45 
Plain Words to the Public 
The Wicks and Perkins Report 
EXCUSE FOR NEW LEGISLATION.—The .joint 
report of the Wicks and Perkins committees on foods 
and markets submitted to the Governor last week 
is probably as good an excuse for the proposed rip¬ 
per legislation as could be expected. It seems, how¬ 
ever. to be needlessly transparent. If these same 
men set up such a hollow pretense in social or 
business circles, they would earn for themselves 
the scorn of society, and the contempt of business 
men. In politics it is clever or stupid as your in¬ 
terests or pre.iudice may run. 
THE QUESTION OF DISTRIBUTION.—The 
shallow pretense of it is evident in every line and 
between the lines. Farmers organized the present 
Department of Foods and INIarkets to open a direct 
channel for the distribution of their food to the 
city consumer. They are Avilling to pay useful dis¬ 
tributors; but they want to steer clear of si)ecula- 
tors. manipulators and .gamblers in food, and they 
are willing to divide the savings of waste and 
plunder with the consumer. 
'A RECORD OF ACTIVITIES.—In spite of the 
handicaps it has encountered, the present depart¬ 
ment has made a record. It has taken the farmer’s 
produce, sold it, and returned the money to him. 
T.ast year it broke down the trust in apples, and 
standardized the price through auction sales for all 
apple growers and consumers. This year it did the 
same for milk producers and. if let alone it prom¬ 
ises to pay the farmers the price they ask and deliv¬ 
er the milk in bottles to consumers from two to 
four cents a quart less than they now pa.y. Cold 
storage eggs bought last Spring of producers at 
IS cents a dozen have been selling as fresh eggs at 
(‘.5 cents a dozen at retail. Now the Department 
order and the court decree sustaining the order 
compel the dealer to mark each cold storage egg 
and they are selling over the city for ,35 cents a 
dozen or thereabouts and they can no longer reduce 
the price of eg,gs as they come from the farm. These 
thin.gs have thrown consternation into the camps of 
])redatory dealers evei‘ywhere. It is not so much 
what has actually been done, but the possibilities 
of what will happen if this work is permitted to 
go on. The work is already growing popular with 
producers and consumers. It will not do for poli¬ 
ticians to let it fully develop. It would cut out 
sj)eculation and graft in the distribution of food. 
The parasites would have to go to work to earn a 
living, and where would the political contributions 
come from? 
A SUGGESTED PROGRAM.—Of course it would 
never do to admit that the ])resent Department had 
too broad powers, or that its woi-k would give bet¬ 
ter prices to the farmer and cheaper food to the 
city housewife. If the committee were sincere it 
would frankly state the progress already made 
with a meagre appropriation and it would recom¬ 
mend suitable appropriation to enlarge the work 
already proved successful. No such word or advice 
api)ears in the report. Since the committee could 
not accompli.sh its purpose by a frank honest state¬ 
ment, it re.sorts to subterfuge and pretense. It dare 
not propose to limit the vision of the in-esent De- 
l)artment or restrict the direct practical work it has 
(mtlined and undertaken. So the committee sets up 
a pretense of enlarged powers for a new Department 
ruder a scheme that would have the appearance of 
bigness and yet be harmless to special interests. 
\\'ith these interests protected they promise every¬ 
body everything he wants. They offer us a new 
State commissioner, an interstate commissioner, a 
new State department, a department for every city, 
and a State commission with members enough to 
take care of all the derelict and faithful politicians 
in the State. What they want is patronage up-State 
and ab.solute control of distribution in the city. As 
outlined this city monopoly is the biggest plum ever 
shaken from a political tree. Once tie up this 
monopolj’ of food distribution in New York City 
as proposed, and farmers and consumers may then 
howl in impotent rage for a century to come. The 
big interests once in organized control of our city 
food suppl.v would be master of the State and noth¬ 
ing .short of a French revolution would displace 
them. 
PROTECTION FOR EXISTING INTERESTS.— 
Two other things stand out clear and definite in 
the report. First, the purpose of the pre.sent De¬ 
partment to .ship food past the speculators and 
gamblers in a straight open channel from the far¬ 
mer to the consumer must be frustrated. The vest¬ 
ed interests of big dealers and manipulators must 
be maintained as they are, and made more secure 
by new legal concessions. T'^nder this program the 
‘She RURAL NEW-YORKER 
housewife may as well abandon the hope of cheap¬ 
er food. When the parasites take their toll out 
of food, the housewife must pay it or go hungry. 
The f.armer may also as well give up this hope to 
increase the value of the ,35-cent dollar. 
FARMERS AND CONSUMERS.—The .second 
dominant note is that the consumer and the farmer 
must be content with more education for his share. 
The housewife and the school girl will be told how 
to select cheap foods and the farmer will be edu¬ 
cated by extra appropriations for colleges and ex¬ 
pert teachers, to produce more per acre, so that he 
may be compelled to sell for less per pound or per 
bushel. The report furnishes no new information. 
Every line of the general statement could be com¬ 
piled from papers and reports issued by the pres¬ 
ent Department, and this is the evident source of 
most of it. 
THE MIDDLEMEN.—The committees are either 
lamentably ignorant of city conditions or wanting 
in candor in their report to the Governor. It tells 
him that “commission dealers are under suspicion 
because of the ill-repute of a .small ])ercentage of 
its member.s.” There are honest men in the farm 
produce trade in New York City and they would 
like to relieve their business of abuses, but they 
are bound iq) in a system that they cannot control, 
q’heir one complaint or apology is that they cannot 
be honest and remain in the business. The dealers 
are not under suspicion or even indictment. They 
are already convicted. They not only have done 
nothing themselves to improve distribution, but they 
have persistently and unanimously opposed every 
attempt made in the last .30 years to restrain fraud 
or to reduce the cost of food distribution in New 
York City. They are now raising their third boodle 
fund to prevent the adoption of an economical sys¬ 
tem. Their exchanges have been denounced in 
court decrees as intentionally dishonest and fraud¬ 
ulent. They have procured the publication of false 
quotations to their own benefit and to the detriment 
of farmers and consumers. They have in large num¬ 
bers been indicted, tried, convicted, fined and im- 
pi’i.soned. Some of the biggest of them have pleaded 
guilty to fraud and paid heavy fines. They have 
cheated farmers, defrauded consumers and swin¬ 
dled the government on contract.s. l^ie only sus¬ 
picions some of them are under is for raising funds 
to pay gunmen to murder Barnett Baff. 
THE I'OWER BEHIND IT.—It would be an in- 
.sult to the intelligence of farmers to a.ssume that 
they could not see through such a transparent trick. 
Senator Wicks had the opportunity of a lifetime. 
He might have furthered his higher political am¬ 
bitions by a strong stand for the farm interests he 
was supposed to represent. He cho.'^e rather to 
take sides with big interests and political rings 
r.nd in doing so he has blasted his prospects of 
further advances in this State. With it all they 
cannot put the trick over, fidie Governor would 
hardly permit it and it is doubtful if Mr. Perkins 
appreciated the farm interest involved. If they 
did adopt it the next Governor of the Empire State 
would be a farmer, not of the silk-stocking variety 
but a real farmer from the soil, and we have any 
amount of capable timber from that source in the 
State. Let them take a lesson from North Dakota. 
Cold Storage Eggs Must be Marked 
Last Week Justice Bijur of the Supreme Court 
granted the application of Commissioner John J. 
Dillon, of the Department of Foods and Markets, 
for an injunction to compel the dc'alers in the State 
of New York to mark each cold storage egg with 
the words “cold storage,” as soon as the eggs are 
taken out of the oidginal package in which thej' 
had been held in cold storage. The dealers now 
violating this order would l)e in contempt of court. 
It will compel the sale of cold storage eggs for 
just what they are and will prevent the practice 
so long in vogue of selling cold storage eggs as 
fresh eggs. The cold storage eggs are put in cold 
storage in the April season at low prices and held 
at little expense and could be sold at a good profit 
this year at 2Sc a dozen wholesale. They have al¬ 
ready been sold for 35c a dozen and before the in¬ 
junction was isued they were retailing for as high 
as 55c to GOc. Of course, that kept the price of 
fresh eggs low. Fresh eggs are now coming in from 
California, J’ennessee, Texas and Yirginia and have 
had an effect on local markets. 
The prompt prosecution of the violation of this 
order was taken up by Attorney General Woodbury 
and the case was efficiently handled in the court 
by Deputy Attorney Generals Albert Becker and Ed¬ 
gar Bromberger. The attorney general’s office has 
been especially vigilant and prompt in the handling 
of every requirement of the Department of Foods 
and Markets. 
Notes from Department of Foods and 
Markets 
204 Franklin St., New York City 
EGGS.—There was a decline in the market on State 
eggs this week, due to the large quantity of white eggs 
brought here from California that are selling in the 
whole.sale market at from 5()c to 52c. These are large 
white eggs and compete with the State product to such 
an extent that the market declined 55c-,5Gc on the 
finest State hennery whites, while brown eggs held 
about steady at ,5.5c per dozen. Texas and Tennessee 
fresh gathered eggs selling at 4Gi/^ to 4Sc as per size 
and fre.shness. Storage eggs in small compass and 
selling at from 34e to 37c per dozen as to quality. 
BUTTER.—IlK)liday trade was disappointing and 
with increased receipts from State nearby section.s. the 
market declined fully le per pound with finest West¬ 
ern Creamery not exceeding 41^/^. while commercial 
grades are selling from 38c to 40c. Finest State dairy 
in tubs, 38c to ,39c; mixed packages not exceeding 34c 
to 36c. 
CHEESE.—Not much fresh cheese coming from any 
section, but owing to the continued export demand the 
market rules firm at 24i/^c on fancy colored; white is 
difficult to sell at over 2.3i/^c to 24c. 
LIVE POULTRY.—Supply light and market steady 
to firm at 21c to 22c on heavy fowls. 19c to 20c on 
Leghorns, small chickens 21c to 22c. Coarse heavy 
chickens, slow, 18c; old roosters 1,5c; turkeys 22c to 
2.5c; fat geese 19e to 20c; fat ducks 20c to 22c; 
pigeons 25c pair; guinea fowls GOc to 65c a pair. 
DRESSED POULTRY.—Turkeys lower, m.irket 
slow, 33c on Western ; .31c to .32c on Texas. Milk fed 
roasting chickens steady 27e to 28c; corn fed 2,5c to 
27c; fricassee fowls 22o to 24c as to size; squabs .$4 
to .$6 per dozen ; guinea fowls .$1.40 to $1..50 pair. 
LIVE CAIjYES.—P rime veals 151^ to 16c; medium 
1414e to 1.5c; common 11c to 12c; buttermilks 7c to 
8c; grassers 6e to 7c. 
DRESSED CALVES.—Fancy white-mcated veals 
21c; good to prime 19c to 20c; common 17c to ISc. 
DRESSED HOGS AND ROASTING PIGS.—Suck¬ 
ling pigs weighing 10 to 12 pounds, 19e to 20c; 14 to 
IG pounds. 17c to 18c; light pigs. 14c to 1.5c; medium 
hogs, 141/^c; heavy hogs. 12%c to Iffl^c; old sows, 
12c; old boars 9c to lOc! 
DRESSED HOTHOUSE LAMBS.—Market firm at 
$12 to $12.50 on fancy weighing over 30 pounds; prime 
light lambs $11 to $12 ; imitations ,$9 to $10 per car¬ 
cass. 
APPLES.—Much complaint about fruit arriving 
chilled and some cases frozen. Shippers should pro¬ 
tect fruit in transit by using building paper or some 
other material on the inside of the cars. Fancy fruit 
in active demand at ,$,5.2.5 to .$.5..50 on Baldwins; .|.5..50 
to $G on Greenings; A^irglnia York Imperials .$4.50 
to .$4.7.5; Northern Spy, .$G for fancy; Kings .$4.50 
to $.5. 
ONIONS.—Another advance owing to light offer¬ 
ings. Market firm at $5 on yellow and ,$4.85 to ,$5 per 
100 pounds on red. White .$2.40 to .$2.,50 per bushel 
crate. 
POTATOES.—Adverse weather conditions materially 
reduced available supply and market advanced to ,$5.50 
per lG,5-pound bag on finest 5Iaine and State stock, 
while bulk stock is selling at $1.90 to $1.95 per bushel 
with some business reported at $2 per bushel on fancy. 
TURNIPS.—Receipts light and market firm at $2 
to .$2.25 per 100-pound bag on rutabagas. 
HONEY.—Market firm under light offerings at 14c 
to 1,5c on No. 1 comb; inferior grades low as 10c to 
12c; extracted Gc to 8c per pound as to quality. 
NUTS.—Hickory nuts more plentiful and ,$3.25 per 
bushel full high on be.st shellbarks; ordinary are slow 
at .$3 per GO-pound bushel; bull nuts $1 to $1.25; 
black walnuts 90c to $1. 
DRIED BEANS.—5Iarket is slow at 11c to 12c 
per pound on marrow, while 11c is full high on pea 
beans; red and white kidney 12c to 1214c. 
GINSENG.—Arrivals light but demand limited, es¬ 
pecially for small lot.s, as dealers prefer large quanti¬ 
ties. Sales range from $7 to $10 on wild, and $3 to $4 
per pound on cultivated. 
Summary of sales of miscellaneous fartn products 
during the week ending .Tanuary ,3rd, 1917 ; 
EGGS. 
1 case . 
10 cases . 
314 c:ises . 
4 ca.ses . 
3 cases . 
1 case ... 
1214 cases . 
2 cases . 
214 cases . 
G cases . 
8 cases . 
4 cases . 
2 cases . 
114 case . 
9 cases . 
5 cases . 
1 case . 
POTU/IKY. 
52 lbs. chickens . 
441 lbs. chickens . 
210 lbs. chickens . 
101 lbs. chickens . 
27 lbs. chickens . 
,321 lbs. chickens . 
.396 lbs. fowl . 
14.3 lbs. fowl . 
54 lbs. turkeys . 
375 lbs. turkeys . 
47 lbs. turkeys . 
67 lbs. capons . 
nUTTEU. 
5 lbs. 
ISO Ib.s. ... 
GO lbs. 
70 lbs. 
60 lbs. 
MI.SCEI.I-.XXEOrS. 
8214 li’s. honey . 
1416 sections honey . 
151 lbs. rabbits . 
42 lbs. hickory nuts, bn. 
1 calf skin. 8 lbs. 
1 calf skin, 814 lbs. 
1 heavy kip . 
(Continued on page 63.) 
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