The Wicks Committee’s Bill 
A Cumbersome Political Measure 
ALTERING AGIlICITLTURAr. I.AW.—Tho bill 
for a ucw Department of Asi'icnlture. Foods and 
MaJ-kets, devised by Senator Wicks and ex-.Tndge 
Ward is in its present shape, beyond doubt the craz¬ 
iest piece of iwlitical patchwork that has ever made 
an appearance in Albany. It is a bill of 107 pages, 
and largely a readjustment of the agricultiiral law, 
and the statutes defining the duties of the Depart¬ 
ment of Foods and Markets, and the Department of 
Weights and Measures. It also jtropo.ses to transfer 
the cold storage section of the health law to the 
l)roposed new department and authorizes cities to 
establish municipal market department!?. Three 
features of the bill stand out in clear relief: 
1. POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY.—Essentially it is 
a ripper bill. Time, heads of departments are pro¬ 
vided for inas'inuch as positions and salaries are 
concerned, but they ai’e reduced to mere servants of 
a boai’d of which they are members and are de¬ 
barred from taking any initiative in their work, and 
denied the incentive of credit or public recognition 
for meritorious or distinctive .service. They would 
have neither the appointment nor control of em¬ 
ployees. they are made subject to removal and al¬ 
together the scope and influence of their activities 
would be under effective administrative conti’ol. 
Politically, tlie reorganization would be complete. 
li. ABSOLI'TE INDIFFERENCE TO THE AGRI- 
CT'LTT’RAL NEEDS OF THE STATE.—Inasmuch 
as the authors of the measure have just spent |2o,- 
investigating farm conditions and have been 
granted an additional $,32,()(MI by the-present Legi.s- 
lafure to continue their investigation, the neglect of 
agricultural needs in the bill can hardly be entii-e- 
ly charged to ignorance, and yet a want of real 
touch with average farm conditions is probably re¬ 
sponsible for much of it. The rest may be charged 
to indifference and to magnetic assocdatious de¬ 
veloped in the big city. We have evidences of a 
double standard for milk—one for the coiintry, to 
lower the price, and another for the city, to in¬ 
crease the jtrice there. We have the farce in scor¬ 
ing of barns and the errors in testing of milk for 
fat. We have one standard for the country and 
another for the city. We have one rule for the 
small dealer and the producing .shipper, and we 
have another rule for the big dealer. We have a 
sanitary live stock service that, sadly needs intel¬ 
ligent and comprehensive revision. We have a heed¬ 
less waste of food products in both city and coun¬ 
try and especially in the wanton waste through con¬ 
demnation of the Git.v Board of Health. The 
archaic, inefficient and harmful laws affecting the.se 
conditions are transferred untouched from the old 
to the new department without change or revision. 
.'Starting out ostensibly as an agricultural mi.ssion, 
the Wicks rommittee has lost complete sight of the 
farm in the shadow of the towering magnificence of 
city office buildings. 
.3. SYMPATHY WITH LARGE DISTRIBUTING 
INTERESTS.—The Department of Foods and IMnr- 
kets is subjected to i)aiuless dentistry, and every 
tooth in it is scheduled for extraction. It could 
organize no more public auctions of farm products 
nor.conduct any more sales of milk. The large milk 
dealers could divide the city among themselves, each 
holding a monopoly of trade in a fixed zone and 
jirices for the consumer. The producers would have 
one cu.stomer only for milk and an.v association of 
producers for nnitual protection or benefit would be 
illegal unless placed completely in the control of 
the commi.ssion. Moreover, the farmer might be 
prosecuted in the courts for any alleged damage 
sustained through farm organizations. It will be 
remembered that a suit was started on this theory 
last October against Commi.ssioner Dillon and the 
executive committee of the League but later 
aViandoned. It is now proposed to make their work 
a statutory offense and a legal cause for pecuniary 
damages. The.se features of the bill were submitted 
in advance to the attorney of the dealers. It was 
discussed and revised to suit dealers in the Wall 
Street ofiice of the attorneys of one of the large dis¬ 
tributors, and after conference, with several dis¬ 
tributors, there approved long before it was sub¬ 
mitted to anyone representing farm interests. 3'wo 
months ago, the dealers rejoiced at the prospect of 
this bill, and even then expressed fear only of the 
opposition of Dillon. Toda.v the.v face the opitosi- 
tion of the united agricultural interests of the State. 
FDRM DF GOMiMISSlON.—The bill provides for 
a commission of seven members, an attorney counsel 
and a .secretary. Two of the members are ex-officio and 
draw no salaries, but the salaries of the other mem¬ 
bers. the attorney counsel and secretar.v amount to 
.%’)4.000 annually, which is a considerable increase 
Tihe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
over the pre.sent administration of the three depart¬ 
ments. Farmers like a single-headed department. The 
majority of other citizens agr^e with them. In a sin¬ 
gle-headed department the i)eopIe can center in¬ 
dividual resjmnsibilit.v. and b.y proper criticism re¬ 
strain the respon.sible head from continuing an er¬ 
ror, or a deliberate abu.se. or through merited ap¬ 
proval encourage and in.spire him to his fullest 
capacity for service. A commission composed of 
several members is lacking in initiative, in prompt¬ 
ness and vigor of action. It lacks individual and 
personal resi)onsibility. and is for that reason less 
responsible to jjublic demand. On the other hand, a 
commi.ssion has the advantage of broader coun.sel 
and has its own claims for recognition and its own 
advocates among statesmen. Like the single-headed 
commi.ssion. its success depends more upon the form 
of the law. In the pre.sent situation the commi.s¬ 
sion promises elements of pi’ogress that may not be 
otherwise po.ssible at this time. If they are and 
fundamental refiu'irements are provided for, the 
commission form would not be an insuperable ob¬ 
jection. We are now more concerned for i)rogress 
in this Avork than in the mere form or commission 
used to create it. 
IMPROVING EXISTING LAWS.—Several pro- 
vi.sions of the old agricultural law need revi.sion, 
and the laws pertaining to dairy industry particu¬ 
larly .should be revised, and provi.sions added to uni¬ 
fy obligations and privileges, and to standardize the 
products for the Avhole State. The foods and markets 
law could be improved by a clearer definition of the 
authority, and iin extension of its scope and power, 
fi'e avoid duplication of inspection and administra¬ 
tion by the different departments, and concentrate 
this work under one head, is an economic provision. 
This reform is in the right (lirection. It should 
make the insi)ection service more economic and more 
efiicient, but in their administrative function the 
.Vgricultural Department, and the Foods and Mar¬ 
kets Department must be kept separate and dis¬ 
tinct. and the heads in chai'ge of them—notwith¬ 
standing their place in a commis.sion—must be made 
as responsive to public needs and demands as they 
now are. This must needs clothe them Avith in¬ 
dividual authority as Avell as individual respon¬ 
sibilities. 
REVISING THE BILL.—To revise the bili prop¬ 
erly and efficiently avouUI be virtually to make a 
new one. If these revisions be permitted, hoAvever, 
the bill might be adopted under its present title. A 
.suggestion has already been made to revise and re- 
Avrite it, but if this is not done the Wick.s-Ward de¬ 
vice is headed full speed for the political junk-heap. 
Overcharging by Express 
Recently the Department of Foods and Markets 
checked up 100 shipments of produce by expre.ss, 
and found 00 i)er cent, of them had been oA'er- 
charged by the express companies. The custom 
seems to be to estimate the Aveight at the shipping 
station, and to over-estimate the Aveight. The re¬ 
ceiver must pay the charges before I’eceiviug the 
goods, and even if he Aveighed them before paying, 
he Avould not knoAV the rate from point of shipment. 
The result is the shijjper pays expressage on moi*e 
Aveight than his package contain.s, and of course on 
more Aveight than he gets paid for. 
The farmer Avho .ships produce by express should 
therefore see that the goods are accurately Aveighed 
and billed at the shipping station, and he should 
see that the proper Aveight is in the i*eceipt or bill 
of lading. This precaution Avill save him money on 
more than one-half his express shipments. The 
Aveight of eggs shipped by the case is. hoAvever, 
standardized by the Interstate Commerce Commi.s¬ 
sion ; and the caution does not apply to them. 
Six Middlemen Handle Apples 
On i)age 271 Ave printed a letter from .Tohn E. 
Walker of Virginia in regard to .selling apples. 
Here he is again: 
I very vividly remember the specimens of apples that 
the Hope Farm man had exhibited on a table at our 
Harrisburg meeting in 1912. The mo.st vital question 
today before the farmers and fruit groAvers of America 
is the elimination of the inseless and costly middleman. 
Of course, this change cannot be brought about all at 
one time, but if Ave keep fighting Ave Avill surely Avin in 
the end. For instance, in 1915 I sold my apples to a 
buyer at .$2.00 f.o.b. my loading point. This buyer 
Avas middleman X^o. 1, through his broker here, mid¬ 
dleman N^o. 2, he sold through a broker, say at At¬ 
lanta, Ga., middleman No. 3, Avho sold to a jobber Avho 
Avas middleman No. 4, and this jobber sold to the Avhole- 
.saler, middleman No. 5, who in turn sold to the retailer, 
middleman N^o. 6, before my apples actually got to the 
consumer. I have actually traced shipments and have 
known them to pa.ss through the number of middlemen 
337 
above outlined. Such a condition of things is so 
absurd. In 1910 this same buyer Avould only offer me 
$1.90 per barrel fur what Ave knoAv as number one 
apples, giving as his reason that the crop for 1910 Avas 
far greater than that of 1915, in spite of the fact that 
I presA'nted to him Government reports, the report of 
the Virginia State Horticultural Society and other re¬ 
liable .sources of information that I had. The buyer 
not Avautiug to be convinced I, in desperation, Avas 
forced to go South and sidl my oavu apples, and Avas 
able to dispose of even our old friend, Ben Davis, at $1.25 
per bushel or .$.3.75 per barrel; and right here I Avant 
to say a Avord in defen.se of Ben Davis. Time and 
again I have had buyers come into my cars, sample 
V inesijp, Mammoth Black TAvig. York Imperial and 
Ben Davis, and then buy Ben DaA’is in preference. 
Surely there is no accounting for taste. I appreciate 
deeply the splendid Avork that you and your associates 
are doing. JOHX E. avalker. 
Virginia. 
Notes from Department of Foods and 
Markets 
204 Franklin St., New York City 
EGGS.—The market continues firm. Prices have 
fiuctuated tAvo and three cents per dozen during the 
week. Me expect the market to go considerably loAver 
Avithin the next Aveek. At this Avriting, fancy State 
and nearby hennery Avhites .sell for 45c to .50c; State 
and nearby gathered Avhites 40c to 47c; fancy State 
and nearby hennery broAvns 44c' to 48c; State and 
nearby hennery broAvns and mixed gathered 40c to 46c. 
BUTTER.—Butter market unsettled. Fancy West¬ 
ern creamery 44c to 45c; prime to fancy .39c to 4.5c; 
best Eastern dairy, in tubs. .3.5c to 40c: prints 41c to 
4.3c: mixed packages .34c to .38c. 
CHEESE.—Prices continue firm Avith increased re¬ 
ceipts from the IVestern coast. NeAv York State Avhole 
milk flats, held specials, 2.5c to 26o; prime to fancy 
24c to 2.5i/^c; fre.sh Avhite and colored flats 22c to 
25e; held tAvins 241/. to 2.5c; Cheddars, fre.sh and held, 
25e to 25i/4c; fancy .single daisies 2.5c to 2.5i/^c; State 
skims, choice and specials, 19i/^c to 21c; loAver grades 
12c to 19c. 
LI\ E POULTR5.—Express receipts of nearb.v liA'e 
poultry continue light. Chickens 21c to 2.3c; foAvls 
2.3c to 24c; roosters firm at 10c. 
DRESSED POULTRY.—Receipts light with good 
demand. FoavIs 2.3c to 24c; roasting chicken.s 27c to 
28c; broilers .30c to 40c; ducks 2.5c; gee.se 21c; tur¬ 
keys .30c to .35c. 
LI\ E CALVES.—Market loAver than last AA’eek. 
Fancy calves 1.5c to 15%c; good to prime ISy^c to 15c; 
common lli^c to 12c; buttermilks 7c to 8c; yearlings 
7c to 7l4c. 
DRESSED CALVES AND LAMBS.—Under heavy 
receipts, the market dfeclined. Fancy Avhite meated 
calves 20y2C to 21e; good to prime 19c to 20y[C; com¬ 
mon 18c to l<8i^c; buttermilks slow at .$8 to $10 each. 
LI\E liAMBS AND SHEEP.—LiA'e lambs higher 
than last Aveek, 1.5y2C to 15%c; old eAves IVz to 9c. 
ROASTING PIGS AND DRESSED PORK.—Good 
demand for roasting pigs Aveighiug from 15 to 25 
pounds. IVe sold one lot last week of three pigs, to¬ 
tal Aveight 91 pounds, at 19c per pound. Roasting pigs, 
10 to 15 pounds, each, 20e to 21c; 15 to 20 pounds 
each, 18c to 20c; 25 to .35 pounds each, 17e to 18c; 
light pigs, 40 to 60 pounds each, 17c to 18c; medium 
hogs, 80 to KX) pounds each, 16c to 16i/4c: dre.ssed 
hogs, 100 to 150 pounds, 15c to 15i^c; 150 to 200 
pounds and over, 14c to 15c. 
APPLES.—Apple market continues firm on fancy 
fruit. Fancy BaldAvins as high as .$6.25 per barrel; 
fancy Greenings $7.50. The receipts are light and a 
large portion of these receipts have been frosted. Fancy 
Ncav York State BaldAvins .$.5..50 to $6.25; “A” grade 
$4 to $5.50; ’‘B” and ungraded .$.3.50 to .$4; fancy 
Ncav York State Greenings .$5 to $7.50; “A” grade $4 
to $7.50; “B” and ungraded .$3 to .$5; Northern Spy 
$4 to $6.50; Meinto.sh .$5 to $7; Spitzenburg $4 to .$6; 
Ben Davis .$2.75 to .$3.75; TAventy Dunce .$.3 to $5; 
IVolf River .$3.50 to .$5; King $.3..50 to .$5; Suoav .$4 
to $5. 
I*OTATOES AND VEGETABLES.—Potato market 
is higher and dealers are obtaining famine prices. Re¬ 
ceipts from alt sections are light. February 20 the 
JeAvi.sh housewives moved in a body upon City Hall 
and protested against the high prices of potatoes and 
onions. FolloAving this, market declined from .$2 to 
$3 per hundred on onions and from 50c to $1 per barrel 
on potatoes. Long Island, barrel, .$9 to .$9..50; State 
and Maine, 165 pound _bag.s. .$8.75 to ,$9; Virginia 2nd 
crop, barrel, ,$8 to .$9.50; Bermuda, second crop, bar¬ 
rel, .$8 to $9.50. Onions—Red and yelloAv $11 to $1,3 
per 100 pound bag; bushel crate .$4 to .$6. Cabbage— 
State, ton, $125 to $150; Long Island, barrel, .$6 to 
$7.75; Florida, basket, $2. to .$3.50; Carrots—State, 
100 pounds, $2 to $3.50. Beans—Market firm and 
prices higher than last Aveek. There is a good demand 
for all varieties. MarroAv. KXI pounds, $12.25 to .$13; 
pea .$12 to $12.60; red kidney $12 to .$13; red mar- 
roAV ,$10 to $11; yelloAV eye .$9.50 to .$10..50. 
HONEY AND MAPLE SYRUP.—No. 1 Clover 
comb honey, lb.,- 15c to 16c; lower grades 14c to 15c; 
extracted buckwheat in good demand and scarce, 7c to 
8c pound. Maple syrup in good demand at $1.2,5 gallon. 
HIDES.—No. 1 calf skins, .50c; No. 2 calf skins 
48c; bob skins $2 to .$2.25 each; heaA’y kips $6 to $7 
each; cowhides. No. 1, 20c; ordinary, lOe to 18c; 
horse hides .$4 to $.S each. 
