THE MIDDLEMEN AND DISTRIBUTERS 71 



ers in 1910, but they have never stood trial. The 

 Httle dealers must obey the big ones or they are 

 forced out of business. The dealers break up co- 

 operative creameries wherever possible by offering 

 to buy the milk in the neighborhood of the creamery 

 and to pay the cartage on it. This was the general 

 state of affairs that led to 2-cent milk to the pro- 

 ducer and 12-cent milk to the consumer in the State 

 of New York. 



To counteract these influences the State depart- 

 ment of foods recommends a milk depot in New 

 York, with a creamery attached, to take care of all 

 surplus milk. Prices would be fixed daily accord- 

 ing to supply and demand. The producers demand 

 it and have asked the State to build it. They are 

 willing to pay the maintenance and amortization 

 charges. The plan was opposed by the dealers, 

 however, and failed in the legislature. 



In the case of anthracite coal there is the same sort 

 of a monopoly controlHng the output and in alhance 

 with the railroads as we have in the case of milk, 

 only the coal syndicate is composed of the producers 

 themselves rather than the dealers. Nine large op- 

 erating companies control 75 per cent, of the an- 

 thracite coal of Pennsylvania, the only source of 

 supply. Each is closely allied with or owned by 

 the railroad on whose line it is located. Conse- 

 quently markets that are advantageous for the rail- 

 roads, markets which give them a long haul, are 



