The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-23

A PUBLIC MARKET.

For several years there has been a per-
sIstsnt effort made TO secure the estsb-
iIshrnent Of a public market In which local
producers could dispose Of vegetables and
other farm products. One OF the chief OBJ
1ects was 10 avoid having 10 send money
TO California for what could be as well
raised In this state. Now California pro-
poses 90 try the plan. and law has been
passed authorizing the establishment OF a
public market In San Francisco. Without
the text Of the law. moro than general
comment IL Of little value: but the news
paper reports AFFORD an idea OF public SEN
tinent on the question.
IL Is conceded that although the sub
Ject has long been under discussion in the
press. among farmers and In trade circles.
IL cannot be more than an experiment Ii
is oniy by experience. however. that we
can determine the measure of Its merit:
but IL would be very unwise to attempt Il
so ambitiously as to overweight IL at the
start. San Francisco has several tnstitn-
tons called markets. where there are
stalls at which fish, flesh. fowl. vegetable
order as Fulton and other markets in New
York city. But that is not the kind OF
market needed here yet There are plenty
OF stores at which customers can be ac-
commodated. and the conditions are not
such as to warrant the city coming into
competition with the owners OF store
buildings or the storekeepers.
point which is causing the delay In start
Ing the market. II the city council will
only permit an experiment on the lines
proposed. they will confer great boon on
this entire district. and will not injure the
business of either commission men or
storekeepers.
The market so long proposed In Seattle
Is on the plan now TO be adopted In San
Francisco. The object Is merely TO afford
a time and place when and where the
farmers In the nsdshborhood OF Seattle
can assemble and be found by the whole
sale buyers. This simple plan has been
amended and added 90 until IL created an
opposition business to that OF the store
keepers. and then the whole ordinance
was killed or shelved.
Every plan 80 far suggested has been
met by opposition because OF its cumber-
somensss. Why will not the council
stand back and permit trial Of an instl-
tuition which has never failed when IL has
boou le, alone ans not loaded down with
reputation, A simsle measure declaring
that public market Is ordained. and that
yeniesss owned by farmers and producers
coet.iains farm produce raised by them
mss stand from a. m. until 10 a. m.
Within a specified area every Saturday
morning. Is all that Is needed. n that Is
o failure no harm will be done. II II prom
ise TO he success. further provision May
lie necessary. u is emily desirable that as
. besinnins TIE market be weekly. that
the hours be ed. and that there he no
fees After the closing errr There might
lie permission to those who have SO re-
NAMED at the market. 20 psddis around
town: but on that day only. and on pay.
msnt Of nominal license fee.
Nc measure can be devised which vii
not receive some opposition but the alb
senee OF restrictions and the freedom al
trade outlined in tie plan submitted vii
arouse the least satagens~sa