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Show THE PRICE RAISING HABIT. A provision dealer, speaking a few days ago about the cost of living situation, gave some illustrations. Among them was the case of lettuce. A small bunch for which he said a year or two ago he would be getting five cents, now is selling for 12 cents. The retailer was getting no more profit than he did formerly. So far as he could see, it was not costing the grower of that lettuce any more to raise it than it did, save perhaps per-haps a small fraction more for coal. Possibly he had to advance his labor costs a little. But the- total advance could only be a small proportion of the advance price. He simply had been smart enough to see that higher prices can be had, on everything. Some one is making a lot of money. It used to be thought that conditions like these are cui'ed by the inexorable laws of supply and demand., If prices keep up, a lot more people are going to be drawn into the truck raising business . But it takes a lot of time for new equipment to be created, farm land to be made profitable, help to be trained. Meanwhile suffering and privation is caused, while producers and dealers tack on fancy figures. i These money makers should keep in mind the old fable about killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. If exorbitant ex-orbitant prices are asked, there will be drastic state and government regulations of prices. Also there will be such a rush of people into the food producing business that it will again become unprofitable. Of course the farmer has his side of the controversy. For years he was ground between the upper and nether millstone, and only until recently could he get profitable prices. That is another story to be considered later. But let him beware of asking prices that will over-stimulate j competition. i |
