THE CASE TO-DAY 55 



tends to simplify sanitary supervision. Certain large 

 dealers, recognizing the necessity of sanitation, have 

 co-operated in the efforts of the health authorities and 

 have established laboratories and inspection systems 

 of their own. Such measures are not philanthropic, 

 but have been undertaken as good business manage- 

 ment and in the desire to maintain a good standing. 

 In the same way some have established bonuses for 

 milk produced under superior sanitary conditions. 

 Milk-borne disease is a bugbear of the large dealer 

 and, to avoid it, he has been willing to go to consider- 

 able trouble and expense and to adopt pasteurization 

 and other precautions. The reputable dealer wel- 

 comes better conditions in the milk industry, but he 

 is not to be expected to go to extra expense that will 

 place him at a disadvantage with his competitor. In 

 fact the progressive, fair-minded dealer will co-operate 

 in sanitary improvements, but naturally only so far as 

 they are required by authority, or at least where they 

 do not conflict with his interest as a business man. 



In relation to the farmer, the point of vantage of the 

 middleman lends itself to price-squeezing in the pro- 

 ducing districts. Of the two means of profit, the dealer 

 finds it easier to keep down the price paid to the farmer 

 than to raise the price received from the consumer. 

 The producers in a given district may complain, but, 

 unless they are organized, they must either take the 

 price offered by the dealer who collects in that district, 

 or none. 



It is no doubt to the advantage of the middleman 

 to discourage agitation regarding conditions in which 

 he holds the balance of power. Nevertheless, the 



