Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-07-22

Vigilance is the price not only of
liberty but of successful cooperative
ket may have fine buildings and
equipment, but unless it is super
vised by a competent manager who
diligently enforceS a well-worked-
out system of operation, the enter
prise will sooner or later fail: This
is the rock on which practically
all unsuccessful markets have brok-
en-, say city marketing specialists
of the United States Department
of Agriculture.
is not so operated as to provide a
place where people can purchase
food more cheaply than at other
food distributing agencies, the sys-
tenn is not justified, the specialists
believe, While it is true that pub
lie markets are useful in that they
assemble and make readily avail
able a large assortment of certain
products, some of which might other
wise be wasted, thise is of relatively
minor Importance in determining the
markets success. Well operated mar
5ets may also benefit Practically all
consumers by furnishing competition
which will stimulate private food
dispensing agencies to operate more
efficiently and to charge lower prices
Of the markets did not exist. But
public markets can not bring lower
prices unless the cost of operation
is less in them than elsewhere.
This is largely the problem of the
market manager.
Give Manager Unhampsred Field
The first essential to successful
market Is competent. well-inform-
ed and progressive manager. A
man familiar with modern mer-
cured even II the salary asked is
more than at first seems necessary.
No private commercial enterprise
would think of placing plant in
structed by politics or other out
side influences.
Asnting Market Stalls
Most successful markets rent the
stalls from month to month. By
this method, no question of a long
lease will interfere with ejecting a
: detaler in case he refuses to con-
the market rules and regulations
and in the best interests of the
market as a whole. All equipment,
such as counters, racks, cold-stor-
age boxes, and, If possible, comput-
ing scales, should be owned by the
city, so that no dealer will acquire
property rights in the permanent fix
lures in the stall.
The manager should exert every eff
fort to attract dealers of the best
type to the market. He should re-
quire all occupants of stalls to keep
simple, uniform records which should
be available for his examination SO
that he can ascertain at least the
olunle of business of each dealer,
he dealers cost of doing business
and his net profits.
In all his efforts to better mer-
chandising methods in the market,
the manager should keep in mind two
fundamental things: ~ To justify
the existence of the market, consum-
ers must obtain food more cheaply
than it can be obtained from most
private stores; CD to induce the deal
ers to make this cheaper food posi-
BILE, they must be given a greater ag-
&cegate return than if they were in
keepers. The competent manager. if
given adequate powers by the city,
can accomplish both aims. One of
the first regulations should be to
strip from the price of food products
IS completely as possible all charges
for service normally hidden in the
price. A dollar spent in the mar
ket should bring a dollars worth OF
Iuod, not, say 50 cents worth of food,
10 cents worth of delivery and 5 cents
those who buy in the market pay
cash and carry away their pur-
cnases. 1t is manifestly unfair to
make them pay higher prices in order
tlldG SOuISO1S C1SC IIlLiy lcAC dON Gil
lage of the so-called free delivery
;-nd free credit. One of the first
rules Of a market, therefore, should
he that dealers will not be permitted
o grant credit or deliver goods at
ne dealers expense.
The market manager should insist
10 dealers III the market, that the
savings effected by them as COM
pared with outside dealers, by reason
of the lower rentals and the alb
cnre Of delivery and credit expenses.
should be passed on to the consumer
, lover prices. Because of decreased
:.ii:~ expenses. dealers in the
market can sell at considerably re-
,.., { prices and still make the same
-. This has been done, however,
- acIne city markets with very un-
q t!sfcctory results. Such market
as neve" come up to expectations
ard the community which it is in
'rdcd to SERVE, as well rs many
observers, have been led rightly to
question the worth of the whole
i3u- icipal market idea.
Tie n1aHager must have an I'M
l'~r1pcred field in which to work. In
1dit:0n to having satisfactory
orTi~~eD- he Tr%t rake and ell
I - sFsa t.a,ss PRICES SMASHED