The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-06-09
FOR A FREE MARKET.
In Important Meeting Which Vas Held
al San Francisco.
Resolutions Suggesting Action on
the Part of the Harbor COM
missioners.
rs. F. evening Post. June Sth.l

Is. F. Evening Post, June Sth)
The San Francisco Farmers Club de-
voted last evenings meeting entirely to
the problem of free market.
There were present representatives Oh
a large number of oranges and otner
farmers organizations in different
parts Of the State Much valuable data
We're collected and arrangements We're
made for their preservation ana publ
cation in such form as will make them
of practical use in further discussions
and the formation of detailed plans Tor
the market.
The first paper of the evening was by
Edward F. Adams, representing High
land Grange, on the subject, THE Free
Market: It's Character and Objects as
Conceived by It's Advocates Mr.
Adams said: 1.-THE thing proposed is
not a market where the producer must
personally sell his own produce. He
may if he choose, but the proponents
of the measure do not regard it as a
means of getting rid of the middlemen.
Secondly, it is not a place to which the
shipper may have his produce delivered
or not as he pleases, but must be one
to which it will ordinarily go, whether
he wishes it to do so or not. NOBODY,
of course, purposes to compel him TO
keep it there a minute. 1t will be de-
livered to him or his consignee, who
can do what he pleases with it, and he
will be able to get it as promptly ana
conveniently as he now gets 1t; but 1t
must in the first place be delivered at
the market, or adjacent to it, free OF
drayage.
1.-THE proposal of the promoters OF the
measure is and always has been to
concentrate the delivery of perishable
products from all transportation COM
panies in one place easily accessible,
with privilege of sale for account OF
producers only, thereby creating con-
ditions which will make that place the
most convenient and economical spot
in the city for transacting the business.
Unless such conditions are created
nothing can induce the trade to stay
there. There will be no difficulty in
getting the transportation companies
to deliver freight to such market.
Once established, nothing could keep
the transportation companies out. 1t
is their business to deliver freight to
the centers of trade. AS a matter of
fact. nearly all perishable products are
now delivered at or close to the piers,
which apparently under the law must
be used for the proposed free market,
excet those arriving by the Southern
Pacific Sacramento steamers and that
company's broad gauge system.
Concerning the regulations to be
enforced in the market, the producers
ask only one thing, which is that sales
books of those doing business in the
market be kept upon some uniform
method. to be fixed by the Harbor Com
misisoners, and not in erasable pencil,
and be open to the superintendent Of
the market on request of any shipper.
In this way any shipper can ascertain
the price paid for any shipment made
by him and the name of the purchaser.
This the shipper is entitled to see, and
no commission merchant would object
to it. It has been assumed from the
beginning that space would be assigned
by some equitable method to all desir-
ing to do business in the market, either
for themselves or Others"
Mr.. Adams gave a detailed history of
the drafting of the bill for the free
market and of it's passage by the Legis-
lature, and concluded his paper with
the following resume of the objects
sought by the establishment of the
free market:
First-The complete separation of the
commission business from the private
business of the commission merchant.
Second-The concentration of all
trade in perishable products from first
hands at some convenient place on the
water front, where all producers shall
be free to sell either personally or
through agents of their choice, and
where all consumers shall be free to
buy either personally or through the
dealer whom they patronize.
Third-The regulation and supervi-
sion of the commission business in the
market by public authority, in the in
terests of the general public, both pro-
ducers and consumers.
Fourth-The saving of some hundreds
of dollars a day now spent on drayage,
which is an unnecessary tax upon
trade and which consumers pay when
supplies are short and producers lose
when supplies are heavy.
Fifth-The clearing of the streets OF
San Francisco of the unsightly piles OF
prOdOce WHICH lflpSQe peiSSdSS lAAOuSA
them.
Sixth-The Improvement in quality OF
produce and packing which competi-
ton side by side will certainly induce,
and which will result in larger sales
more profit to producers and lower
prices to consumers.
Seventh-The daily compilation and
publication by official authority of the
receipts and sales in the market, with
prices, which may be a reliable guide
to shippers and customers.
Eighth-The creation of such per-
manent free public exposition Of the
products of California as shall be a
delight to ourselves and source of in
struetion to visiting strangers.
A paper prepared by c. T. Smurr
General Traffic Manager of the South
ern Pacific, as to the amount of tonnage
that would reach the market and the
space that would be required to expe-
ditiously and conveniently handle it
was read by Secretary Victor L
O'Brien. 1t contained the following sta
tistics and deductions:
The tonnage of fruit and vegetables