New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-04

q clear light the UBIQUITOUS tsupering with
a nations hunger, which is openly practiced
-four SPECTATOR in this city bought 900 barrels
Of -four ola Virginia miller, and In due time had
them afoat at his wharf Without displacing q
single barrel t,is Spectator disposed of them at
an advance OF three shillings per barrel spon the
original price to brother dealer--the last pur-
cba,er Of course paying the cost Of transport and
other expenses But this is not all After this
arbitrary addition of 1915 to the cost Of the -four,
this second purchaser retails the consignment in
small quantities to meet the wants Of city ba-
kers. and closes out the lot at further enhance
mert of dollar barrel.
Does this transactiOn-snd it is one Of daily
occurrence-square with the arguments of politi-
cal economists In the case of these spectators,
each steadily pursuing his own aggranndizement,
is the well being of the community subserved'
We ask for no legislative or municipal interior
ence to remedy this evil, we merely call the public
attention to the subject, satisfied that general
action in the matter cannot fail to evolve order
from the present confusion Where we suffer Is
in the insdequacy of the capital employed BY those
who directly supply the wants of consumers
When the baker, for instance, wants stock OF
-four, be is restricted in his purchase to the
amount of cash he has in hand, which, with the
majority of our metropolitan bakers, is inconsider-
able This trihing purchase must be effected
Quickly; it would, clearly cause great lnconve-
Dience to him to have to wait the transport OF
few barrels from any Western or Southern port.
Hence arises the need of the middleman, who,
bringing an unlimited supply of capital into the
field, is enabled to purchase OF the miller in any
quantities and By the complications the innova-
ton has introduced, We ultimately pay pretty
dearly for the accommodation.
Our only remedy lies in the organization Of
machinery adequate to the task of supplying the
demar of the community. We want capital
subscrbed that shall be sufficient to purchase our
-four and our cattle of the Western producer in
large quantities, and forwarding them to us with
ont any intermediate dabbling, prepare the COM
modties and retail them to the consumer with the
least possible enhancement consistent with the
expense incurred; but we are glad to say that
some hing is already being done in the direction OF
reform. In The Express Messenger we read as
follows:
"Tabe butter commands in New-York City three
sbillines pound--in large number of towns named
in our table s quoted low as twenty cents, and Ia
some pIaces az low az twelve cents. Its trans >orta-
ton from these places by express would cost in the
ratio to their remoteness from one to three cents per
mound. Let any One therefore, wishing to purchase,
Seposit the money at the Express Office in his own
locality or with u.s. and the order shall 90 forward to
the Express agent whee the purchase is to be made,
who will then select the required quantity, II not less
than tub and forward to destination with the bill OF
cbarges The same system may be observed in order
ing ether articles, if not too bulky, mentioned in
The Erpe1 Messenger's table; and if largely awaited
Of 1t cannot fail to equaze the markets in no incon
siderable des rec, and abolish the speculstos euom
tie, in the matter of prices for the necess1es OF life"
This valuable suggestion affords ready remedy
to those consumers who have it in their power to
advance the required sum; but the remedy to
meet our case must be more general, and supply
to every purchaser cheaper loaf, and pound of
beef for less cost.