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Show C INCF the agitation of the sugar - question, which so far as we know originated with Tin-: Rkcoud, has waxed somewhat warm, there has been an increase authorized in the price to be paid farmers for their beets, and now comes the announcement an-nouncement of a drop of 30c. per sack in sugar. This in the face of the fact that a large warehouse full of sugar in the east took fire and burned up last week, and the additional fact that the fruit season, sea-son, during which period the price of sugar usually reaches its highest mark, is here. This much has been accomplished accomp-lished by an aroused public sentiment, senti-ment, fostered and supported by one daily paper and two or three weekly papers, which have had the courage and independence to take up the cudgel in behalf of the people. peo-ple. The reduction in price is not much, but the fact that the price has not advanced despite all the conditions which would ordinarily have effected such increase, is considerably con-siderably more. Yet the fight has oily commenced, com-menced, and so far as this paper is concerned, will not be abandoned until the people of Utah, where the sugar is produced, obtain at least as good a price as they do m the east. The retail price of sugar in Chicago Chi-cago for July and August, as published pub-lished in the grocery catalog of Sears, Roebuck & Company, was $7.44, or $2.56 per hundred less than it was in Cedar City. This is for beet sugar, which is produced within 200 to 300 miles of us, and must be freighted 3,000, or thereabouts, there-abouts, to Chicago. If the recent drop of 30 cents per bag was general gen-eral throughout the country, the price of the Chicago firm above mentioned, will go down with the rest. Our object in quoting the mail order house's price on sugar is not to induce people to send cast for their sugar and other groceries, which we strongly advise against doing, but to let the people see how they arc being discriminated a-gainst a-gainst by the Utah Sugar crowd ; with a view to arousing public sentiment sen-timent for still further reforms, which we can certainly get if we timply insits upon them and keep after them. One ot the leading sugar jobbers of this county last week was offering of-fering to bet that the price of sug-;.r sug-;.r would advance within a day or two as a result of the fire which had just destroyed a large quantity of sugar in the east. He would have lost, for within about the period per-iod of time mentioned a drop came. And now we have a little more good news for our readers. Two weeks ago we made mention of the fact that we were in communication with the Federal Trade Commission, Commis-sion, of Washington, in relation to the discrimination against local people in the matter of the price of sugar. Below we print a letter which we have received in relation to this matter. It speaks for itself, and it is plain to see that unless the Sugar crowd sees the handwriting and voluntarily relieves the situation, situa-tion, by giving the people of the Western States a fair deal, their affairs will come under Federal inspection in-spection and adjustments will be made not at all to their liking. Here is the letter : Washington, D. C, August 5, 1910. Mr. Chus. S. Wilkinson, Publisher, Iron County Record, Cedar City, Utah, Dear Sir. Your letter of July 27, 1910, calling attention to inequalities in the price of sugar as between Chicago Chic-ago und points in Utah, has been received. re-ceived. The clippings mentioned in your letter were also received, but tho pamphlet referred to was not. We nro sending another. The Commission is now engaged in I investigating conditions in the newsprint news-print paper industry, and other mnt-, mnt-, ters under tho specific direction of I J Congress. Its present work is requiring re-quiring nil of its facilities. The suggestions you make with respect re-spect to conditions In the sugar trnde nro very interesting, nnd tho Commission Com-mission will bo glad to have any definite defi-nite information you may be nblc to supply in connection therewith. While the present work of the commission com-mission is taxing its facilities at this time, if the situation you describe continues, con-tinues, it may bo desirable to investigate investi-gate it at the first opportunity. Very respectfully, FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, By L. L. BRACKEN, Secretary. The people of Utah, or at least those who view the sugar situation from the consumers' standpoint, could aid materially and effectually by the circulation and signing of good vigorous petitions to the a-bove a-bove commission for a correction of the discrimination that is being made against us by "our own people." peo-ple." It is the heighth of folly for people peo-ple to sit down and' submit to this kind of treatment. Of course, they will exploit you if you do not object, ob-ject, but if you rise up and assert your rights as American citizens, and insist upon the square deal, you will surely get it. |