The Wilmingtonian., 1884-11-29
THE CURB-sToNE MARKET.

ter between the producer and consumer, tina
exists in Wilmington to-day. .
As such a condition, aiiording the creates
good to the greatest number, the attempt t
expunge its existence cannot be too strongl
condemned. 1t is an undoubted boon t
the masses To small section of citizen
living on King street the market is objec
tionable.
Those peo, 10 have fully stated their rea
sons. The general Judgment appears to b
that they are inadequate and relatively triv
al.
To the citizen, free market and cen
trail one are necessities, especially to thu
poorer class anu chey are the ones who's
interests we advocate and desire to protect
| The location of the curb-stone market OF
King street may not be an absolute necessity
| but until an equally advantageous one has
been secured any Interference with the time
honored institution is strongly to he animad-
verted upon.
This is the time and the opportunity to
claims, the vested rights, of the masses to a
free market
There are some well grounded fears that
while the question of the transference of the
curb-stoue market from King street to
French street is pending some legislation
may slip into existence, advocated by an in
terested section, by which the existence of
the free market as an institution may be
imperilled.
1t is the duty of all citizens to be wary of
any such action, and in the interests of the
masses Immediately to condemn any ap-
proach to it.
The abolshing of the curb-stone market
or any restriction of it as free market
where the citizen, the consumer, can meet
face to face, and trade with the producer,
where there is direct traffic, and no commits
sion paid middle-men, either by producer Or
consumer, are the points that Wilmington
ians jealously watch this moment.
1t is the duty of the press to point out the
evils of the establishment in this city of
such condition as that of commission mer-
chants. 1t is a direct and heavy tax upon
the pocket of the poorer classes. Let Will
mington be free from such an institution.
The middle-men, or commission mer-
chants, as they euphemistically style them
selves, are tax, first upon the producer
and secondly upon the consumer.
The evils of such condition are apparent
in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago.
They gather all the produce from the trib-
utary sections of the country. High mark
ct prices are the result, which the consumer
has to pay, which the middleman receives
and not the producer.
Let the producer especially as well as the
Onsumer-remembe that fact.
In the cities mentioned the guild of COM
mission merchants whose wealth increases
inoriinately in this direction, by the profits
taxed upon the people, become such power
in the community that all semblance of free
trade between buyer and seller completely
vanishes. The combined weight of the
influence of the middlemen controls munich
pal legislation to such an extent that the
spirit of city legislation is always in the
direction of protecting the rights" of these
interlopers. The country producer is
frowned upon, he cannot approach the citi-
zen with his goods unless under a heavy
protective" municipal tax. Let Whining
tonians carefully examine the results.
All the necessaries of daily consumption
are taxed, both ways, upon the producer
and consumer simply to afford this inopera-
tive drone the middleman TO exist, which he
does, right royalty, upon the community,
and the cost of living is increased 20 per
cent. and in some cases 30 per cent. We
commonly hear the assertion made that
living in large cities like New York is so
very expensive, and that it is so much better
to live in the country!
Why is this the case ? Mainly for the
reasons above cited. City people have to
pay middlemen tax on their market bas-
ket.
Do the citizens of Wilmington wish to
place Themselves under similar condition?
If that be their desire let them establish
enclosed markets. Let them put tax upon
the farmers truck wagon. A tax even Of
| five dollars year upon each individual pro-
ducer, who comes to King street twice a
week with his little batch of market truck
is sufficient almost instantaneously to trans
form the city of Wilmington from what it is
now, with all the advantages of our free
| 'NS'' ti'O ~ SNPSh'i'O iIfihS placo
Would municipal legislation or any othel
legislation with such tendency be wise
even for that small section of our citizen.
who deprecate the curb-stone market
Hard times are predicted and hard winter
Let all legislation be in the direction o
tightening the burthens of the masses, ever
at slight sacrifice OF the well-to-do!
The advocates of an enclosed market, o