The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-09-27
Will PROBE
HIGH COST
continued IRON Page one.

portion to what the ultimate consum-
err is required to pay for what he eats,
to say nothing of what he wears. In
fact at least one expert in the depart
ment of agriculture, William ]. Spill
man. chief Of the office OF farm man
agement, insists that prices must go
considerably higher before the farmers
will receive fair return for what they
have to sell, unless some solomon rises
UP and discovers who is getting the
lions share Of present prices and de-
vises means whereby mutual adjust
ment can be brought about.
Professor Spillman long has felt that
the so-callcd middleman gets much
larger share of the profits than he Is
entitled to. At the same time, he real
ICES that, for the most part. farmers
have little personal knowledge of how
to market in a large way to the best
advantage SO that the middleman
serves a useful purpose If the mid
dleman can be retained in the circle
without continuing to get the big end
of the money, Professor Spillman and
those officials who share his view
would permit him to remain. Other
wise they are inclined to think that he
must ultimately be eliminated. In this
connection the achievements of the
California orange growers are pointed
out as an illustration Of what can be
accomplished by farmers by banding
together and forming associations to
look after the sale of their products.
A few years ago the orange growers,
as a whole, were not making money,
Some of them were managing to make
profit on the years work, while more
failed to do So They formed an as
ISOLATION and are now receiving much
more for their oranges, are making
money and the consuming public is
paying less for the fruit than formerly.
Meanwhile the announcement that
countrywide investigation of the cause
If high prices has created much COM
ment. 1t is understood that Secre-
tary Wilson has been contemplating
such an inquiry for a long time The
venerable secretary is primarily inter-
ested in seeing that the American
farmer gets fair return for what he
has to sell. That is the business OF
the department in q way, He also is
deeply concerned to see that the aver
age citizen is not required to pay more
for what he eats and wears than is
necessary to insure the producer fair
return for his work.
1t will be recalled that an effort was
made a year or so ago by a committee
OF the senate to get inside informa-
ton regarding the cost Of living. AS
was to have been expected. the demo-
Gratis of the senate almost Immediate
ly the investigation started began to
cry. politics It was not surprising,
therefore, that little Of value resulted
from the investigation. In the very
naure Of things, the work Of such q
committee would be charged with poll
tical faint by the senate minority.
If Secretary Wilson succeeds In
launching an imperial Investigation.
conducted by experts who have no
political axes to grind and are actuat~
! ed by desire only to ascertain the
truth good results should follow almost
Immediately. With such an investi-
cation underway the average Ameri-
can citizen would feel that something
tangible was being attempted and
would have confidence In the findings
Of the investigators. 1t Is expected
that the investigation, IL made, will be
conducted by the bureau Of statistics.
which always keeps In close touch with
all farming communities in the work
Of gathering information for crop re-
ports and is in position to call upon its
army Of correspondents for facts and
figures regarding prices received by the
farmer and paid by the consumer.
OF cossrsA. she, depaonsats * tEs hops