The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-16
THE FREE-MARKET EXPERIMENT.

= the adoption of resolution setting aside the
~ Jackson, Washington and Clay street wharves
49, tor the use OF free market tor perishable
products coming into San Francisco the Harbor
Commissioners have afforded a foundation for the
most important experiment that has been undertaken
in this city for long time. The results of the move
ment will be watched with close interest for they will
not only affect large and powerful interests, but will
in marked degree concern the people at large.
AS was set forth in the report OF the free market
committee of the Producers Association the object of
the free market movement is not alone to provide
special facilities for farmers sell their
products but to the entire trade from first
hands in perishable products upon the water front,
separate it from all other trade subject it to regua
ton by State authority, give to farmers desiring to
sell their own produce equal advantages with those
preferring to sell through commission men, and per-
NIT any one to buy there who so desires.
A committee, composed of Major Harvey of the
Harbor Commission and E. F. Adams as reprcscn-
tative of the producers appointed to formulate
regulations to govern the proposed market 1t is
needless to say that the work to be done by this
committee will largely determine the fail
of the proposed enterprise If rules can be
adopted which will the transaction of the per-
ishabe product trade at the market under conditions
that will yield the producer better returns from his
product than he receives under the existing system,
the great plan will succeed beyond doubt. If, how
ever the producer does not obtain that benefit it will
not be possible to make the free market perma-
nent institution of the city.
The undertaking is so full of promise to all con-
cerned there will be we'll nigh universal hope for
its success The present method of handling fruit and
vegetables entails vast waste of such products, i'm
poses heavy cost upon consumers OF them, and
yields small and insufficient to the growers
There have been times when hundreds of pounds of
good fruits and foods thrown into the bay for
a lack of market for them, while at the time
hundreds of families in the city would have been glad
to purchase them at fair prices. The producer and
the consumer have, in fact, both suffered to large
extent from the lack of closer relations to one an
other, and this loss may be eliminated to consider
able extent by the free market
Bright the expectations raised by enter
prise that promises much of good to both con-
sumers and producers, while at the time carry
ing benefit to honest middemen also by Kidding
them from the INSCRIPTIONS competition Of more or
less dishonest Dealers it not to be overlooked that
many obstacles in the way of the successful &C
complishment of the plan. An oversanguine expec-
tation may lead to disappointment that might
cause hasty conclusion that the scheme is imprac-
tcable The free market having been launched, |
should be given thorough and prolonged trial be-
fore it is condemned if at first its machinery
should not work we'll 1t has been undertaken for
the general welfare and should in its operations have
the support of all