164 THE HIGH COST OF LIVING 



in the country districts, where it would be stored 

 or sold to the retailers. By this means the entire 

 process of collecting, storage, and sale would be un- 

 der public control from the producer to the retailer. 



The marketing of products through public agents 

 in New York City was tried in a small way by the 

 department of markets and foods in 1915. One 

 of the products first handled was peaches, in which 

 there was a particularly large crop. An agreement 

 was made by the department of markets with the 

 Truck Auction Company to sell the fruit at the 

 receiving terminals daily at public auction. The 

 producer was charged 5 per cent, on the sales, 3 

 per cent, being for the services of the auction com- 

 pany and 2 per cent, going to the department of 

 foods and markets for expenses. The result was 

 advantageous to both the producer and the con- 

 sumer. The former received from 15 per cent, to 

 25 per cent, more than he had previously received 

 from the dealers. "The publicity of the auction 

 sales and prices caused a better distribution and a 

 larger consumption than formerly and also reduced 

 the price to the consumer." This is Mr. Dillon's 

 opinion of the experiment. 



The department also succeeded in raising the price 

 which the farmer received for his apples and at the 

 same time reduced what the consumer paid for them. 

 In this experiment also the object was to eliminate 

 the dealer. The department announced that on 



