Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-07-22
FARMERS VS.. DEALERS.
The Farmers, Side of the Question
we'll stated.

WeAR Stateus
EDITORS HERALD: In your paper OF
the 18th inst. noticed that some one
connected with a cold storage and pack
ing company gave to your reporter some
rather startling figures regarding the
value of hog products imported from the
East. l believe the imports were stated
as over $40, 900 monthly; and it was also
stated that about all the ham, bacon and
lard used here was imported.
Now, i'll view of these facts, it might
seem strange that our farmers should al
low such state Of things to exist. Permit
me to suggest, however, that it is not en-
tirely the fault of the farmers. They are
aple and willing to supply the markets OF
Los Angeles with all the produce re-
quired, and could do SO with profit to
themselves and advantage to the con.
sumers, as we'll, were it not that they
are certain of being cinched by the COM
binatlon of dealers every time they offer
for sale a few pounds Of produce in ex-
cess of the requirements fer the day or
week. One extra wagon load of pota-
toes, for example, knocks the market to
smithereens. Yet, in a month or so,
when the home crop is gone, our dealers
cheerfully import by the carload, from
the North and East.
Just so long as our produce fully sup
plies the market, be it for day or
year, just 30 long do prices remain dis.
conragingly low. AS soon as this pro-
duce is consumed, and imports COM
mence, up go the prices; and people
again wonder why the farmers are SO in
| different to their golden opportunities.
Let them wonder. 'Devilish sly is Joey
Bagstock."
| few years ago most every farmer in
Southern California had his band of
hogs, and though it cost little to raise
them, it did cost something, and when
the price went away below that some.
thing, all the then existing four-legged
hogs were killed off. Some of the two
let ged ones are said to have made for
tunes out of the disaster.
| What we need here is legitimate ex-
change where values may be fxed-not
capriciously, as in the old Produce Ex-
chaDge-but with some regard to the sup
ply and demand. II feggs are going to be
worth forty cents dozen when imported
next week, they are worth neither sixty
cents or ten cents this week. If hay is
going to be worth ten dollars ton next
fall, 1t is not worth twenty dollars now,
nor is five dollars fair price for it. If
barley is going to be worth a dollar a
cwt. next winter, it is worth over
forty cents today; and 80 on. We
don't know, in this place, what anything
is worth, or what it is likely to be worth.
The farmer only requires what his pro.
\ duce is worth to successfully supply the
market, but he must have that at least.
| Why, if he only got seventy-fve per cent.
of the average price that the consumer
pays he would soon be independent.
In eastern cities it is known approx.
mately what product will bring at any
time, because the supply is carefully
considered and the consumption is
known. Who knows whether the potato
crop of this county amounts to 10000 or
| 100 600 sacks; the hay crop to 5000 or
500 900 tons? We may guess, but that
is all. There is no legitimate bureau of
information, no reliable guide, nothing
| by which to fix just values. Our dealers
may know about what the demand is
The supply they can better figure on
when everything is imported. They
then know just about how many car
loads of potatoes, butter, chickens, eggs,
etc. are here and on the way, and can
regulate the market accordingly. Pos
sibly that may account for their apparent
desire to discourage home productionl
1t must bs admitted that the farmers
do little ciDching themselves whenever
the rare opportunity offers. Under the
present. abnormal system it is their only
way of saving Themselves from absolute
destruction. RUsTICUs.
Los Angeles, July II, 1889.