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Show Lumber Dealers A Strong Combine "Citizen" Goes After Utah County Coun-ty ABsocintion in a Lengthly Article Says There is no Competition Com-petition in Prices on Building: Material. Editor "Citizen" Dcnr Sir, The readers of the Citizen Citi-zen nre no doubt nil conversant with agitation of Into in our state capltnl with reference to the Butchers' nnd Grocers Association, which has finally resulted in the issuance of nn order for n Grand Jury to investigate the doings of the said Association, as well as other kindred combines, which nre operating within the confines oT the state. The investigation will no doubt meet with tho hearty approval of tho majority major-ity of the people, and hopes are freely expressed thnt it may result in putting a decided check on trade combines which of late have been rapidly growing grow-ing in numbers nnd strength to tho detriment of the best interests of tho community as a whole. The people of this neighborhood have cause to congratulate themselves that there is still competition In prices so far us the General Merchandise stores nre concerned, and a merchant is still at liberty to sell 1G lbs. sugar for $1.00 even if h's competitor only sells IK lbs. There is nn organization, however, In rtho county that the writer believes to be detrimental to the best interests of the community, nnd should not be overlooked over-looked when Grand Jury investigations : are In progress. Ihe renders of the Citizen nre no I doubt aware that a strong combination exists in Utah County, as well as in some other counties in the state, hnv- , ing for its main object the settirg and maintaining of uniform prices on lumber and building material the people buy. The purchaser of lumber hero has lenrn- . cd thnt there is no competition In prices so lar as building material is concerned. If you buy from Mr. Lumberman nt American Fork you will pay precisely tho same prices as if you bought of Mr. Lumberman at Provo, no matter what .quantity you, buy or aLwhat price the 'dealer purchased tholumber that he is scHing you. In fact all competition Is obliterated, nnd tho only consideration in giving the order is your preference for the dealer to whom you are giving it. But, said one dealer, "Our prices nre as low as prices elsewhere, and there arc members of the association who would object io the putting on of unreasonable un-reasonable or oppressive prices." This may or may not be tho case. The trouble is; there is n wide difference of opinion as to what a reasonable prteo is. The surgeon may deem ono hundred dollura as reusonablo for a slight surgical sur-gical operation, but to the majority of the people tho charge would be consid .ered excessive. Besides th'. lumber dealers have purchased a good" portion of their stock nt prices mnterialiy lower low-er than what they uro at tho present time, but.hu is unable to give tho pat ron any benefit from this t-ource. he must maintain nnd sell ut tho Regulation Regula-tion Prices. We conceed tho right of the dealer to place whatever price on h:s goods ho may see fit, but tenors hae not tho right to destroy competit.on by combining com-bining into a trust for the oppression of the public. There is no question but that tho Lumber Dealers' Association has had a decided tendency to increaso prices. The A-ritcrcalia to mind one Instance In-stance where un independent lumberyard lumber-yard was purchased by n Lumbc Combine, Com-bine, und almost before the inventory was taken prices were advanced on lumber from two to four dollum per thousand But, snys one, "Why do not Indepen-dendent Indepen-dendent lumber companies start up, which would no doubt have the sympathy sympa-thy of ihe people?" Tho answer to th.s is, thnt it would be next to impossible impos-sible for nn Independent Company to operate under existing conditions in opposition op-position to tho Combine. There U nn understanding existing between tho mill men, wholesalers nnd retailors. Tho wholesalers say to tho mill men, we want your lumber but you must Bell only to the association. Tho retnil lumbermen's Association say to the wholesaler, you mUBt sell oiny to the Lumber Combine or wo can not do business with you, and so it goes. It is time for tho Americnn people to rise up und put a stop to these oppressions. oppres-sions. Thank Heaven, tho iir we brenlho is not controlled by u irugt. Tho writer is firmly of the opinion that there is no curthU excuse lor tho i . I existent o of tho fflKiber Dealers As-' sociation In UtaMpouiMy, so far as price regulating tawnccrnal. Our Locnl lumlMatcalcrs are men of good business nbjHynblQ to set their own prices, and fipra! enough, if left alone by tho nsajitoWon, to give their pntrona tho ndvwpKe;of'nny good buy thoy nmy make St that they may per-chnnco per-chnnco havo madron tho past. All good citizeffirelintcrented in tho upbuilding of 'jfcw community. We, want nice nubliclRiildtngs. residences' fences and outwHwInjs. and building material Is sometwngHh:U should be.! freo from nny clnt'oii or trust. Our CommerafiltCIub could prot-e itself of uso to Mi' community by assisting as-sisting to endllwfexif.tcnce of tho Lumber DenlenrlCowib'no, giving In , I lieu thereof, goU live, healthy com petition. ''.,'?' Let the HouMplcaning go on. m'jAjClTIZEN" |