MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE
SECOND
SECTION
SECOND
SECTION
FOIlTy-JURST YEAtt.
MIORKORD 0 WW Off, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1011.
No. 195.
HOW PES MOINES CUT DOWN THE HIGH COST OF LIVING
' ' '
Tor a LongTimo tho Pooplo of Dos Moinos Thoughtfhoy Know a Way to Lower the Cost of Living. But Ono Thing or Another Prevented Their Realizing Their Plan. A Good Many Interests
Woro Working Against Thorn. Thon Dos Moinos Eloctod as Mayor Jamos R. Hanna. Mr. Hanna Beliovod in the Plan of Reducing Food Prices. Also, He Believed in Fulfilling Pre-election Prom
isos. So Dos Moinos Cot Its Plan. Tho Following Story Shows How It Got and What It Has Meant to tho City, and That Has Been a Lot. Some Food Prices Have Been. Reduced by One Half.
(My Aniii Uoni'Ii, in 1'ouinoii'h .Maga
zine.) Ih'H Moines Iiiih licoii cutting down
lilt) I'OHl of living. Ill HtlllU) lllHlUIIOOH
tlm pcoplo til Dos MuiiuiH linvt) cut it
in liulf. In most ciihuh thoy have
again made it possible to iiiy the
giooory liill for the whole family out
f oiKi modointu Hiilnry. That cily
bus taken iniiiiy slops forward in the
past feu' years, hut thin is one of tlm
longest. It Iiiih added uiiurinmiHly to
tho uintoiiul liiipiini'HH of Den Moin
es. It is doing away with iovorly.
It making bettor vitixi'iiH.
Whiint Don Moines Htooil, hundred
of Amcriimii cities still Mtaml. With
them, too, uiMiimifiy ha miichcd thu
nIoiiiiii'Ii. And tho wiiikI of it in thai,
like Dos Moines, thoy am really sit
uated in a horn of plenty. Komi U
iintimlly Hpolling all around them,
hut they cannot got it. It would t
ritftmihiiiri if it went not no madden
ing. Now, Dim Moines Iiiih solved the
prohleiu of getting that food and at
the light priee. II Iiiih another "plan"
and when itn ndvantagoH am under,
stood. will he oven inoro widely
adopted than Hm first famous "plan"
for thu commission l'onu of govern
snciit. I'm .Mnrket IMmv.
Dos Moines linn a freu inuuieipal
market-place, Iiiih heeu open since
hint July and has already saved tciih
of thoiiHuiidii of dollars to itn house-
iCH. It HtH'IIIH HO simple IIOW tllllt
it in in operation that they cannot
help wondering why they wens no
loin; about Marline '
Of (!oui-ne the ru Ih nolhilig nw
ahout a marketplace. Cities are only
maikelplaceH grown up. Hut, in
crowing up, unfortunately tho mar
ketplaces have been lout. Their bus
iness Ihih boon divided anions jobbers,
uiisiiiiiimhIoii men and retailors. It !h
to thrlr ndvtnngo to buy uh cheaply
ns possible and Hell for all they can
got. My combining thoy hold the man.
tor-hand over our food supply. In
Den Moines they had brought things
to hiicIi a pass that they wuru often
Hptlt tinp; up prolllri iih high an four
hundred per cent. They kept tho
fannor grubbing along ,harely able to
pay taxen, and forced tho city man
to deny IiIh family tho food it needed.
"Alias Jimmy Valentine", Being the Story by
This ntory, on which tho piny
"Allan Jimmy Valentino" Is hnsod,
In taken (rous "Iloadu of Destiny," si
voluinn of O, Henry ti Hhort stories,
by iorm!rtHlou of tho publlsheris,
Doublodiiy, l'ngo & Co., Garden Clly,
Now York.
HY O, IIKNIIV.
A guard cauiu to tho prlmm ohoo
tilmp, whom Jimmy Valentino wHa
assiduously Htltchlng uppers, and
cHcorlod lif tit to tho front otflcq.
Thuru tho warden handed Jimmy hlu
pardon, which hud boon signed that
morning by tho governor. Jimmy
took It In n tired kind ot way. Ho
had Horved nearly ton anonthu of a
rour-yonr rumtonco. Ho hnd expected
to stay only about three mouths, nt
tho losigest. When a man with as
many friends on tho outHldo nH Jim
my Valentino had Ih recolved In tho
"Htlr" It Ib hnrdly worth whlto to
cut his hair,
"Now, Valentino," said tho war
don, "you'll go out In thu snornlng.
Ilraco up, and inalto a inan ot your
self. You're not a bad fellow at
heart. Stop cracking safoB, and Hvo
straight."
"Mo?" said Jimsny In surprise
"Why, I novor cracked a Bnto In my
Wo."
' "Oh, no," IniiKhod tho wardon. "Of
o'ourso not. Lot'H boo, now. How
wish It you hiipponed to got Bent up
on that Springfield Job? Was It
bucauflo you wouldn't provo nn alibi
for fear of comprosnlalng uosnobody
In extremely high-toned soeloty? Or
wins It simply u cnaq of a monii old
jury that had It In for you? It's
always ono or tho other with you In
nocent victims."
"Mo?" auhl Jimmy, still blnnkly
virtuous. "Why, wardon, I novor wns
In Sprlngrlold In my llfo."
"Takn 'him hack, Cronln," sinllod
tho warden, "find fix hltn up with
outgoing olothoB, Unlock lilm at
pnvon In' tho morning, nud lot hltn
como to tho bull-pen, Hotter think
over my ndvlro, Valentine."
At i 'Hurtr punt BQYon ph tho
Mill now thoy are sio longer fattening
at the o.vpoiiHO of the Den Moines din
ner table.
Public Opinion Did II.
Condition that existed in Dch Moiu
I'M exist in all eilies. I'ohnp yon can
bring about an adoption of its plan.
Tho foieo of public opinion can do it
iiIiiiohI anywhere. Tor a New York 01
a Chicago it in hut illy feasible; hut in
cities well past a hundred thousand It
will prove clfeotive. That means it
onu ho used to cut down the cost ot
living for almost half thu city popu
lation.
You huar constant complaint about
I ho price of butter ami eggs, potatoes
and cabbages. It Iiiih been the com
mon complaint everywhere. Possibly
you think (ho farmer who product
these thing are rolling in wealth,
Thoy arc not. The middleman is
netting tho profits, llu is underpay
ing tho fanuiT and ovorohnigiug you.
Mut all you need to do to undermine
his creed is to deal directly with the
fanner. In a small lown you can us.
unity do it. That is why small towns
Hot tho reputation of being cheap
places in which to live.
Jlitmiu (.'ot It.
Dch MoiuoH wauled a market-place
yearn before it wiih able to got onu.
There worn many forces working
against it, but, finally, tho people won
out. James it. Ilanuu wiih elected
mayor, pledged lo see it realized, and
Mayor Hanna believes in keeping
campaign promises. There wiih no
question iih to the need of the mar
ket. Dch MoiuoH wan even in a worse
s)sitiou than other cities. A com
parison showed it wan paying more
for its flour than the twelve largest
surrounding cities. It wan paying
seventy-live oentH snore for u bushel
of HtatopH than Chicago. Prices
on all other fomiH of food were pro
portionately oxecssivc. Mut mora
striking yet was the difference in
prices between Dch Moines and the
smaller country towns immediately
surrounding it and within driving dis
tance. Home Prices.
When the agitation for a market
place wan at itn height hint Hummer
u man who objected to paying 10
Dch Moines, and bought eggs that
out to Carlisle, fourteen miles from
next snornlng Jimsny stood In llio
wnrdon's outor office. Ho hnd on a
Riilt of tho villainously fitting rondy
mndu clothes nnd n pnlr of tho stiff,
squeaky shoes Hint tho stnto fur
nishes to Its discharged compulsory
KUOHtU.
Tho clerk handed him a railroad
ticket nud tho five-dollar bill with
which tho law expected him to ro-
hnbllltuto himself Into Reed cltlzon
Hhlp and prosperity. Tho warden
gnvo him n cigar, nud shook hnndH.
Valentino, 07(1-', wan chronicled on
tho books, "Pardonod by Oovornor,"
and Mr. Jnmes Valentino walked out
Into tho sunshine.
DlHrcRiirdlng tho uong of tho birds,
tho wnvlng green trees nnd tho smell
of tho flowers, Jimsny bonded
Htrnlght for n restaurant. Thoro ho
tasted tho first sweet Joys of liberty
Iu the shape of a broiled chicken and
a hottlo of whlto wlno followed by
a cigar a grndo bettor thnn tho on
tho wnrdon hnd given lilm. From
thoro ho proceeded leisurely to tho
depot. Ho tOHsod a qunrtor Into tho
hat of n blind man by tho door, and
bonrdod his train. Thrco hours sot
htm down In a llttlo town near tho
Rtuto lino. Ho wont to tho cafo ot
ono'MIko Doliiu and shook hands
with Mike, who wnB nlono holilud
tho bnr
"Sorry wo couldn't mnko It sooner,
Jimsny, mo boy," snld Mlko, "But
wo hnd that protest from Sprlngflolrt
to buck agnlnst, nnd tho govornor
nonrly balkod. Fooling nil right?"
"Flno," Biild Jimmy. "Got my
koy?"
Ho got his koy nnd wont upstairs,
unlocking tho door of a room at tho
roar. Everything wns Just ns ho hnd
loft It. Thoro on tho floor wno Btlll
Don Prlco'a collar button Hint hnd
boon torn from that omluont dotoc
tlvo's shirt bund when thoy hnd ovoi'
poworod Jimsny to arrest him.
PullliiK out from tho wnll n fold
lug bod, Jimmy slid back u pnnol Iji
tho wall nnd diniggod out a duat
eovorod Bultcnao. Ho opened this
and gnzod fopdjy nt tlo ffuoHt pot of
MYSTERY IN DEATH OF
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out luck of motive for the deed throw VmmmwLmmTBJmWAmm VammmmmmwX'r&ryt,' ' 'W
IHBBNSuuC B ammmmmmmm!GA&Z&& wy
a mystery about the Hiipposed mur- !BnHBi?iM P'V'i' 7
bacteriologist, who wiih found with HvlH fi-tS1'!' 'r'fM&!
her throat Hlashed in her apartmeulH HIB X SS -ST Si fP?l
mmmmmmmmymmmm Cv5i7.r'5WJ (LJ
sou, an assUtant to the dead woman,
discovered tin' body.
Don Moines, and bought eggeH that
had been laid that day for seven
ccntH a dozen. When ohorric were
selling at ten centn a tpiart basket
they could ho had in the surround
ing country for the picking. Tie
priee paid the farmers wat ho low
that thoy let them rot on the tree.
Meanwhile, Dos Moines wan ehori-y
hungry. The difference in prices in
and out of DcsMoiuuH was ho glaring
that coinmeroial travelers were mak
ing a habit of buying for their own
and their neighbors' tables iu smal
ler plaecH and bringing their pur
chases back to the city with them.
Had an Kxuinplo.
Dos MoiuoH nlno hnd an example.
The smaller city of Dubuque hnd
succeeded in maintaining a free mnr
ket for many years. Jt had boon
able to do this largely on iicouut of
its sir.c. If it had boon as big us Dos
Moinos it would probably also have
lost it. Nevertheless, it served for
purposes of comparison. Food could
ho brought into Pes Moines nH cheap-
burglnr's tdols la tho onst. It was
a complete Bot, sundo ot specially
tomporod steel, tho latest designs In
drills, punches, hrnccs and bits, jim
mies, clnmps nnd nugois, with two or
throo novoltlos, Invented hy Jimmy
hlsuHolf, Iu which ho took prldo, Over
nlno hundrod dollars thoy had coat
him to havo inndo nt , a
pluco whoro thoy mnko a it oh tilings
tor tho profession,
In half nn hour Jimmy went down
stairs and through tho cafo. Ho wns
now dressed in tnetoful nnd woll fit
ting clothoa, and carried his dusted
nud clonued suitcuuo In his hand. -
"Clot anything on?" iiBkod Mlko
Dolnn, gonlally.
"Mo?" anld Jimmy, In a puzalod
ton'o. "I don't uiulorstnnd. I'm rep
losoptlng thy Now Yq-'U Amnlgmot-
p? i ii in i. i j- ,i t t. , i i i ir, M i mm h, -i
f tfS8 ViiimmW mmmmW&VG mW iF H.
WOMAN DOCTOR FOUND WITH THROAT CUT
i n
Miay J&aiOTUHE MTUK3QIJ E.
ly ns to Dubuque
The tnajor bent
his secretary, Edward Lytton, to Du
buque to snake a jwrsonal investiga
tion. II' found tbdt new jtotatoes
were selling for a dollar and a half
a bushel; Dos Mo'dhc? was paying
three dollars. Hy the peck this snade
a difference of between forty and
seventy-five cants. Orcess beans
were selliuir for ton cents u quart
The Dos Moines prices that day were
twenty cents. Ulackberries were
sellisig for a dollar and seventy-five
cents a crate. Des Moines was pay
ing two dollars nndla half. Cucuui
bors were bringiniatweuj'- cents a
dozen. Des Moii).tl-waft paying tell
cents a piece. And sis addition, tho
citizens of Dubuque were getting
fruits and vcgetHhles as frc-h as if
they had taken them from their owss
gardens.
Needed n .Market.
Tho investigation left sio question
tin that Des Moines siccded a mar
ket place. It whs also said that
there was n food trust in Des Moinex
od Short Snap Hlscult Crnckcr nnd
Frnzzled Wheat Company."
This stiitoment dollghtod Mlko to
such an oxtent that Jimsny hnd to
tnko a soltzor-nud-mllk mi tho spot.
Ho novor touched "hard" drinks.
A week nftor tho rQlcnso qf Valen
tino, 0702, thoro whb a neat Job of
safo burnlnry dono In Richmond. In
dlnnn, with no cluo to tho nuthor, A
scant olght hundred dollars wns nil
that wns seeuied. Two weeks nftor
that a pntonted, Improved, burglnr
psoof safe In LogaiiBport wns oponod
llko a cheoso to tho tuno of flftoon
hundrod dollars, ciss;s'Qsioy; securities
nnd silver untouched, mmt bognn to
lutorost tho roguo cntohors. Thon nn
old-fnBhloned hniik saifo In Jefferson
City boVnmo active niul throw out ot
Its otntor nn eruption of bnpk nototj
HEtUtTA XKABE
maintained by the grocers, comsnss
niois snen, the creasueries and butter
and egg houses. Whether they
worked under' nn understanding was
not established, but the effect was
the snmc. They succeeded in mnin
tniuisig prices much too high. But
their influence was so strong they
had alwnys proved themselves able
to prevent any action than threat
ened to interfere with their profss.
They slumbered upwards of seven
hundred iss this ctiy of less than one
hundred thousand and with the sup
port of other business interests
they Ions; had a free hand.
Strong .Sentiment Aroused.
Mayor Hnnna aroused a stronger
sentiment to opjuxe thetn. He showed
the other business interests why they
oisght to be on the side of the free
snarket. Manufacturers nud other
osnployers of labor were quick to see
that they were being constantly
forced to raiso wnges to meet the
higher cost of living. This, in tuns,
increased the cost of output and
O.Henry on Which Play is Based
amounting to fivo thousand dollars.
Tho losses woro now high onough to
bring tho mattor up Into Bon Prlco'a
clnss of work. By compnrlng notes,
n remarkable similarity In tho meth
ods of tho burglnrloa wns noticed.
Hon Prleo Investigated tho acenes of
tho robberies nnd was heard to ro
mnrk: "That's Dandy Jim Valentino's au
tograph. Ho'a reausued buslnoaa.
Look nt that cosnblnntlon knob
Jorkod out us ensy ns pulling up a
rndlsh In wot weather. HYa got tho
only clnmi3 that enn do it. And
look how" clean thoso tumblora woro
idnchod outl Jlsnmy novor bus to
drill but ono nolo. Yos, I buobb I
want Mr. Vnlentlno. IIo'll do his bit
next tlnio without nny short-tlmo or
eloinonoy foollshnoSfl,"
snndc it difficult for them to compete
with concerns in olher places where
the cost of living was lower. And so
be got their support. As soon as
the situation was made clear to thetn
they carnc over to his side and snndc
it possible to get the free mnrket.
This nrgument carries far. I should
like to point out to manufacturers
and employers of Inbor in general
thai they can forestall increases in
wages they see staring them in the
face by making it iwssible for their
operatives and employes to purchase
at free markets.
Mkc Italso In Wages.
For a cheap market has tho effect
of a raise in wages. It helps both
the wngo earner and his employer.
When the cost of the real necessities
of life is low, laborers can afford to
work for a comparatively low wage
They cannot afford to work for or-
dissary wages when the cost of living
is cxtnrordtnanly high.
You see a city market is a socio
logical institution. It is intimately
related to the whole industrial and
economic problem of city life. It
deeply affects not only the industrial
and commercial prosperity of the
business and manufacturing inter
ests, but also the economic and social
well-being of the people at large. It
was not until this was brought home
to the business itcrests nffectcd that
Des Moines got its city market. Des
Moines n roved that it was economic
and good business to have a free
market, and that is what I hope to
show to other cities.
Site Secured.
A space in front of the city hnll
and an adjacent street were set
aside for the market by tho city
council. The ordinance was' in ef
fect a proclamation and the publi
city given it by the"fscvSpapers made
it generally known that the market
place could be open from five to test
in the morning on Tuesdnys, Thsirs
days, and Saturdays during the sum
mer, and from six to ten-thirty every
week day during the winter. There
was litttle danger of the market plncu
not being well advertised. It was a
burning publto question.
Two days before the free market
Bon Price know Jimmy's habits.
He had learned them while working
up tho Springfield case. Long Jumps,
quick get-aways, no confederates and
la tasto for good society theso ways
had helped Mr. Valentino to becomo
noted as a successful dodger ot retri
bution. It was given out that Ben
Prico had taken up tho trail of tho
elusive- cracksman, and other pcoplo
with burglar-proof safes felt more at
enso.
Ono afternoon Jimmy Valentino
and his sultcano climbed out of tho
metl-hnck In Elmoro, a llttlo town
fivo miles off tho railroad down in
tho black-jack country ot Arkansas.
Jimmy, looking like an athlotlc young
senior Just homo from collogo, wont
down tho board sidewalk toward tho
hotel.
A young lady crossed tho street,
passed him at tho corner and entored
n door over which was tho sign "Tho
Elmoro Bank." Jimmy Valentino
looked into her eyes, forgot what ho
was, and becamo another man. Sho
lowered hor eyes and colorod slightly.
Young in on ot Jimmy's stylo and
looka wero scarce iu Elmoro.
Jimmy collared a boy that wns
loafing on the steps ot tho bank, as it
ho woro ono of tho stockholders, and
begau to nak him questions about tho
town, feeding him dimes at Intervals.
By and by tho young lady enmo out,
looking royally unconscious of the
young man with tho auitcaso, and
went her way.
"Isn't that young lady Miss Polly
Sisnpaon?" nskod Jimmy, with Bpe
cious gullo.
"Nnw," said tho boy. "Sho's An
nabel Adams. Her pa owns this
bank. What'd you como to Elmoro
for? Is that a gold watch chain?
I'm going to get a bulldog. Got nny
inoro dimes?
Jimmy wont to tho Planters' hotel,
roslatorod as Ralph D. Sponcor, and
engaged a room. Ho lennod on tho
desk nnd declared his platform to the
clerk. Ho said ho had como to El
moro to look for a location to go iuto
business, How wjia the shQ busl-
was opened ono of tho nowspapors,
tho Capital, made a careful investi
gation of whnt the farmer was being
paid and what tho consumer was
paying. It found young radishes and
onions being sold by tho farmers at
fifteen cents a dozen bunches, and
retailers were charging fivo cents a,
bunch or, thrcq bunches for a dime.
Cabbages wpfo bringing tho fanners
forty cents a dozen, but the consumer
was paying ten cents a pound. Home
of these cabbages weighed as high. as
two pounds. Pic-plant was bringing
the grower twenty cents a dozen
bunches, but the retailer was gcting
five cents a bunch. . Tho profit in tho
mere handling of thcso'vcgclnblos
was, in each case, from- 350 to 400
per cent. .'.
More Prices.
Growers were paid nintr ccntH a
dozen for cars of corn. Honsowiveu
were paying twenty cents. Kggs
were being sold by poultry raisers at
eight, ten and twelve cents a' dozen.
In the shops they wcro selling for
twenty cents. Tomntoeo wqrc sold
by growers at seven cents a pound
and retailed at fifteen. Tho best
country butter, bought at fifteen
cents n pound, was selling for twenty-eight.
Tho profit in these articles
was 90 to more than 100 per cent.
Two days later tho frco market
was opened. The farmers knew of jt
and twenty-four wagons wcro backed
up in front of tho city hall at fivo
o'clock in the morning. By seven
they wero overwhelmed with buyers.
The prices tell the story. New pota
toes sold at the markst-placo for a
dollar and a half. Grocery storw
were asking two dollars and forty to
two dollars and seventy-five cents.
Cooking apples were to be had 'at
from forty to sixty cents a bushel.
In the stores the price was ono dol
JaL "Eating apples brought a-dolls r.
The stores charged two,do!hrS''Hnd1
up. Two pounds of tomatoes wpro
to be had for fifteen cents instead
of one pound, as in tho stores. Cu
cumbers could bo had at twenty-fiva
cents a dozen. The stores still want
ed ten cents apieco. Tho highest
price for tho very best eggs was
sixteen cents. At tho stores you
(Continued on Page Two)
ness, now, in the town? Ho had
thought of the shoo business. Was
there an opening?
Tho clerk was impressed by tho
clothes and manner of Jimmy. Ho,
himself, was something of a pattern
of fashion to tho thinly gilded youth
of Elmore, but- ho now perceived his
shortcomings. While trying to fig
uro out Jimmy's manner of tying his
four-in-hand ho cordially gavo infor
mation. Yes, thero ought to bo a good open
ing In tho shoo lino. Thero wasn't
an excluslvo shoo storo in tho placo.
Tho dry goods and general stores
handled them. Business in all lines
wns fairly good, Hoped Mr. 8pencor
would decide to locate In Elmoro. Ho
would find it a pleasant town to Hvo
In and tho pcoplo very soclablo.
Mr. Spencer thought ho would Btop
over in tho town for a fow days, nnd
look over tho situation. No, tho
clerk needn't call tho boy. Ho would
carry up his sultc.aBO himself; it was
rather heavy.
Mr. Ralph Sponcor, tho phoenix
that nroso from Jimmy Vnloutino'a
ashes aabes left by tho tlamo ot a
sudden and altoratlvo attack ot lovo
remainod In Elmore and prospered.
Ho opened a shoo storo and socurod
a good run of trade.
Socially ho was also a buccchs, and
made many frlonda. And ho accom- j
plished tho wish of his heart. Ho
mot Miss Annabol Adams, and bo-'
camo more and moro captivated' by
hor charms.
At tho ond of a yoar tho situation
of Mr. Ralph Sponcor was thla; bo
had won tho roapoct of tho commu
nity, his ahoo Btoro.wn8 flourishing
and he and Annabol woro engaged
to be married in two wooku, Mr,
Adams, tho typical, plodding country
banker, approved of Sponcor, Anna
bel's pride in htm almost oquallod
her affection. Ho was as onuch at
homo in tho family of Mr, Adams
and that of Annabel's marrlod slater
as K ho w.oro alroady a mombor.
Onq day Jimmy sat down In Ms
(Continued on Paga .
i I
!