The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-14
MIDDLEMEN'S PROFITS.
Saettle. July 10. 49,

Saettle, July TO- 1885,
To the Editor: l would like 10 make a
few remarks on the many evils attending
the producing or farming class of our
population. They are being pauperized
by what is commonly known as the mid
dleman. The hard working farmer seems
to be getting poorer and poorer every
year. The more land he cultivates and
the more cattle, hogs and poultry he
raises the less money he gets for II. /
know from my own personal knowledge
of farmers not sixteen miles from Seattle
who have been struggling with their lit
tie farms for the past nine years, the
husband and wife and their six small
children working early and late, all being
busy at something. and they are steadily
getting poorer and poorer as their farm
grows older; the children need more school
books and clothes, and don't make
enough to pay taxes and the wear and
tear on the tools. They will look at each
other and say that times are very hard
and hope for a change, but / cannot see
where they can find any relief while the
rniddleman stands between the producer
and the consumer. The whole thing in a
nutshell is that the middleman or dealer
is getting all that Is made. They Will buy
outside the state or wherever they can
make a nickel but the consumer has TO
paw tust as much. We are inviting peo-
pie TO come and buy our lands and go 10
farming. when they can't get anything
for their produce.
Poor roads throw him at the mercy OF
the railroads and no open markets for
him 10 sell mis- produce 70 the consumers.
The result is that he has got to let the
midd,eman have IL at what he chooses
TO offer for the article. and that Is very
little The meat trust in Seattle and other
towns in Washington and Oregon have
got enormously rich in few years at
buying cattle from the producer for ~
cents per pound and selling Il a from 10
to Is cents per pound. You can notice
many butchers IN Seattle who Ave 70 ten
wears ago started with less than 5000 and
are now worth from 81. COO TO $50 90, and
some Of them are travelling on the Con-
tinent They own their big slaughter
houses and many of the firms own from
two 10 six butcher shops throughout tire
city II a farmer should bring beef into
the market the combine VIII not buy il
OF him. and the result Is that he viii have
10 bring II back home or give II TO the
dealers for almost nothing. Hay and po-
tatoes are handled IN about The same
ssvle. Now e doesn't take much thought
"a see how the producer and the con-
sumner Is robbed.
7 think that the city government should
give less thought 20, who was the FIRE
chief ana chief OF police and put their
attention 20 the construction OF a public
r,,arka. for the benefit % the consumer
and the producer II shouli ne a marke,
building 10 cover one block square. buiit
of brick, with large circular arches on
each street. with glass roof and the only
revenue the city would get would he what
n cos. 20 pay Cor police protection AMI
keenfng he pace N order Suppose beef
Weighing ! no pounds 20 re quoted ~
cents Ter pounf that would he - for IRE
nroaucer Il would he three or four years
the farmer has got 70 feed the animal
four tons OF has 80 winter II. and as hay
IS worth q per ton that Is $50. besides the
farmers time, and pasture In the sum-
u1e- In 1881 live stock brought 5 % s
cents ner pound on foot, AMI the con-
sumner could then buy more meat for 81