The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1911-10-04

Editors Note - Yesterdays
story told of the tremendous toll
taken by the middleman who
stands between farmer and city
food eater-54 cents on every dor
lar. Here is the plan adopted by
the Pennsylvania Changers to
boot the middleman and do bust
ness direct. It's interesting and
it may be the right solution to
Tacoma's high cost of living prob
lem.)
NEW YORK, Oct. 4.-When
the Pennsylvania farmers, headed
by J. w. Kjelgaard, of Gaines,
Pa, discovered that they were get
ting only 46 out of every 100
cents the consumer paid for farm
products, they cast about for some
way to cut out the middleman.
In New York they struck upon an
idea just. originated by Roland
Onffroy, an Americanized French
man. Farmers in other states
may adopt it or find other means
of getting into closer contact with
the consumer.
Ten thousand heads OF
families, 500 retailers and
several hundred Pennsyl-
vania farmers have already
Joined the movement.
The New York idea is an incor-
porated association to which the
farmers ship their products ana
from which accredited retailers
buy their supplies. These in turn
sell to the consumer member and
give him cash rebate checks which
amount to a considerable percent
age.
Each farmer member buys at
least one $25 share of stock in the
association, thus securing voting
rights and representation on the
board.
Producer to Consumer.
The association is leasing a
huge warehouse in New York, to
which farmer members will ship
their products in carload lots.
Farmer Jones' eggs, Farmer
Hicks butter, and Farmer Smiths
poultry all go into a car on GER
tain day. Under the present sys-
tenn of middlemen. Jones' eggs
would go to a local buyer, who
gets his bit of money when ne
sells them to commission man;
the commission man gets his "bit"
after he has held the eggs in cold
storage. waiting for high prices;
the cold storage man gets his
bit" for space rental and then the
eggs go to the grocer. 1t is about
the same with butter and poultry.
Under the new system the gro
GER, who belongs to the associa-
ton, buys what he wishes for the
day and pays cash. That same
day the association sends checks
to Farmers Jones, Smith and
Hicks. They receive approximate
ly what the commission men were
getting in the open market that
day for similar goods-perhaps a
little less, but much more than
the producers ever received be-
fore.
Goods Bear Label.
The goods will bear the label of
Farmer Smith or Farmer Jones,
as well as the label of the associa-
ton. If Farmer Jones offers in
ferior eggs, the grocer who re-
ceives complaints has only to
make a complaint against Farmer
Jones, and out goes Farmer Jones
and his bad eggs.
The merchants will pay 81 a
month for membership and 0 per
cent Of their earnings from asso-
citation customers.
The consumer pays a 50 mem
bership fee. Then his family buys
from the retailer-member in the
usual way, at the regular retail
price. With each purchase the
grocer gives a rebate coupon. The
rebate on eggs will be at one rate.
on butter at another, on kerosene
oil at another. But each coupon
Is worth cold cash. When the pur-
chaser has $25 worth she cashes
them,
Tbic &c cir,iIor - tbo o,..I.. =