The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-01-30

the rates on small shipments, as now
forwarded, made the articles purchased
cost more than they are sold for by the
city dealers-and this, Notwithstanding
the fact that these dealers charge very
high rates for what is often very far
from first-rate produce.
1t is quite probable that if the rail-
roads should Willingly and in good faith
inaugurate such a system, it would be
some time before it would be fully APP
preciated and extensively made use of.
1t would take our farmers year, per-
haps, to learn and realize such change
in the conditions of trade. But it is
contrary to all that is known of human
nature to suppose that this would long
be the case Starting as a mere dribble.
we believe it would soon become a
steady and increasing stream, growing,
as the express business has grown,
from what one man could carry in a
handbag to the loading of myriads of
cars.
Mr. Towle thinks our farmers natu-
rally prefer to do their business through
chain of middlemen, beginning with
the country merchant and running
through a succession of commission
merchant, wholesale dealer and re-
tail dealer, every one of which
must have his prolit-profts which will
often aggregate to much more than
half of the ultimate selling price. The
truth is that is what they have to do,
and with the exception of few articles
they find it so Improbable that they
give it up. To get rid of all these COM
missions and intermediate profits would
make all the difference between a good
profit and a serious loss. 1t would en-
courage many who now emigrate to
stay at home, and, staying at home, so
aid in populating the state that our
abandoned farms would be reoccupied
and profitably titled. This would re-
act favorably upon the value of all other
land in the state, and put an end to the
existing and very strange state of
things, under which even the best
farms often go a-begging for buyers
and have to be sacrificed fearfullv in
the settlement of estates. We all want
something done to relieve our agri-
culture from the present discouraging
conditions. We believe that we have
here suggested one very important and
practical way of doing it.
ON ANOTHER POINT.
Brother Towle takes us up as though
we were very inconsistent in asking
for cheaper access to market for the
farm products of Vermont, and vet
maintaining that money can still be made
by farming in New England. Well,
we suppose that our war tariff might
be somewhat reduced, and yet most of
our manufactures survive. But that is
not generally looked upon by the man.
ufacturing interest as any reason why
the tariff should not be maintained
as it is. Our friend thinks we dis
prove our own argument when we ven
ture to buy another farm. He also
seems to think that we are chiefly
pleading for our own interest when we
plead for low freights on small ship
ments; and he kindly consoles us with
the thought that now we can ship by
the carload.
But the fact happens to be that, as
scotsman, nurseryman and fruit
grower, we have had very little use fol
freight-trains in our business, either
for small or large shipments, except in
the case of seed potatoes. 1t has been
rather annoying to us to be compelled
to pay dollar and quarter to send a
single barrel of these to a Massachu.
sets customer; and we felt considerable
satisfaction, when the Passumpsic road
was transferred to the Boston 4
Lowell, to find the rate voluntarily re.
duced to seventy-two cents. 1t shows
what we have often said to be true
that the better class of business men
know the Importance of encouraging
and developing business by reasonable
charges. We believe that when all the
railroads between northern and south
ern New England come under one
management it will be a great deal bet
ter for the farmers of the one section
and for the consumers of the other
The old way of doing business has
been to take as many tolls as possible
the new way is to take as few as pos
sible. The first way cuts down traffic
to the absolute necessities of the case
the last develops it to its utmost posi-
bilities. Several speakers at our recent
dairymen's meeting lectured the farm
ers upon the great importance of doing
we'll by their customers as the rares
way of developing their own trade