El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-22
government MAY
FIGHT MIDDLEMEN
CContinued - PrevIous -

] IUu IEiIUD GLiUIU
CONTINUED From Previous FaEe.)
would get not as much per capita in
savings, but as much I'm the aggregate
1t is the purpose OF congress IN pro-
viding for a division Of markets in the
department Of agriculture, to make this
saving. or at least as much OF II as
possible, an accomplished fact
The work OF the division viii be in
measure along new lines While IN
part there VIII be incorporated INTO It's
activities some Of the duties that have
been performed by other divisions OF
the department. OF agriculture, It's lnNeS-
legations into systems OF mar kellng
viii be nation wide. ana even the sys-
TENS Of foreign countries VIII De
studied carefully with a view 70
bringing their lessons to America and
applying them here. The information
and data collected viii be distributed TO
farmers, farmers organizations, ana
societies Of consumers, through bulle-
tins, kilograms and personal lntornla-
zion Investigations as to the demands
for farm products in various trade cen
tiers viii be made, and specific data
viii be given as to the supply, normal
demand and prices or the several xmas
Of farm produce in these trade centers-
Many Limitations to Service.
While il is expected that the division
of markets Will in the course OF years,
find many opportunities OF bringing the
touch with one another, at the same
time the department Of agriculture re
allies that there are many limitations
10 the services that may be performed
Secreary Wilson remarks that If the
department we're to undertake any tea-
ture Of the marketing Of farm produce,
to find customer or market, 70, inVestl-
gate market con0luons ana prices Ss
cry day and to report the results 10 al
farmers desiring the service, the cost
would be prOhibitive- To keep IN rele-
Oh a I'll #HnT
tiers and there to maintain representa-
tives, would cost an enormous amount
Attention is called TO the fact that one
farmers cooperative association on the
eastern shore Of Virginia, covering
only two counties Of ordinary size
spends $4,000 a year for TELEGRAPH lng
alone, and that the CALIFORNIA citrus
fruit growers spend Sl5sUOU a year on
telegrams in connections with the mar
keting of their oranges and lemons
The danger that would always con
front the division Of markets under
such conditions would be that the mo-
ment a lot Of farmers got word that
eggs were selling at a very high rate
in g given city, they would rush their
eggs there. and gIut of the market
would follow that would make Ine
last condition worse than the Ilrst me
farmer Who had acted on this 1n1orma-
ton, only to find that before MS eggs
got there the bottom had dropped out
would probably forever "cuss out the
division OF markets
but LuEEE are nEApAA4- all y LN--s 49,
may be followed without the danger OF
such unfav0rable reactions. one OF
these is the encouraging OF farmers 20
band themselves together INTO muIuaI
marketing organizations which can snip
in carload lotse getting appropriate
market news, and taking advantage OF
any openings that may arise. Another
is the gathering OF 1ntormauon as 70
eroD Yields and market indications
that would enable the farmer to know
whether it would be wise 70 sell early or
to wait for better prices Still anotner
activity Of the division would be to teach
farmers the art Of grading ana pack
ing their products so that they may
make the most OF them
VIII Prevent Frauds
When the division gets down to work
commission merchants viii probably
have to toe the mark. 1t IS wen known
that many a farmer IS cheated out OF
practically every thing consignment IS
worth by 2. dishonest commission mef-
chant Lists Of reliable ones probably
viii be published, and the farmers
warned to steer clear Of the ones whose (
names are not on these lists. A list OF
market associations and consumers as
sociations also viii be maintained and /
studies OF foreign markets VIII be ]
made.
Practically all of these activities /
have in mind the reduction Of market I
ing costs at the farmers END o. the /
rllain Of distribution They viii, II they I
succeed, serve only 10 add TO the Iarm- {
ers' profits At the other end OF the /
chain stands the consumer, anxious TO i
save on his grocery bill 1t is remarked /
that If he wants to save he must get /
into closer touch with the farmer. Here ]
are a hundred hOusehOlders- They might 4
20 together and form buying organ 4
ization that viii get into touch with 1
q cooperative farmers selling Organlza- /
ton, and between them they can elm |
mate the middleman entirely. The di- 4
vision Of markets viii try to help out /
the consumer as well as the producer
II viii tell them where there is an as /
sociatiOn of farmers ready to sell 10 I
him direct, viii give him directions for 1
organizing a consumers league, and in /
many other ways will try to bridge the !
zap between the producer and the con- =
sumer and to save to them the living /
that q half dozen men between them 4
must extract from the things the pro- j
Queer has to sell and the consumer to /
buy.
When one brother lives in the city i
and another on a farm, and the one in /
the city pays so cents a peck for in 1
different apples, while his brother on /
the farm has trouble to dispose Of \
splendid ones at 81 a barrel, they both 4
know that somebody is making as the /
apples pass along from the producer /
to the consumer. The division Of mar
kets will aim to bring the farmer I
closer to the consumer and the con-
sumer closer TO the farmer.