136 MARKETING AND THE MIDDLEMAN 



Michigan. The Department of Markets in Michigan was or- 

 ganized under a 1915 law, and James N. McBride became the 

 Market Director. The work is under official cooperation with the 

 State Board of Agriculture, and the United States Department of 

 Agriculture. The work consists largely in investigation and in 

 giving advice. As in California, cooperative marketing is fostered, 

 and particularly the standardization of products and their certifi- 

 cation by the State. Price fixing by the Bean Growers associations 



is one of the concrete problems 

 which quite early confronted the 

 Director of Markets. 



The New York marketing work 

 came into prominence through the 

 vigorous efforts of its first direc- 

 tor, John J. Dillon (Fig. 20), to 

 conduct apple auction markets 

 for the farmers. The State De- 

 partment of Foods and Markets, 

 located in New York City, in 

 charge of Commissioner Dillon, 

 began marketing work in 1915 

 under a law passed in 1914. This 

 department cooperated with the 

 State Department of Agriculture, 

 the State Agricultural College, the 

 county farm bureaus, the granges 

 FIG. 20. John j. Dillon of New York, and cooperative associations, and 



(Underwood & Underwood.) ,-, TT . , , , -^ 



the United States Department 



of Agriculture. The chief functions were to investigate; to conduct 

 auctions; to study transportation matters and delays; to establish 

 markets, general and local; and to encourage cooperative associa- 

 tion work. The direct marketing activities of this Department 

 attracted nation-wide attention. By cooperating with the Fruit 

 Auction Company, a considerable quantity of peaches and apples 

 were sold at auction. Commissioner Dillon considered the auction 

 method to be correct in principle, and entirely feasible and desir- 

 able in large market centers. 



The New York Department of Foods and Markets pursued a 

 militant course from the start. The New York bakers were forced 

 to restore the five-cent loaf of bread, after raising it to six cents. 

 The price of cold storage eggs was attacked. Jobbers and retailers 

 were required to post signs on "cold storage" eggs. To help the 



