The San Francisco call., 1898-01-24
A FREE PUBLIC MARKET.

n NEW step is to be taken in the movement to { \ bring about the establishment of free public market in this city, in accordance with the law enacted at the last session of the Legislature. The Board of Harbor Commissioners has formally in- vited the producers of perishabe products who would be benefited by such market to appoint perma- nent committee to cooperate with the board in ranging for its establishment and the San Fran cisco Farmers Club has called convention of pro- ducers to in this city February 23 for the pur- pose of eectng and instructng the proposed com mittee.
 When the movement for free public market was first undertaken it found almost universal approval It was generally recognized that the market would be of great benefit to both the producers and the consumers of fruit, vegetables and other pershable articles of commerce, and the desrability of provd ing it promptly was conceded. The more the sub ec discussed, however, the graver appeared the difficulties in the way of establishing that would be adequate the needs of the trade and last the enterprise seemed hopeless that the agitation temporarily suspended until plans feasible and prac tcabie should be put forward in its support.
 The call now issued by the Farmers Club of this city and the renewal of the agitation give promise that definite plan practical in its nature, has been devised by the promoters of the scheme and will be submitted to the producers convention. In the expectation of such plan the public will await the meeting of the convention with little interest and will be ready to give approval and support to any wisely directed movement toward the accomplish ment of the desired object.
 That San Francisco needs free public market is beyond question It is equally unquestionable that the producers of pershabe products throughout the State should have some means of selling their produce in the metropolis of the State under conditions that will enable them get something like the real value of their goods to the consumers of that market.
 At the present time trade in fruit, vegetables and poultry products is done in the most expensive and wasteful manner possible in civilized commun-
 y The State produces vast quantities of fine fruit the climate renders fruit diet agreeable and health fu at all seasons of the year the general prosperity of the people enables them pay fair prices for it. but such IS the inefficiency of commercial sys- tenn that large quantities of the fruit wasted tons of it being thrown away. While the producer hardly receives price sufficient to pay him for his labor the average citizen finds the price fixed for the con- suIner so high that he hardly afford 1t luxury much less as a staple article of food.
 No ordinary market place will serve the require ments of city so large as San Francisco and a trade so extensive as this In that fact lies the diff fcultv in the way of providing the market. All diff faculties however. can be overcome by wisely di- rected effort and 1t is to be hoped something of the kind can be assured by the Harbor Commissioners and the committee of producers that is to be ap- pointed to assist them.