Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-07-24
MIDDLEMFN; NO. 2.

Farmers arc not tho only people who are
interested in the prices Of merchandise and
for whose interest 1t is that traders should
not charge too high profit for doing their
business. Every mechanic, every village
resident, who is not directly interested in
the trade as dealer, will rejoice 10 see the
monopolizing rings who have controlled trade
broken, aud prices brought down TO living
level This will be done. The farmers in
their different organizations are in earnest,
and have already found they can buy many
articles at reduced prices by combining and
ordering themselves. This has been done
in the West more than here, but when we
see twenty or thirty farmers, by combining
their orders, without any business experience,
effect a saving of thirty or forty per cent.
on small invoice of goods, the question
arises: What mustbe the profits Of the reg
ular retailers who have the advantage Of
thorough knowledge of the ways Of trade to
aid them 10 making purchases
The merchant can readily estimate the
cost to the farmer Of the production Of a
given crop. He knows approximately what
it costs 10 pillow, plaut, and hoe an acre Of
corn or potatoes, and the cost Of harvesting;
the farmer has no means of estimating the
cost to the merchant Of his goods. That is
carefully kept concealed by private marks
on the goods and private terms between the
wholesaler and the retailer. Ask the manu-
facturer Of machinery sold through local
dealers, for his prices and, unless he has ev'
cry assurance that you wish to purchase by
the quantity, or to positively act as agent
so that it will'be for your pecuniary interest
to keep his secrets, he will reply; "Our re-
tail price is so much. Aud if you ask the
wholesale rate, you stand good chance to
be kicked out for your impertinence. 1t is
none of your business what the goods you
buy of the merchant cost him. That is his
affair. All you have to do is to pay him
whatever he sees fit to ask. you, and ask no
questions But when the farmer has any
thing to sell he must take the dealers word
and his price for it. Through organization
among dealers every facility is given then
to know the state OF the markets. The mar
ket prices given in the newspapers are pro
cured under difficulties; they have in a con
siderable part to be taken as the dealers choos
to give them, and reporter on the spot il
many instances is obliged to take their word
Then how often, when good lot of cattl
or produce, or a cargo of imported goods II
sold, do we see itreported on private terms.
The merchant is in constant receipt o
special price reports, private circulars offer
ing specially advantageous terms, &c. o
course, this is a free country, and the mer
chant has a right to keep his own counse
and drive sharp bargains, build splendi
houses and drive gay teams, spend pleas
ant vacation on the sea-shore, and speculat
little in stocks and bonds, and have ever,
luxury that heart could wish. But being
free country country of equal rights
the farmer has also right to form a comb
nation and acquire such information abol
the doings of "the trade" as he may be abb
And when he compares his own situatio
with the picture presented above, his hou
deteriorating for want of a little paint whiC
he "can't afford this year" and knows thu
even if he had a nice turnout he never hi
time to use it, and that he must toll ar
sweat in the hay and grain fields when
would be so pleasant to rusticate little
the cool watering-places and that he CO
hardly spare his children from labor Ion
enough to give them common-school educ
ton, much less afford money to put the
through college,-when he contrasts the tv
pictures We cannot blame him if he appli
rather strong language to the system of bu
mess that makes these things possible.
But wherever evil exists there is chanC
to reform; and injustice and oppression wi
surely work the destruction of their authc
The oranges, the farmers clubs, and the pc
pie generally, have decreed that more re
sonable prices shall prevail, and they a
fast carrying out that decree.
They meet with opposition not only fro
the trading interests, but from portion
the press, very few Of whom dare cor
out ard show their colors.
The VERMONT FARMER recently publish
list of bona fde retail prices at which &C
tain articles were sold in a neighboring v
lage, and compared them with the prices
the same articles as given US by dealers
st. Johnsbury, showing large difference
favor of the outside firm. We were fort
with threatened with financial ruin, and ev
material violence was threatened. L
we do not propose to be dictated to by a
ring. We publish paper for the poop
and believing that if st. Johnsbury m
chants were charging more for goods I'll
other merchants considered fair profit
was for the interest of the people to kn
it, we printed the list. This week We pr
the regular reported wholesale prices
some articles in common use, and the reaC
can quickly figure for himself the differel
between the price (reduced by the custom
ny discount on large orders, and the disco
for CASH. and the prices he has been in
habit Of paying.
A newspaper which derives its chief
come from the advertisements of local tr
ers, or which is under the control of a gr
mOneycd corporation, may perhaps crouch
COVER before the combinations which now