Semi-weekly herald., 1911-08-07
HIGH COST OF SELLING.

B. f. Yoakum, head of the Frisco
railroad system, who lent such valu-
able aid to the good roads movement
with discerning and practical ad-
dresses on the subject, has devoted
considerable thought and attention to
that big and important question con-
cerning the high cost of living. The
results are that he has come to the
conclusion that the crux of this mat
ter is to be found in the high cost of
selling. He delivered an illuminating
address on this subject the other day
before the annual meeting of the Tex
as Farmers congress. Salient ex-
cerpts from his speech, that are wor-
thy of the careful consideration of
every one follow:
Last years agricultural products
were worth nine billion dollars to the
farmers. The government used farm
values in getting figures for this total.
Assuming that the farmers kept one
third of the products for their own
use the consumers paid over thirteen
billion dollars for what the producers
received six billion dollars. The cost
of getting the years products from
producers to consumers amounted to
the enormous sum of seven billion
dollars. The real problem to deal
with is not high cost of living. 1t is
high cost Of selling.
"The farmers of this country, to re-
ceive better prices, do not have to ex-
pertinent with untried theories. They
only have to copy what others are do
ing successfully. For instance, the
people of Denmark thirty years ago
received twelve million dollars for
their butter, eggs and bacon. Then
they began the organization of market
societies. Now the same character of
products brings in over 100 million
dollars year. Nearly all their dairy
products are marketed through CO.
operative creameries and their egg ex-
port societies have $4,000 members.
There is no such talk of high cost of
living in that little country because
they have system of economical
marketing. The farmers there have
organized under trust methods. The
commercial waste in the distribution
of farm products is reduced to a mini
mum. They share in the profits of
economical marketing.
"The government should assist in
finding way for better farm market
ing. There should be market bu-
reau of the agricultural department
devoted to accumulating and distri-
outing information on best methods
and best markets for selling. The
government should spend some money
to demonstrate proper marketing, just
as it is doing in the development of
good roads work. The good roads de-
par.ment has been brough. up to such
a high state of efficiency by Mr.. Lo-
gan w. Page, director in charge. that
II is now estimated that there is being
sPNA's NhS ihAihoh uOtttto q udy III tiiC
improvement of our public highways.
This is good work. The government.
can demonstrate proper arket facili-
ties just as it now demonstrates the
values of different soiis for produc-
ton. The governmen. whi.n main
tains an expensive and efficient con-
Sular service to AID ,ur eXpor. trade
can afford to expenl few dollars to
better the marketing of eggs so that
will not be destroyed every
year because they arrive at the city
market in bad or haif-bad condition.
The government watches over the pur-
lily of manufactured food products,
ard it is just as important to spend
money to find ways and means Of de-
creasing expense Of di,tr'bution Of