The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-28
SHUT OUT BY HIGH FEES.
LIVING MADE DEAR BY BAD MAR
KET REGULATIONS.

me Farmers Kept Out and thePeople
Compelled to Buy from Spectators
All Sorts of Tricks Resorted to to
Prevent the Farmers Coming into
the City with Their Produce-The
Time Come for Free Market.
An old market square merchant, IN con-
versation yesterday wish MORNING NEWS
reporter regarding the market and matters
in general pertaining to it, stated facts that
are worthy of consideration, regarding some
existing regulations.
There are other important questions
in connection with the Market" he said,
besides its sanitary condition" He referred
to the market regulations, respecting the
sales and fees, which ne said, bear Sd
heavily upon the small farmers who come
mere to sell their produce, by reason OF which
many OF them are kept out OF the city alto
gether. This, he claimed, increases the cost of
living. in former years every inducement
was offered the country people to get them
TO come to Savannah to trade. The laws
and customs of this city not only encour-
aged the people to settle in the adjacent
country and cultivate the land and raise
chickens, eggs, butter and other products
that are used in every day life, but the
to the people Of the city rs we'll, inasmuch
as 1T made living cheaper"
THE FARMERS KEPT OUT.
AS the market regulations now stand, the
merchant said, farmers are kept out of the
city, for the reason that if they come here
and go to the market to sell they have to
pay fee. 1t is true that the fee is small,
but still it is a tax that small far
mers can lily afford to pay. The
result of this is that many of
them have stopped coming to the city.
They sell the contents of their carts outside
of the limits to hucksters and other specu-
lators. Eggs that the farmers sell for 10
cents to Is cents per dozen to the specu-
lators, the city hOusekeeper has to pay %
cents to 80 cents for. Chickens for which
the farmers get from 30 cents to SO
cents a pair, the hucKsters sell for
50 cents and ST. it is poor
order to get $500 to $500 out of few farm
ers in the shape of market fees, to in
crease the cost of living Of the taxpayer
from so per cent. to 100 per cent. Gov
eminent, he contended, in theory, at least.
repre- ents the interest Of the people, but in
the matter of the management of the market
the city is certainly pursuing policy which
is exactly opposite.
LIVING MADE HIGHER.
In order to collect few cents b. direct
taxation, 100 per cent. is collected indirectly
from taxpayers.
Cities, the merchant added, depend to a
great extent upon the farms for their sub
sistence, and the more farms there are in
the neighborhood Of Savannah and In the
adjacent counties, the mora prosperous the
city will be. The cost Of living will be
cheaper, and more people will seek the city
as place of residence. The city govern
ment represents all the people Of the city,
and it should see to it that every facility
is given the farmer to come within its linn
its. No tax, he said, should be levied upon
him, and, furthermore, he should receive
the especial care of the police to the end
that he will not be imposed upon by those
who would take advantage of his want of
knowledge of prices of his products or the
general laws of the city.
THE sPECULAToR's TRICKS.
The merchant said that very often it is
the case during the summer season that the
farmer is stopped outside of the lin IS and
warned against coming in because of the
alleged prevalence of some dangerous type
of sickness. He is prevailed on to part
with his produce at a nominal figure rather
than risk coming into the city.
There should be, added the merchant,
public scales provided where the farmer can
weigh his cotton and other products, and
the clerk of the market or his deputy should
be present to certify TO his wei h S. The
first step, however, is the abolition of market
fees aud all charges against the farmer.
This subject is one of considerable i'm
portance and should receive the attention
of council 1t should see that these fees are
abolished, and that all necessary protection
is accorded the farmers, SO that they will
be induced to come into the city.