STUDIES IN EGG-MARKETING 825 



and at the same time insure the quality unless individual respon- 

 sibility is absolutely fixed in every case. This means that each 

 farmer must be held responsible for the quality of eggs he fur- 

 nishes and, at the same time, be remunerated according to the 

 standard of quality furnished. It is then, and only then, that the 

 farmer renders his best service, the consumer receives the best 

 quality, and the middleman charges are kept at a minimum. 



As soon as any policy is adopted other than that of offering 

 remuneration according to the quality of the service rendered, we 

 immediately introduce counteracting forces which lead to different 

 results all along the line from the producer to the consumer. This 

 is well illustrated under the early method where the country mer- 

 chant accepted the eggs of the farmer by "case-count" and gave 

 a flat rate per dozen regardless of quality. This rewarded dis- 

 honesty, penalized integrity, and led to flagrant discrimination. 

 The equalization of prices among farmers meant that those fur- 

 nishing eggs of inferior quality received a subsidy at the expense 

 of those who contributed a high-class product. Moreover, to the 

 extent that the country merchant charged higher prices for his 

 wares because of inducements given to the farmers' trade, it 

 meant that other purchasers at the store were compelled to buy 

 at a higher price. In this way the farmers furnishing eggs were, 

 as a class, subsidized at the expense of the other patrons of the 

 country merchant. This is not all, however. Under a " case- 

 count " system applied with no reference whatever to quality, 

 there will arise similar differences as between different localities 

 shipping to the same primary market. The community furnishing 

 eggs of low quality may be subsidized at the expense of localities 

 sending a superior grade. While the honest farmer in a given 

 locality is thus taxed for the benefit of his dishonest or careless 

 neighbor ; while all patrons except those trading in eggs are com- 

 pelled to pay the country merchant higher prices because of the 

 egg business and as a direct contribution to it ; and while enter- 

 prising communities aiming at higher standards are compelled to 

 pay tribute to those that pay less attention to quality ; while all 

 these forms of subsidy are encouraged under a "case-count" 



