The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-02-29
Too Many Midd1emen.

Too Many Middlem en-.
bEvergwhere throughout the country |
there are heard complaints against that
class of business agents known as mid
llemen. This has been particularly the
pase since the war when the exigencies Of
the times demanded, or at least gave
rise to, an extraordinary number of this
class OF operators In the community.
The complaints are that these men inter-
pese their functions in all matters OF bar
ter and exchange OF even the most CON-
mon commodities; and by means of their
rings and combinations the cost of all
Lhe necessaries OF Life are needlessly en-i
hanced.
/, In fact, 1t is becoming an occurrence
quite uncommon for the farmer or gar
dener to present his products for sale
to the consumer at first hands. The
agency Of the huckster, or other specu.
lator, is interposed as middleman be-
tween the producer and the consumer,
even when they are in the immediate
neighborhood of each other. or course
this agency has to have its profits. And
these profits necessarily diminish the
income of the farmer, or producer, and
at the same time add to the cost of the
consumer. Whenever the middlemsn
is needless, all that he gains by his in
terposition is dead loss to the CON-
munity.
1t is by means of such Interference
with the country's supplies that the cost
Of living in the Eastern cities has been
kept up to the war prices even to the
present day, while the cost has been
greatly diminished in the West. The
percentage OF difference of course ac-
prues to the. profits of the middlemen
concerned in keeping up this difference.
The price OF family meats in New York
is not cent less now than it was in the
midst OF the war. The butcher, who
buys OF the West to supply the East,
pockets the proceeds OF this unnatural
difference between the two sections
which is not less than 33 per cent
8 One of the good purposes aimed at In
the organization Of the Grangers, is to
equalize this unnatural difference for
the benefit Of the farmer of the West as
well as of the consumer of the East, by
dispensing with some Of the middlemen
whose interests are adverse to both.
To test this matter in practical way,
come bold experiments have been insti-
tuted within the past month, which thus
for hia fai - Tn q chinva eucaarc Tha ri TN
OF Philadelphia, having the millions OF
the Centennial visitors before her pro-
rhatc vision, has set these eXpe iments
g., on foot.
They buy the best Grass oT cattle in
Chicago, kill there, and bring the dressed
meat to the Philadelphia markets in Ice
packed cars kept at a temperature below
thirty-fve degrees. The meat is sold d.
irectly to the consumers (not the butch
ers) at reduction OF thirty-four per
cent. on the usual price. 1t is Of the
finest grain and quality. and is in every
respect superior to the flesh of cattle
brought on the hoof from the West
in overheated cars, ill supplied
tWlbu pobu IUou huu WdtoIs oO
great has been the success of this ex-
pertinent in Philadelphia that in tort
nights time the butchers, who were pre-
pairing tn raise their prices to starvation
height in the prospect of the Centennial,
have been forced to reduce them five
cents per pound, and there is hope that
when the enterprise becomes established
and widens its operations, meat at least
will be furnished at a fair profit to the
seller and at something less than ruin to
the buyer.
Why may not this system be kept up
and expanded to include Cincinnati and
other Western cities? 1t might also be
extended to the supplies Of fruits and
vegetables for family use; as to all OF
which prices to the consumer might be
eheapened, and at the same time make
the markets better for the farmer by dis
pensing with the too costly instrumen-
tality OF 30 many middlemen. 1t is like
keeping too many servants in family
10 wait upon them in matters wherein
they could far better wait upon them
selves. 1t is beth cumbrous and -~nen-
sise, aud altogether Improbable.
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