The log cabin Democrat., 1907-08-29
HELPING THE TOWN
HINTS AS TO MAKING THE HOME
 MARKET BETTER.
HANDLING OF FARM PRODUCE
Operate to Their Mutual Advsn- tage in a Business Way.

|
 Many agricultural towns could be
 vastly improved by affording farmers
 better markets for the produce that
 they have to dispose of. In the ra-
 dius of every country village there
 is sufficient butter and eggs and other | products tC be marketed, the hand
 ling of which would make a profitable
 business.
 The custom that has prevailed for
 many years of storekeepers indiscrim-
 inately handling produce does not ap-
 pear to be to the best interests of
 towns or it may be said, to the mer-
 chants or the farmers. In the first
 place the average storekeeper has
 no facilities for the proper handling
 of perishable products. He may not
 receive sufficient to enable him to dis
 pose of the product to the greatest
 advantage. Therefore instead of mak-
 ing any profit upon what he handles,
 many times he is the loser and looks
 for his compensation in the trade that
 may be given him by the farmers who | bring in the produce.
 | Il lS lillpol IdlI lO q u" II " AONhSi | it is reputed to be a good produce
 market or otherwise. Where the | farmer can receive a cent or two
 more for his butter and eggs he is | likely to turn his attention. In some towns there are regular buyers of produce, but often these methods are
 such as to be unsatisfactory and re- ,,1@ iy, of fro fn n1n Merchants generally exchange goods | for whatever produce may be brought | to them. In many places they will | not pay cash and it has been known | where cash has been paid that it i'm | mediately found its way to some other town where goods was purchased. Each town that has any consider able patronage from the farming com | munity surrounding it, should have | a small cold storage plant. One plan | that has been found practicable in many towns is the organization of produce company in which merchants of the town as we'll as the farmers are stockholders. These concerns pro-
 vide every facility for the proper pdCkIuS duG SlOl dSS OL SSS0 anu puI ter and other perishable produce, and sometimes include a butter renovat- ing plant Where such companies are operated the merchants refuse to
 handle produce. referring all who have such to sell to the produce company
 The company pays the highest mar
 ket price for what it buys. Instead of neh llc
 which are accepted the same as cash
 at all the stores in town. Each week the merchants who receive these due
 bills in exchange for goods have them cashed at the office of the produce
 company
 By paying from a cent to two cents
 a dozen more for eggs or per pound for butter these produce companies
 have been wonderful factors in bring ing trade to the place. Not alone do
 they benefit the town by bringing ad
 ditional patronage to the merchants
 but the business can be highly profit able if managed rightly. It requires
 but little capital to operate such an
 establishment It is well when organ. 1ZdllOl IS Ldhtll up lO Iiiiiil IA4N amount of stock that each shareholder receives to one or two shares of a
 par value of $50 or $l00 An effort
 should be made to have as many mer- chants as possible shareholders. Also
 to secure as many shareholders among the farmers as can be had It should be understood that instead of paying och Ch of stock in produce at prevailing mar ket prices. With all the merchants
 in the town interested in the sue
 cess of the company, and the farmers throughout the country also share holders and participants in profits that may be made, it will be soon found
 that the produce company will be
 handling all the produce business that originates in the community.
 In many localities where this plan
 has been put in operation the farmers have discovered that they could re- ceive better prices for their butter and cream and eggs than under the old system. Being associated in a way with the business interests of the
 
 | all affairs of the town and are more | inclined to work in harmony with the merchants towards anything that has | the improvement of the home town l in view One of the desirable things | about this plan is it's tendency to | lessen the practice of residents of rural communities trading with mail | order houses and department stores | in the large cities. Another admir-
 able feature is the adding of an
 additional labor-saving industry to
 the town and the keeping of the earn
 ings of the people in circulation in the community.
 | Reliable Sign of Death. | A Frenchman has received prize