The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-10-17

thing of the work of the department.
THE work that is being done BIZ
the agricultural department" said he,
lis designed to benefit the farmers in
creating additional markets for their
grain and dairy produce. The ex-
ploitation of manufactured articles
can be carried on by the manufacture
ers themselves, who are in most
cases abundantly able to push their
goods in foreign markets if they are
SO disposed. The individual farmer,
however, occupies far different posi-
ton, and his obvious inability to help
himself in extending his markets to
other countries has induced the de-
partment to take up the work for
him.
I'm other countries government aid
in the promotion of trade has reached
a point which under our system of
government can never be attained
here. In Canada, for example, a gov
eminent bonus was offered for dairy
produce to be exported. Many gov
ernments of competing nations have
erected cold storage plants at ship
ping points, brought pressure to bear
frigerators in which to carry the pro
duce, and have established depots in
foreign ports at which it can be re-
ceived and kept under proper con-
ditions until it is wanted for distri-
button.
The United States government has,
within the last year, sent out agents
for the first time to study the condi-
tions of foreign markets and the
methods of some of the competing
countries. The work can be under
taken only in a small way but at the
present time there is a government
agent in Great Britain, and one in
Argentina, one of our strongest COM
petitors in the grain and meat mar
kets.
"The first efforts of the government
were directed toward creating a a
market for American butter in Eng
land. In this there was a serious
handicap, in the fact that butter had
already been shipped into England,
but only such grades as had been
sold here. The result was that Amer
lean butter was in bad odor and re-
pute, SO much so that when a really
good article was sent across it was
sold under some other name than
American. The government bought
butter of the best brands, had each
package stamped in a way that would
show it's origin without question, ana
then forced it's sale in London. Elk
periments were carried on to deter
mine the best selling size of package
and such other details as would be
of value to the exporter. The result
has been that the prejudice against
the American article has been in a
large degree removed and American
butter now finds a ready sale under
it's own name.
''In the same way that butter has
been handled a market is being OPP
ened up for grain and fruits. One
eminent experiments is that of in
PRODUCING the American sweet potato
into foreign markets. The cultivation
of the sweet potato is an industry of
great Importance in the southwestern
states, but until the government took
up the matter no attempt had been
made to sell the surplus crop abroad.
"In handling grain, the greatest diff
ficulty with foreign buyers arises
from the fact that the grading of
grain is not uniform in this country,
but varies with the district in which
it was inspected. The result is that
man who has bought one lot of a
certain grade and orders second
quantity of the same grade, has no
assurance that the two lots will be
in fact of the same quality. The for
eigner does not understand the rea-
son for this, thinks that he is being
cheated and develops grievance that
initiates against all branches of the
American trade. A uniform standard
for grain inspection is one of the
most urgent needs of the time.