Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-31
Regulation of Curb Markets.

Philadelphia is now very much inter-
ested in the matter Of curb markets.
which recently have again come into
vogue in that CITY They were conduct
ed many wears ago: So were public market
houses. But both were abandoned and
main dependence placed on stores and
privately conducted market houses,
The recent arrival OF tho curb market
in Philadelphia has been attended with
measure of success. But IN Philadei-
phia. as in Wilmington, the existence 81
these markets proved q temptation 70
..proftecrs. and now there arc COM
plants Of high prices and oXactions.
But the curb market has continued
until it has reached a point where, the
Philadelphia Ledger says in an editorial
giving careful consideration 70 the subject,
ii ceases 10 be an experiment
Referring to the latest curb market IN
Philadelphia, on North College avenue.
the Ledger predicts "a marked change
in the character OF the dealers who fre-
o,lent it. There " i'll be more farmers
and truck gardeners and fewer hucksters
Il is not that the huckstcrs do not fulfill
useful purpose in the distribution q
food. but their part. is that Of mlddemen,
and the whole aim OF the curb-market
idea is to bridge the gap between the
producer and consumer and 10 save, ior
the benefit Of both, the costs OF dIstn-
button. Previous attempts 10 cultivate
the idea in Philadelphia and to make
tho curb markets a permanent institution
have failed for q variety Of reasons, among
them the opposition of shopkecpcrs, the
owners Of market buildings and the ali
sence of control over the profltoers who
found in the rfTb markets opportunity
for unreasonable gains
This IS a somewhat roseatc Wow of the
situation, and Willie i is hoped the
expectations induIPed in will be realized,
there is no assurance Of such sequel
Wilmington pooplc, with their expensive
experience Of recent years. will not m
cline TO the opinion that moro farmers
and truckers and fewer huckSters VIII
operate 10 solve the problem 81 excessive
charges Rather. they viii incline 70
contend il Will create a condition that will
tend to make farmers and truckers
even moro rapacious in their charges
But it appears that even IN the initial
stages OF this new street market IN Phlla-
deIphia there was an ebuIlItion Of the
desire for excessive charges, and also,
most fortunately. an almost immediate
remedy. According to the Ledger edi-
torial, representatives Of the local Food
Administration turned their attention
to this market and stood prepared TO
act at once BY establishing an effective
and competent supervision over prices,
and By insisting that prices shall be
plainly marked on all commodities,
saws the Ledger, some reasonable control
Will be obtained There was an instance
of the possibilities latent IN this sort oi
SUPERVISION al the North College avenue
market on Saturday. when an Official Of
the Food Administration. ascertaInIng
that far TOO great a margin between cost
and asking price was being maintained
by dealer, publicly stated the facts and
fixed price that was fair TO both seller
and buvcr There ought TO be no diff
Guilty in maintaining that sort Of super
VISION Wholesale prices az the great
distributing ccntcrs at the wharves and
at Thirtieth and Chestnut streets Tor
example should be available to the
Food Administration. and with this
knowledge a. the command Of officials
at the retail curb markets It would be
easy 10 check profiteering
Here is a suggestion for our own long
suffering community 70 seize upon, and
endeavor to learn whether il may not be
made effective in this city. Certainly
there should be some kind Of supervision
in respect Of prices for commodities in
our open street markets Conditions
therein should tend to fair prices rather
than to excessive charges, but the people
of Wilmington we'll know how they have
been mulcted They have no hostility
to the market people, no desire to deprive
them of just and reasonable profit. But
they have right 10 protest against the
insolent conditions they have been com
pelled to contend with for a long while
exorbitant prices and an absolute refusal
TO sell for penny less The seller
openly admitting, in numerous instances,
that they would rather take their produce
home and permit it to rot than aba te
the slightest in charges
Such situation is most unfortunate
and should not be tolerated There
should be community Of feeling and Of
interest between the people Of Wilmington
and those who sell produce in the city's
street markets Instead Of being hostile,
thev should be congenial and disposed
to an acceptance of a reasonable inter-