured Kimonette 30 inches wide, Crinkle Kimonette for dressing sacques and Kimonas Indian Head Shorts ... 25¢ Sheeting 9-4 Criterion Bleactied 69¢ 10-4 Criterion Bleached 78¢ 17¢]| Selling Direct to User, Saving a Jobber s Pi‘ofit and One-Half of the Rehfls’& OW chain of stores are all opcrated from one head with a very smull overhead expense charged to the individual store—neo ckbenb fixtures and al- ways out 6f the high rent district we make it worth your while to walk, yes pay carfare, if necessary. We welcome comparisony; Yeou must be satisfied WE CAME TO NORWICH TO HELP YOU —LET US PROVE lT 32-Inch Foulard Pacific Foulards, highly, mercerized, dots and a handsome lot of . scrolls ‘and figures on navy grounds. Worth double ...... PR 5-4 Hill Sheeting..... 38¢ Cretonne Thirty-six inch ny Art Cretonne, all THe new- est and most wanted DRIRINS .. oS ovseosnd Figured Marquisette. . . 39¢ Fancy Sateen Thnrty-snx-mch handsomé™| " patterns for coat linings, the’ désigns are new, a limited quantity...... Satin Stripe Voile. ... 79¢ Red Rose Gingham Twenty-seven-inch ~ “Red Rose” of Lancaster. “plain pink, blue and nurses lge gray stripes. O | Emerald Crash .. %6-inch bleached seft Cambric Anich cut frem full pieces Cross-bar Mustini.', . 29e Twenty-seves inch Novelty m 1i goods, Pre-War Price 4fc ' 50 PARKHILL GINGHAMS Mleu that were sefling last season at $1.25 and $1.40—highly mercerized hard twist yarn, used -only ‘m -the -better v o4 I'e"s,., light and dark grounds, flowers; s¢rolls and ali-over “patterns, all new ; ‘-;g Ap&t:;:d by the 3* EEEEEER lz';-m. . mph', - 1Tc ct from Loom t You RIf xt’s 2 Cotton wovel material, * try “us “first, Percales, Ginghams, nels, Madras, Saiseifly Plisse, Voiles, Druperithel Sheeting, Lawss, Orfane 2 die, . Toweinig, Linen Marquisette, Bleach -,l Unbleacbdcotbu Etc, Etc. . b