The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1872-09-11

would gladly sell to him for $40 !;
the balance going to enrich a class
Of spccu!ators and middle-mcn
whose services might be dispensed
with, and whose profits might be
saved, by bringing the manutac-
turer and the consumer into dl-
rect communication.
The importer Of commercial fer
tilizers and the thousands OF other
articles Of which the farmer is the
great consumer, adds his own
profits to the original cost trans
portation aud duties, and passes
t h e m along to the consumer
through the same extended line
Of middle-mcn, each Of whom adds
heavy per cent. to swell the ultl-
mate price to be paid by the con-
sumner.
In recently published article
upon commercial statistics it is
Quoted as fact that the city OF
New York sends out 10000 COM
mercial agents, or drummers, at 4
cost of IS per day for wages and
travelling expenses. This will
amount e the enormous sum Of
$4,000 per day, or S7,2OO,OOO
per month-wbich Of course is
added to the price of the goods
sold by them, and is Of course
eventually paid by the consumers
Of the same, of whom the farmers
constitute four.ffths.
This is only q simple illustration
of the manifold ways in which the
producer and the consumer of
everything that becomes subject
of trade is taxed by the present
system of exchange, the one re-
ceiving less and the other paying
more than he would by more d.
rect and less circuitous system.
The evil Of which we complain
finds a stronger illustration when
we come to consider the way in
which the farmer sells the surplus
of what he produces. Spectators,
dealers and transportation compa-
nies so combine as to leave IN the
hands Of the farmer or planter,
barely enough to cover the cost
of production, while the price paid
BY the distant consumer is equally
under their control.
This evil is undoubtedly to some
extent inevitable. While the me-
diation of agents of exchange can
not be wholly dispensed with, It
can and should be largely decreas-
ed.
It is one Of the designs, and has
been one of the practical effects of
this order to do this. Perhaps
the best illustration Of how this
can be done, is to relate how it
has been in those States where
the order is the most extensive
and the best organized.
I will cite the State Of Iowa,
where there are between four and
five hundred active, working
Oranges, under jealous, vigilant,
intelligent and we'll organized
State Grange.
The National Grange several
months ago, called the attention
Of the officers of the different
State Oranges to this subject, and
recommended them to communl-
cate with the manufacturers OF
the various kinds Of agricultural
tools, implements, and machinery,
commercial fertilizers, &C., to as
certain if they would deal directly
with the various Oranges, with
out the intervention Of agents and
dealers, and to procure the lowest
wholesale cash terms of the artl-
cles manufactured by them.
As the National Grange had
several hundred subordinate Gran.
ges under it's immediate jurisdic.
ton, it issued similar circular to
the most prominent manufactu,
rers, &c. The State Grange OF
Iowa took prompt action in the
matter, and in short time hun
dreds Of responses were received
soliciting direct trade with the
Oranges, and giving their whole
sale terms or rates of discount
Others declared that as soon as
they could honorably release them
selves from existing obligations
they should seek this system o:
exchange.
The modus operandi then wa:
this:-The Secretary Of the State
Grange addressed a confidential
circular to the Secretary Of each
subordinate Grange, giving the
names of the firms, price, &c
The members of their Grange:
then gave orders to the Secretary
of their Grange for such article:
as they desired to purchase. Wher
the Grange had been thoroughly
canvasscd, these orders were SEN
to the Secretary Of the STATE
Grange. ;,
When the orders were all il
from the different Oranges: they
were classified and forwarded t.
the parties who had made the bes
offers for the various articles.
Special rates for transportation
were then arranged, and the re