New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-01
Farreaching Changes
To Be Presented
to Legislature
PLAN NEW SERIES
OF COMMISSIONS
Whitman Favors Improve
ments-Perkins May
Get High Office

AOlnHlflr W Wv
methods OF producing, transporting
and distributing food in New York
State, with absolute control Of these
facilities in the hands OF the city and
state government. is recommended in
the most fsrreaching report on the
subject ever made to the Legislature.
The findings represent the joint
conclusions of the Governors Market
Commission and the Mayors Food
Supply Committee. both headed by
George ". Perkins. and the Wicks
Legislative Committee. whose chair
man is State Senator Charles ".
Wicks. Having the support OF all
three and Of the Governor, it was pre-
dicted yesterday that the radical re
forms would be adopted by the Legis-
lature as soon as bills could be drawn
and presented.
Food Bodies Proposed
Control OF the city and state food
supply, as recommended in this re-
port, would be vested in these pro-
posed bodies:
First-State board OF foods and
markets, to consist Of the state
market commissioner, interstate
market commissioner, and four 20
six city market commissioners from
New York and other cities. The
board would WELD powers in han
ding food questions similar to those
OF the Public Service Commission
in transportation.
Second-City market department
commissioner or commissioners 70
be appointed By the Msyor-to pos
sess broad powers in dealing with
control Of the eity's food supplies.
Third Interstate market commits
sioner, 70 be appointed by the Gov
ernor and act as chairman Of state
board. One Of his duties would be
to find and develop new sources Of
supply.
Fourth -Broadened State Depart
ment Of Markets. whose head would
be appointed by tue Governor, with
facilities for issuing market re-
ports. analyzing methods Of han
ding supplies and for recommend
ing reforms.
Whitman Favors Programme
Governor Whitman heartily favors
the recommendation, it vas said last
night in Albany, and will urge upon
the Legislature in his annual message
the establishment of a department OF
foods and markets as the three com
suggest. II a state board is
established, too, il is likely that
George ". Perkins will be named as
It's chairman. In any event Commis-
sioner John J. Dillon, the present
state food and markets head, probably
will be shelved.
The Governor plans a state depart
ment with a hvs-yesr commissioner
with broad powers. A bill carrying
ont his ideas is being drafted for early
in the Legislature, spoh-
sored probably by Senator Wlcks.
Regarding the causes Of the condl-
tions underlying high prices IN TINS
state. the report asserts that funda-
mental difficulty is the lack OF com
prehensive market department In the
state and the absence of any central
lied market department in New YORK
City and other centres OF population
The states present market depart
m.nt, il is stated, has insufficient scope
and scant financial support.
ain New York City" it is said, such
few market functions as exist are dis
tributed among a number of the city's
departments, the result being that what
is everybody's business is nobody's
business"
Terminal Facilities Urged
The proposed terminal market, the
plan Of John J. Dillon, State Commls-
sioner Of Foods and Markets, for soly-
ing the city's food problem, gets only
incidental consideration in the report
Improvement and enlargement OF ter.
ninal facilities, especially railroad
freight handling facilities, are urged,
with the added statement that further
terminal market facilities at points
for distribution would cut
the cost OF handling foodstuffs.'
II is stated in the report that the
estimated cost OF Transporting pound
Of food from where it lands in New
York City to the consumers home is
greater than from Buffalo to New fork'
The food investigators make it plain
that they do not look with great favor
upon opening additional public markets
unless more points in their favor are
brought out
"Much has been said" the report
asserts. "of the need for public mar
kets. and the claim made that their
establishment would reduce the cost
of food TO consumer. This is q ques-
tion that should be studied with the
utmost care before any large amount
Of money is invested in such projects.
Many consumers in a city like New
York have the idea that If public re-
tail markets were established where
farmers could drive in and offer their
produce for sale direct 70 the con-
sumer il would be to the advantage
OF both the farmer and the consumer.
improvements Recommended
"We believe, therefore, that before
sny experiment in public retail mar
kets is undertaken on a large scale
st the public expense, an earnest. in
telligent attemyt should be made to
improve our terminal facilities so that
PRODUCERS from upstate and other
parts Of the country can get their food
into Now York CITY and get it dsliv-