Show r I j S 'S Salt l Lake ke Milk Prices I PRODUCERS distributors school officials and f the board of agriculture are agreed that the people of Salt Lake should drink more milk Wider use of milk as as' as asa a food product was urged at at the conclusion of an n all day conference of these officials and there can cin be no doubt but what the r recommendation commenda ion is in in the best interests interests I of o of th the public There is IS no article of food which provides more sustenance than milk likewise I there is no food product which contributes mo more e eto Jo to a varied menu without making deep inroads on on onS the poc pocketbook But while milk is one of the cheapest articles of f food to be purchased there is some some variance of opinion concerning the prices prevailing in Salt alt L Lake ke George N. N Child superintendent of city schools declares there is is' is something wrong wh when n the price of milk is increased per cent before it reaches the ultimate consumer His contention is well made nade but whether the condition condition condition condi condi- tion is due to fo poor methods of distribution or excessive charges can hardly be determined without without without with with- out a definite and specific investigation The fact remains that the milk for which the producer is paid from 16 6 to 22 cents a galI gallon gal gal- I lon sells in Salt Lake for 50 So cents a 13 gallon Still many other cities pay as much or more for their milk as Salt Lake Cheyenne pays 14 4 cents i a quart as as' as against 12 i cents in Salt Lake Los Angeles pays 14 cents The prevailing price in I Denver is I 11 I cents with a few few independent dairies selling for 9 and nd 10 cents Portland pays 12 cents Boise 10 cents Reno 12 cents and Spokane 1 10 0 cents The average of these prices is s but little below the price prevailing in Salt Lake There is something to be said for the dairy dairy- men Hay and grain prices have fallen materially visibly affecting the price paid to the producer L Labor bor or and other it items ms figuring In distribution However vever remain high In one year the bottle I loss oss in Salt Lake was approximately The frugal housewife who cans her jam and andjel jellies jel jel jellies lies in the milkman's bottles or diverts them to other other household uses is thus a factor in keeping milk prices at a a high level However we do donot 4 not agree agree with the contention that the local dairies are entitled to a greater profit this year because t they tey ey were pinched by war conditions a year or so ago Many business houses suffered the same same losses loses by bf being unable to foresee economic changes The the most of them took their loss and attempted to meet the new order order to to start over again The Thed d dairies ries are in much the same saine position and if they would increase the consumption to el eliminate the losses of surplus they c cannot hope to make last year years year's s profit on this years year's business Milk should always s sell ll at the lowest possible price which provides provides- a reasonable profit on the investment p Perhaps the Salt Lake price is fair and perhaps no no lO red reductions s can con consistently be made Only the d dairymen actually engaged in the distribution know the the- possibilities of price reductions and nd so so J the public must trust to their fairness in establish establish- log prices which are just to the the dealer as as well welt welti i v as s 5 the consumer 1 |