The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-08-06
THE COST OF LIVING.
Grocers and Marketmen Make Only
A Small margin.


population in New York state, the
Committee on Markets, Prices al
Costs, the special subdivision of the
State Food Investigation committee,
has now reached definite conclusions
and formulated them in its report
with recommendation for legislative
action. To meet the general COM
plant of the increasing cost of living
tie committees main purpose was to
exmine how far in the marketing OF
food commodities prices are raised
to the consumer by inadequate and
uneconomical facilities and methods
of distribution. This involved public
hearings with the ample means and
opportunities afforded by the authority
of the state, personal examination
of the facts and a statistical investi-
CATION of prices from the terminal to
the consumer A close comparison
was also made between the various
modes of marketing food at whole
sale and retail by public and private
organizations. The variety and uni
versatility of the marketing process in
New York city afforded a most val
liable field for the examination and
demanded the greatest share of atten-
ton, which 1t received. The other
cities of the state as we'll as the
country districts coming under the re-
fiex of the cities as affected in the
regulation of market prices came
within the purview of the committee
and have proportionately received due
attention.
The committee found that the mar
keting agencies of Greater New York,
are covered by 13 classes of food dis
tributers arnging from the municipal
wholesale markets, the wholesale
markets conducted by railway and
steamship lines and the farmers
markets, to the corner grocery and
pushcart types throughout the inter
mediate grades of stores Among
these distributing agencies the mar
kets committee reached the conclu-
sion as the result of its minute inves-
tigation that the large retail unit of
food department store buying direct,
receiving direct, and selling direct is
the best economic type in point OF
factory distribution and due rewards
for management and capital. To
wards the development of such stores
the committee believes retailers,
wholesalers, and private organiza-
tions should move. To compensate
for the comparative neglect which
the municipal interest of marketing
has suffered in comparison with those
of transportation. police, streets,
docks. water and others the commit
tee recommends that the charters of
the various cities of the state be
amended so as to provide for a de-
partment of markets charged with the
economic and sanitary supervision of
food supplies used in the municipal
ties. The department of markets, 1t
is further recommended. should be
charged with the duty of publishing
accurate statements of market needs
and pricse to be sent TO producers
of food supplies so that they may be
protected from extortion and offered
facilities for marketing. The com.
mittee finds that the primary or
wholesale prices should be fixed by
systematic auction in lots suitable
for purchase by retailers. Such auc-
tions of the city of of a public or
ganization, not for profit, so that this
auction in which all parties interested
should have voice would constitute
on primary prices, producers and
consumers market. The system is
successfully practised in foreign met
ropolitan markets. Finally, the COM
mittee recommends that the railroad
and steamship lines entering the cit
les of the state should be encouraged
and required TO provide adequate IA
cilities for the prompt deliveries of
food products for their sale by auc-
ton on the premises. for temporary
storage, both cold and general, to
carry over one or two days supply
and for the publication of bulletins
showing supplies to arrive.
The committee expressed itself ad-
versely TO the construction of public
market structures and terminals
that might impose heavy fixed charges
on the community and be incapable
Of changing with altered conditions
OF population and habits. The history
OF New York city's markets is given
as a warning example. Ii is pointed
out that for the most part the build
ings in the wholesale district where
the transportation terminals are To-
Gated on the extreme south westerly
edge of Manhattan are old, ill-built or
illplsnned and none of them are To-
Gated on railroad TRACKS or pier
heads. IL the matter were in the
hands OF powerful commercial
agency. the wholesale plant. for food
handling in the city would. with two
exceptions. be "scrapped.
The fundamental aim, then, in
seeking the reduction of the cost of
food is to minimize the cost OF dis
tribution. The committee estimates
that an annual food supply of the
Greater New York costs at the trans
portation terminals $3.50. 000,0 or
over, and that il costs in the con.
sumers' kitchens $500. 600. 900 or over.
The testimony taken at the hearings,
the committee thinks, shows that this
addition of about as per cent to the
price is chiefly made by cost of
handling and not by profits. In fact.
the evidence showed that the small
er retailers are barely making wages,
the corner groceries being generally
a mere means of gaining a family live
lihood The suggested substitution
of large unit retail stores capable of
supplying $4,000 or $4,000 people and
each with cold and general storage