The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-04-09
Farmers Hunting More
Equitable Means of
n keting the Crop

little has yet been done to aid him
In securing fair prices for his pro-
duce. To illustrate the gross injustice
or our present marketing system,
may point out the fact that at Laredo,
Tex, in our onion. growing districts,
one day a short time ago, onions were
sold for 2 cents a pound. The next
morning Laredo onions were sold in
the open market at Austin. Tex, at
10 cents a pound. In this transac-
ton, as you will see. the commission
man, the public carrier, and the re-
tail dealer divided among themselves
800 per cent Of the price paid to
the grower. Again, tomatoes were
sold one day at two thirds cent each
In Palestine, Tex, and the next morn
ing were sold in the markets at Aus
TIN at cents each. In each of the
instances cited the producer received
only 1S per cent of the final selling
price, while 81 per cent of the SELL
ing price was divided among the rail-
roads and the sellers of the produce.
The glaring injustice of such a sys-
tenn is made more apparent by a COM
parlson with the results of co-opera-
tlon in marketing farm products in
Denmark. In that country, for exam
| pie, the CO operation society handles,
sorts according to size, and packs eggs
selling cost is per cent, leaving the
farmer 80 1-2 per cent Of the final pur-
chase price paid by the consumer. In
Texas, without cooperation, the
farmer receives 13 per cent of the final
selling price of his produce; in Dem
mark through cooperation the farm
er receives 80 per cent.
The need of cooperation in secur-
ing cheap money for the farmers in
the southwest iu
OF obtaining larger returns for his
produce. In many places in Texas and
Oklahoma the farmer is yet Obliged to
pay rates of interest that range from
10 to $50, and even these rates are
better than buying on time from the
country merchant. In some sections
without banking facilities, credit from
the country merchant is the only re-
source. Side by side with the farmer
Is the cattleman, who is able to secure
money at interest rates of to SO,
and the railroads, who have little
trouble in finding capital at much lower
rates. The cattleman and the rail-
road men have flexible and efficient
organizations; they work together. The
farmers, ON the other hand, with loose
organization or no organization at all,
though possessing in the aggregate
much greater wealth, continue to pay
ruinous rates Of interest.
-Four men with improved machinery
and the help Of science now produce as
much food as formerly was produced
by fourteen men. Where are the temp
| With, this question Henry r. J. Wa
ters, president of the Kansas .agricul-
tural college, began his address on Ed
ucational Aids TO Organization. .-- .
Cne OF the chief difficulties with the
present system, President Waters said.
IS the fact taAt ne ten forced out of
the field of production by modern
methods and machinery, have not found
employment that Is profitable to So
elety no matter how profitable it may
While farmers have become, through
better methods or improved machinery
much more efficient producer than
In other years, something has inter-
ferred to deprive them of a large part
of the advantage that this increased
efficiency naturally would be expected
to bring. Something, also, has de-
prlVed the consumer of whatever ad-
Yantages were expected to accrue to
them. through these better systems.
organization, President Waters be-
leVed to be panacea, the remedy that
would make things as they ought to
be-" President Waters said that the
facilities for distributing and market.
ing farm products never were so ample
and adequate as at present, yet 1t is
costing more to get these products
to the consumer than at any time in
the past. The cost of living is also
higher than ever, although the land
never was SO intelligently titled.
In my judgment" said Mr.. Waters,
1T Is a clear case Of too large a pro-
portion of those who have quit pro,
ducing finding way to get a living
by helping the food products on their
way to the consumer. The distribu-
tton and sale of typewriters, calico,
shoes, ice, dressed beef, evaporated
| fruits and other things have been re-
duced to a definite system and all un-
necessary expense eliminated But the
distributing and marketing of farm
products are left to chance"
Delegates to the conference appoint
ed committees which will report on
Thursday, when permanent organiz-
alton will be effected.