Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-08-07
SMALLER PROFITS.

Our Morristown correspondent has some
sound ideas, but we do not feel like hauling
Mcleod over the Goals for past acts, very
severely, when we see him take the bold
stand for cash sales and small profits which
he has taken. He will get the trade
while be sticks to his text. Nobody but
those who don't intend to pay their debts
will 60 to the other stores and buy -four for
81 per barrel more than Nc. asks for it, be-
cause if they are men who pay their debts
they will choose to raise the money and pay
him the cash.
McLeod's sales have more than doubled
since he announced the reduction, and others
can safely count on like effects if they will
follow his example. Prices, all over the
country, have been kept as near the high
rates current during the war as it was pos
sible for the dealers, through combination, to
keep them. Labor and many unmanufac-
tured articles have fallen in price, mean
while, and the increasing difference between
. the price received by the producer and that
4 paid by the consumer has been added to the
commissions and profits of dealers. This
cannot continue. Farmers are combining to
4 free themselves from the extortions of the
class who monopolize trade, and through
! combination they get goods much cheaper
than through the regular retail trade. They
are in earnest, and will continue their work
until their end is accomplished. Prices
must and will come down to living level,
and as this is accomplished large percent
age of the dealers-those who are now sup
ported on the excess Of pro6ts-will be
driven from their useless occupation and COM
PEELED to earn living at some productive
labor. There is no danger of all dealers be.
ing driven from the field by this course on
the part Of the farmers. Only the surplus
will be driven away, and those who soonest
accept the situation, break away from the
restraints Of their confederates in trade, aud
have the courage to sell their goods at a
reasonable profit, if they have backbone
enough to carry them through the tide Of
opposition and hatred which they thus arouse,
will come out ahead. A good, experienced
buyer will be able to serve the farmers in
this capacity better than they can serve
themselves, and when one comes out on the
grange basis of cash sales and small profits
the oranges will see it for their interest to
patronize him 80 long as he honestly holds
to that rule.
These facts we mention not as applying to
st. Johnsbury but to the whole country, and
particularly the state of Vermont.
But we have something to say about pric-
ca in this place. We last week published a
list Of prices Of meat from a st. Adams
meat store, which was considerably below
the prices asked here. They were the pric-
es at which the meat is now being advertis-
ed, and we are informed that the advertiser
is considered first class dealer. The pric-
es were from to 2 cents per pound lower
on beef, roast and steak, than the quot
ed retail market price, but that price is fur.
nished by the dealers who sell above the ad-
vertiser, and his advertisement is to let PEG.
pie know that he undersels them. We in
tend hereafter to occasionally print the st.
Adams retail market prices, and st. Johns
bury people can draw their own comparisons
between them and the prices they have to pay.
1t has been suggested to some Of our farm
er friends that the publication Of these pric.
es would hurt them because if dealers were
driven to selling cheaper they would need to
buy cattle cheaper, but farmers are not all
fools, aud they readily see the fallacy Of
this argument. These butchers have moi
been paying SO much more for cattle than is
paid at st. Adams. Besides, this place il
on n railroad leading to Boston cattle are
shipped there from here every week, and
they sell as well for that market as for this
Were st. Johnsbury wiped out of existence
as market for beef, the effect on the price
Of cattle in this vicinity could never be per
ceiyed.
When "0bserver" offered to take l0C
dozen ClArk's spool cotton, so pieces Mer
rimack prints, and bale of brown cotton
at the prices we had named, though We did
not contemplate going into the wholesale
trade, yet, knowing that the goods could BE-
bought at less than those figures, we at once
agreed to furnish them. We heard nothing
more Of the matter for about two weeks
During this time some grades of prints, ac-
cOrding to adyices from New York, had ad.
vanced l cent per yard, and there was q
6rmer feeling reported on all kinds. Then
in comes "0bserver" (hAVing probably Job
served" the rise) with al order for prints
but will not take anything else. We did
not feel under obligations at that late dat