The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-02-17
now PHlADELPHIA'S MAYOR,
WILL FIGHT. MIDDLEMEN

Although he win round out three
pocre and ten years of life today hav-
AnE been born in Germany, Feb. 1e,
Ss45. Rudolph BIankenburg, mayor of
Phila.deIpt1aa is still anxious and eager
for q fight. What is more, he is like
hy to get 1T, for he now proposes to
engage IN warfare with old Gen. High
scosraof-Lfv1ng, who Is about the husk-
Kest warrior in America today.
schemes for eliminating the middle
knan VINO deals liz the necessities of
hffe have been tried out in Indiana
polls, New York, Schenectady and
other municipalities, but no such
comprehensive plan has ever been at
1empted as that proposed by the ven
etable mayor of the Quaker City.
Many civic problems have been
sok5ed by Rudolph BIankenburg since
he took charge of the municipal af-
Eairs of the Corrupt and contented''
RennEyIvanie. metropolis in December.
hs11,.and his admirers believe he will
be as successful when he tackles the
high-coMt- Living question The be-
winning of the garden sass season
Hvfll see the scheme put into effect.
"A trolley freight system will be in
hug1rated to bring garden truck and
produce into Pffaad elphia direct from
the farms Scores of electric lines
radiAse from the Quaker City. tapping
rich AGRICULTURAL regions, and these
will be utilized to deliver the goods"
1t is alleged that this plan will be
benenSfa1 to both producer and con-
~ 60. nd II a+
gardener viii get higher prices for
their produce, while the city resident
will get better and fresher food at
lower, prices.
For months Philadelphia has been
the scene Of a warfare against the
nnfddIeanep, carried on by the House
wives League, and the municipal gov
eminent is now to join them in the
fray BY the activities of the league
the price of eggs was reduced to "a
cents a dozen, and the organized
housewives won other notable victor
les
As a step toward lower prices for
the necessities of life, Philadelphia
has repealed ali restrictions which
prevented farmers from taking advan-
take of the city market and has abol-
sshed the requirement of licenses for
farmers who peddled their own pro-
ducts.
The plan to be put into effect in
PhHadelphia is based on the findings
of Dr. clyde L. King, distinguished
economist of the School of Finance
and Commerce of the University of
PennsyIvania, who conducted an ex-
haustive inquiry into the reasons for
the high cost of living. In his re-
port DR.. King urged the use of the
trolley and the abolition of all muni-
cipal statutes that make it difficult
for consumer and producer to get to-
Eether. On this phase of the subject
Morris L. Cooke, director of public
works, said:>
THE cost of distribution is what we
have TO overcome. The great differ
ence between the prices paid to the
farmer and those paid by the con-
j. sumner results primarily from the
tangled methods of bringing the pro-
duce to the city and distributing ii
when It gets here. The present sys-
fem makes it imperative that middle
men should handle the produce. The
farmer himself does not get a chance
TO sell his goods direct to the con-
gunner. Our plan of distribution as
Boon as it is in full working order viii
enable the farmer himself to be his
own selling agent. There is no sus-
picion that any set of middlemen are
receiving more than a reasonable
profit for their work. The system
Itself is what causes the high prices