The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-05-14

OF commerce I not applIcaOL6.
The second proposition, that by
combination farmers can materially
add to their income and that without
detriment to consumers, l propose TO
maintain at some length. Adam
Smith was n of the earliest eco
nomists to call attention TO the
financial power acquired by comb
nation. But long before his famous
illustration Of the hare-ohasing dogs
had fixed on this point the attention
of the world, the simple farmers of
IN early day had put this principle
into practice For in all country
neighbOrhoods whenever a farmer
had any particular work beyond his
own financial or physical ability, he
had his neighbors to join him, and
under the garb of sport the heavy
or the expensive work was done. l
refer, of course, to such work as
corn-shucking, houSe-raising, etc.
If the farmer thus early found that
combination meant money in his
pocket, why did he not broaden the
principle as other professions have
done? The answer S easy. In those
days the farmers were cut off by $50
lation On large farms separated by
wide distance from one another, and
there were few towns practical COM
bination was not possible.
The case is far different now.
Smaller farms are now cultivated,
and people live nearer one another,
more in villages and towns. More
over good roads, trolley cars, canals,
railroads, telephones, telegraphs,
bicycles, automobiles and rural mail
delivery have brought the country
aud the markets, tie farmer and
the supply depots, SO close together
that any form of combination is now
possible and moreover is now profit
able. Hence, since the way is thus
open, farmers ought to combine for
their own fnanci, Il uplifting, just
as other business men have unified
their interests. A combination to
sell their own products AMI to buy
by wholesale is the simplest and
most natural form for the combina.
ton to take.
Would it pay? Let us see what
the brokers, tire commission men,
the middleuen (who in comparison
with the farmer, ''tOil not neither
do they spin''O get out of the farmer
for selling his crops.
In the eastern part of this State,
the truckers and fruit growers have
organized md they have t. pay the
commission merchants five per cent.
for selling their products, while
those farmers outside of the Organi-
zatiOn have to pay eight per cent.
This is quite a saving TO the truck
farmers of Eastern North Carolina.
In 1899 there were raised in the
United States about two billion bush
els of corn, which was sold on an
average for 80 cents a bushel, the
total crop thus bringing $500, 600, 900.
The commission on corn Ia three
per cent, therefor the brokers or
middlemen VINO simply sold this
crop, and who had little or no ex-
pense, made $18, 600, 900, which ought
tt have gone into the pockets of the
farmers
In the same year there we're about
five hundred million bushels Of
wheat raised in the United States,
and this was sold at an average of
So cents, bringing 1920, 900, 900. The
commission on wheat is also three
per cent !; therefore the midd emen
pocketed IS, ZOO, 900, which ought to
have gone to the farmers. The same
thing is true of such staple crops as
barley, oats, rye, buokwheat and
potatoes.
The brokerage on cotton is so cents
a bale. In 1899 there were raised in
the United States about eleven mil
lion bales of cot3on. Therefore the
middl7men made about S., 500, 900.
Taking some of the principal crops,
say corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye,
buckwheat, hay anL cotton, we find,
using whole numbers, that the
farmers, for the first sale of these
eight crops, pay the middlemen $685.
33l, 900. But, as each of these crops
averages three passages through the
hands of commission men before it
reaches the consumer, the total
Oke Oe on inst tbaSa oiob+ oyOuS