Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-02
MUNICIPAL RETAIL MARKET
GREAT NEED OF LARGE CITY

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 31.-[Editol
Herald; Recent newspaper editorials
setting forth the alleged fact that meat
prices, or meat boycotts, are of nc
great moment to residents of Los An
geles, because of its situation in the
heart Of an excellent vegetable and
fruit producing country, has set the
writer specializing TO whether editors
ever go a-marketing.
Evidently they do not, for if they
were eXperimentally acquainted with
current retail prices for the products
of garden, orchard and ranches they
would be aware that as between meat
eating and vegetarianism at present
prices, the householder who desires
food of good quality and undoubted
freshness stands, as far as cost is con-
cerned, "between the devil and the
deep sea-"
In that distant city where the writer
was for many years, caterer-in-ordi-
nary to her family, a municipality own
ed market brought producer and con-
sumner in direct contact, to the great
advantage Of each.
In this market a goodly space was
reserved as 'parkage" for wagons;
ranchers and gardeners were charged
Is cents per half day for one-horse
vehicles occupying this space, and 25
cents for double team. The receipts
were used to pay sWeepers and clean
ers, who kept this space in immaculate
condition. Stalls were provided and
rented to market gardeners and small
producers generally, including flower
sellers.
Until 10 a. m. this market was abso-
lutely reserved for those who bought
only for their own use, and who car
ried their purchases away Qn most
cases) in baskets and small hand carts
After the hour specified the market
was thrown open to grocers and gen
eral dealers.
People of limited means were thus
enabled to live much cheaper and bet
ter than would otherwise have been
possible. The average of health and
consequent efficiency among the work
ing classes was thereby maintained al
the maximum, because these had reg
ular opportunity to buy strictly fresh
and consequently wholesome food at
price within their means
Nothing but the most cruel and rep
rehensible disregard of the workers
welfare by municipal officeholders ano
so-called Representatives" stands in
the wav of the establishment of such
municipal markets in every city sur
rounded by a fertile country A place
as large as Los Angeles needs at
least three such municipal establish
ments on it's eastern, western and
southern borders respectively.
In bringing this subject before the
readers of the Letter Box the writer
hopes and prays that she is casting
GOOD seed into fertile soil. Surely
some well known and influential per-
son will rejoice in this opportunity foi
the preparation and circulation of petl-
tions to the mayor and council, asking
that municipal markets be at once es-
tablished.
LET our preachers of civic righteous
ness emulate the example of that
greatest of preachers, who had com
nassion on the multitude" and did moi
consider it a waste of time or of power
to make provision for its temporal
needs. No one thing can do more To-
ward bettering the condition of the
wage Garner than that of giving nm
opportunity to buy fresh and whole
some food at a reasonable cost, ana nc
method of benefiting the agricultural
6roducer can equal that of enabling
him TO dispose Of the products of his
toil directly, instead of having the
legitimate reward of his labor filched
from him by passing his products
through half a dozen hands before
reaching the consumer If you wish &C
keep the rural population on the farms
give them this chance to reap the re-
ward of their labors, and thus be able
To abide. in comfort "under their oWr
vine and fig tree" ,,-