The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-23
WILL REDUCE COST
Of FARM PRODUCTS
NEW BUREAU WOULD BRING Pro-
81 DUCER AND CONSUMER CLOSER
TOGETHER.
WILL SAVE $2,O00,0OO,0O0
UNCLE SAM TO FIND MARKET FOR
FARM PRODUCTS AND CUT
OUT THE MIDDLEMAS TO
GREAT EXTENT.
WILL SAVE $2,OO0.O0O,0Oo

WASHINGTON, Feb. ga bill
having an important bearing on the
high cost of living problem In this
country is now pending In congress.
with good show OF becoming a law
at this session. The bill is designed
to effect saving of $4,000. 600, coo a
year In the unnecessary expense Of
marketing farm prooucts and in saw
ing products which now go to waste
on account of a lack of market facili-
ties.
If this enormous sum. now thrown
away annually. could be saved and
divided equally between the producer
and consumer, ii would mean q re-
duction of $1,000, 900, 600 in the cost
of living each year and would add
about 5000 to the average annual in
come of every farmer in the United
States.
The bill already has been reported
favorably by the house committee on
agriculture. and Is receiving the seri-
Gus attention of the leaders of both
parties in congress.
The Theory.
The theory on which the measure
is based Is that the high cost of Iiv-
ing is due in large part to the enor-
nous expenses incurred in the distri-
button of food products. The sup
porters of the measure argue that UP
TO this time the entire attention OF
the government. through the depart
ment of agriculture, has been devoted
to the question of production. to the
absolute neglect of the question of
distribution.
1t is pointed out, for instance, that
the. crop Of 1919 will yield $1,000.
100000 to the producer. Yet when
this same crop reaches the consumer
1t will have increased in cost to the
enormous sum of $4,000. 100000.
IN, In other words says s.,; the com
Queer gets $4,000. 600. 900, while the
distributor gets $1,000, 100000. clear
ly showing that under our present
system 1t Is more profitable to dis
tribute than to produce
Proposed Remedy.
The remedy proposed for this con-
dition of affairs is the establishment
by congress of division of markets
in the department of agriculture,
which shall circulate news concerning
market conditions and prices in such
a way as to bring the producer and
the consumer into closer conduct.
The bill is, in fact. intended to en-
courage the tendency now evident I'm
other countries TO cooperate trading
between the producer and the con-
sumner The committees report in de-
scribing the purposes of the proposed
legislation says:
First. its enactment should bring
producer and the consumer closer to-
gether and thus decrease the great
difference which now exists between
the prices paid to the producer and
the prices paid by the consumer.
Second, by the enactment OF this
law the farmer will be furnished with
information and know where to find
a market for much of his products
which now go to waste because of the
lack of that knowledge"
The committees investigation of
market conditions convinced 1t that
there Is too great an increase In the
value of a product after 1t leaves the
farm. The committee says:
This increase lis placed there every
time 1t passes through the hands Of
one who is an agent in it's distribution.
1t is occasioned, to some extent, by
transportation charges. but very
largely by the profits OF those who
handle IT in its transit to the final
consumer.
In this connection some startling
figures are presented-they are ad-
mitted to be estimates-showtng the
prices received by farmers for pro.
ducts consigned to the city of New
York and the prices paid by con-
sumers in that city In the last year.
For instance, it is said that In the
year farmers sold $1T,oo0,9g0 worth
OF eggs in New York and the con-
sumers paid for the same eggs more
than $4,000. 600. Cabbage worth FL
$4,000 to the producer was sold In
the New York market for ss,t25.0o0
w n fn,-
100000 was sold in New York for
nearly s4e,o00000 Potatoes valued at
W, $4,000 to the producer were sold
TO consumers for $4,000, 900. Onions
sold to the New York market for
1921, 200 went into the hands of con-
sumers at cost of $S,212,00o.
The System Wrong.
These figures are astonishing and
show that something is radically
wrong with our present system OF
marketing. Millions of doIIars worth
OF farm products go to waste every
year because the farmer does not
know where to find profitable mar
ket. while these same products are in
demand at reasonable prices in many
OF the markets of the country Fruit
falls ungathered from the trees and
vegetables rot on the ground, while
within reasonable distances these same
products are in demand at good
prices. such is the lack of knowledge
on the part of both producer and con-
sumner"
The bill directs that the division OF
markets shall make inquiries az to the
systems of marketing farm products.
cooperative and otherwise. in the
United States and other countries. The
information thus collected is to be
distributed to farmers. farmers or,
ganizations and societies OF consumers.
and made available for the use or in-s
diyiduals or organizations. either BY
the circulation OF printed bulletins ana
kilograms. or by information given
personally by officials OF the division
The division is further directed to In
vestigate the demand for farm proc
ducts in various trade centers and the
current movement OF such prOductN
with view to furnishing accurate In
formation as to the best available
markets. This information also 81 ~
fContlnuod on Second pauat