534 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



168. "SWAT THE MIDDLEMAN" 1 



Owing largely to the unorganized state of the producer and the 

 consumer and the lack of adequate marketing facilities, there have 

 grown up in cities classes of men who have taken upon themselves 

 the burden of food distribution. There are at present altogether too 

 many men and too much machinery involved to conduct this dis- 

 tribution economically. This is most marked in the elimination of 

 the more expensive middlemen in certain classes of agricultural 

 products. 2 In the handling of such commodities as fruits, vegetables, 

 and similar articles of a perishable nature, the disposition to discard 

 the more expensive methods of distribution has been very feeble. 



The attitude of the producer toward commission men is one of 

 suspicion. Where the producer does not openly charge dishonesty, 

 he greatly doubts their business efficiency. It is difficult to see how 

 the commission man can be eliminated unless a representative of the 

 producer, or the railway, or the consumer takes his place. It should 

 be said that the frequent criticism of commission men does not belong 

 to all of them. They are made necessary by a very burdensome 

 system of distribution and it is the greed or dishonesty of some of 

 them that gives occasion for the criticism of the whole body of com- 

 mission men. 



Owing to the dissatisfaction felt by the producer toward the com- 

 mission man, and definite economic reasons, the commission man is 

 being slowly supplanted by the jobber. The jobber is interested in 

 buying for cash for as little as he can and selling for all that he can 

 obtain. During a period of uniform or rising prices he buys 6utright, 

 whereas during conditions of oversupply, leading to fall in prices, he 

 accepts shipments only on a commission basis in order to minimize 

 his risks. 



In order to obviate the danger of control of the supply by middle- 

 men, means should be found and facilities afforded for a direct method 

 of shipment from the producer to the consumer. The Massachusetts 

 Commission on the Cost of Living aptly says: "A long line of com- 

 mission men, produce merchants, jobbers, hucksters, retailers and 

 what not simply passing goods from hand to hand like a bucket 

 brigade at a fire, is not only inefficient and wasteful, but very costly. 

 In these days a hydrant and a line of hose are wanted." 



1 Adapted from Preliminary Report of the Chicago Municipal Markets Com- 

 mission, April, 1914, pp. 21-22. 



3 See Report of the Industrial Commission, Vol. VI, pp. 6-7. 



