The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-12-27

where the producer got off, and
was told that did not concern the
retailer as they had a certain mar
ket to fill. She went to other places
but was obliged to take 80 cents per
basket, the retailer making 100 per
cent.
| visited Spokane at the close of
the grape season and saw grapes in
the show windows marked 12a and
l5 cents per pound. I wanted to
know what they paid for grapes of
those varieties, as [ had vineyard
and had grapes for sale. They told
me they paid for those sl.40 per
crate, (26 pounds net) making
profit of over 100 per cent. I wanted
to know if I could deal directly with
the retailer as I had sold the same
variety of grapes to the commits
sion man at IS cents per crate a
short time before and was told to
write to the retail grocer in Spokane.
l described the markings of my boxes,
one of the grocers saying that he had
bought some with those marks at
about that time and though he did
not remember the name of the
grower, had paid $1.25 per crate.
[ was at Prosser recently and while
there I inquired at meat market
what they paid for hogs, live weight,
and was told 81 cents per pounds.
Inquiring of the cutter at the block
what they sold pork for off the block
and was told from Is to 25 cents
per pound, an average of about IS
cents per pound. Thus a 200 pound
hog would cost them $500 and al
lowing 20 per cent off for the dres-
sing they would receive $500 or
enough over 100 per cent advance
to pay for the dressing and cutting.
could name dozens of other in
stances how and when the farmer
is exposed and defrauded by the
railroad commission man and re-
tailers. The railroad is the fairest
of all, the retailer the worst. Con-
suit your neighbors who ship and
sell.
Now what is the use of trying to
produce better and bigger crops
when you cam get anything for what
you do raise? If the farmer re-
ceived what the consumer paid there
would be less actual expense of
handling and no necessity for the
million dollar bonus to further the
Crop Improvement movement. In
fact the man who offers it would not
have it to offer as he is one of the
grain manipulato1s and gamblers of
Chicago. The money he offers be-
longs of right to the farmers and
consumers of the country. Would
he make the offer to better the mar
ket conditions? Not much! He
owes it to present conditions. The
day of little business is past. The
little manufacturer and the little re-
taller must 60 and unless the little
farmer can cooperate to sell their
own produce they, too, will go out
of business or become serfs of the
soil, bare existance their only re-
ward, and there are many even now
at that point. The unorganized
farmer is battling against the organ
lied railroads, the organized manu-
facturers called trusts, the organ
lied commission men called Boards
of Exchange or Boards of Trade,
the organized retailers called Grocers'
Associations, organized money lend
ers called Bank Associations, etc.,
All the way through the farmer is
played off against the farmer, bought
with his own money, and often he
has given up his arms to the enemy.
What shall we do? Spend our
energies in raising in raising more
and bigger crops? Let us rather
devote them to organizing our own
market. We must come in direct
contact with the consumer. The
consumer can get his goods Is to so
per cent cheaper and still leave a
good margin to the farmer. Let
everybody study these conditions
and let us hear from some more.
Yours for better markets,