The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-02
SWEET POTATOES
 TOO PLENTIFUL Dealers Discuss Discrepan-
 cies in Price WEATHERLY'S VIEW Says Dealers May Be Selling for 60 Cents a Bushel, But He Is
 Still Paying B Cents
 Peck
By C. H. MANDY

An investigation of conditions on MOTHS avenue revealed the fact that dealers claim the market for sweet potatoes IS glutted and that they have suiIereu d loss In handling them.
 A representative of the firm of Douglas Bros. states that his firm has sold sweet 1otatoes at 75 cents, and had still on hand more than the demand called for, and that the price quoted should nave been changed.
 C. F. Bell company stated that they had sold sweet potatoes during the past week as low as 65 cents, and still had more than the market called for
 S. F. Cornelius company, who handle large shipments of sweet potatoes, stated that the market was greatly overcrowded, and that from 65 to 70 cents was the pre- yailing price.
 c. B. McVay stated that he had sold sweet potatoes as low as 60 cents on &C., count of the overcrowding of the mar ket, and that he was glad to get rid of them at that price,
 It is claimed that the overcrowding of the market is due almost wholly to the fact that all the farmers of Jefferson county have evidently attempted to mar ket their product at the same time.
 In reference to the statement that the farmers of Bessemer had been offered only 50 cents a bushel for sweet potatoes. the brokers generally stated this was true. One of them said he would not have taken them at that price as he had far more than he could handle. He further stated that it was well known fact that the farmers of Jefferson county would peddle their products to the retailer, and then try to dump on Morris avenue what they could not sell themselves. He also stated that they had paid the Bessemer farm CTS 7S cents for their product in carload lets, and that they were dissatisfied with :he price and undertook to market their products themselves.
 The Morris avenue brokers state that 10 per cent is all they ask, and are glad to get that
 The general opinion of the Morris ave- nue brokers is that the farmers should hold back their product as the trade de- IEandS, as OVeT1ndFKeIlng HlWdyS causes slump in prices. Mir. McVay stated by way of illustration that apples brought 8 a barrel last week, but owing to the heavy shipments within the past three oays they had slumped to $2 barrel, and with only fair market at that.
 Commissioner James Weatherly, who has been advocating direct market from the producer to the consumer, stated that be had no doubt that the farmer had sold his product at 50 to 60 cents a bush G, and that he was satisfied the Morris avenue brokers were glad to get a 10 per cent commission, yet that did not alter the fact that Mrs. Weatherly was paying S5 ceilts peck for sweet potatoes, and he presumed other consumers were paying The same price. Hence his advocacy of the general market for the farmer, where he could sell his produce direct to the con- sumer. He stated that he had no fight 10 make on any one, his only object be- ing an endeavor to take a step that would reduce the cost of living, and that the producer should get the benefits of his labor.