Fair Play And Fair Fruit Wanted

Mis. Editor: - I see you have opened a column in your paper for tlie people to air their grlevances or their ignorance In, as the case may be. I am glad of it, and I hope there will be sufflcient interest manifested, or sufñcient subjects of publlc interest come up to be criticised and discussed to keep the column well-iilled, every week, even if some ignorance should be shown by tlie writers. I have no grievance to inflict upon the public, but I have a subject to brlng up that tnay be of interest to Aun Arbor's citizens, next }'ear, if not this year. Every man having property has a right to dispose of it to suit himself, that fact will beconceded without argument, whlle every man who buys anything has a like privilege of buying in aoy market he may choose, or of making the best bargain he can. These two propositions being admitted as truths, I will proceed. It is the fruit-growers of whom I desire to speak, and the methods which they employ to keep prices higher in Aun Albor than they are in Detroit, or any other city in the state. The producers have an association, they meet and lix a price for tlie Aun Arbor market, below which no membcr can sell under penalty of excommunication froni the associatioa or some other calamity. When shipping out of the city, they are allowed to "cut each other's throats," without mercy, thus giving foreign markets the benefit of eompetition, while denying competition to the home market, I am not one who bolieves in jewin" piices down so that there is no protit to tlie producer, but I do believein fair play, and do not believe that consumers of smull fruit in Ann Arbor obtain fair play. The raspberry raisers are accused also of sorting lueir berries and shipping the fiaest fruit, while bringing the culis into our home market, which is another injustice to Ann Arbor people. Their right to do these things is conceded as stated nbove, but the justice of their action is what I desire to cali attention to. Wny should not home consumers be given as good fruit and at as reasonable prices iis Detroit commission merchante? Could not a society of "home consumptionists" club toget her and ship in their fruit and save motie v ?