El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-10-12
Our Valley Marketing Problem By.gohn Wa!tha
Practical Suggestions From Observation and Experience

TN REPLY to a Herald editorial OF
October 1. Let's Hear the Other
4 Side,' I submit a disinterested view
of the situation. When I say disinter-
ested, mean that am neither a farm
e. nor a produce man; but am inter
eSted in the prosperity of both the pro-
Queer and the distributor, for the pros
perity of the city and surrounding
country is in a great measure depend
ent upon their doing business har-
mOniously and profitably 10 both.
An Impossible Relation.
The produce men ask the farmer to
grow, pack, deliver, and accept the
price they offer on penalty of their not
buying the produce at all If they re-
fuse, and shipping into the market
goods from other points. How Ions
would a merchant be successful. if he
allowed his customers to tell him what
price they would pay for his goods or
allow them to dictate how he should
conduct his business?
Farmer the Victim.
The position of the farmer is further
weakened by the fact that his produce
is perishable. and if he refuses to &C
cept what he is offered, he either gets
nothing or is forced to peddle his pro-
duct on Quilted market.
Now the solution of this problem is
simple, with every advantage on the
side of the farmer. 1t has been solved
successfully in many parts of the coun-
try and all that is necessary is to fol-
low the plans that have proved sue
cessful, with such adaptations as the
local conditions here warrant These
are the advantages the farmer has:
The Farmers Advantages.
% The produce men themselves ac-
knowledge the superiority of the flavor
and quality of certain specific products,
and what our climate and soil will pro-
duce best is what he should specialize
l0N IL b,- thu a5t-a,+aea in o,7r
market. because there are no freight
charges, or very small ones as COM
pared with goods shipped from other
states.
as We have fine roads over which
to haul perishable goods. and recently
ali interurban line has been built,
which still further eXpedites the move
ment of this class of freight and ex-
press matter.
ca The fruits and vegetables can
be allowed to ripen before gathering
and reach greater perfection and flavor
on account of their proximity to the
C5) We have the finest box factory
in the country where any kind of box
or package can be obtained at min
imum cost
Farmers should Pool Products.
With all these advantages it is al
most criminal to allow other goods to
come into this market of like character
until the home supply is exhausted.
Now, the produce men, as one of them
expressed il, are not in business for
their health or from any philanthropy
zeal or educational motives. They will
bear" the home market whenever they
can. and they are right in buying s
cheaply as they can. On the other hand,
the farmer is in the business Of pro-
ducing for profit, and he wishes to get
as much as he can
The way for the farmers to reach
that end is to pool their products and
employ a broker or shipping agent TO
sell for them.
Duties of Selling Agent.
In this way, if the FL Paso market
cannot consume all that is raised, il is
the duty of the selling agent to find
out where to sell and not TO allow this
or any other market to become Slutted
with these local products.
The agent can also look after supply
ing the proper kind of box and crate,
and can also pool the buying of seed.
so as TO obtain uniform quality and
style He can advise how to pack, and
when to ruch goods to market 10 OBJ
tain the best prices. or when to hold
OF as long as possible.
An Actual Illustration.
One illustration in our own state.
Some 20 years ago a farmer near
Cotulla, Tex, planted some Bermuda
seed and grew the first Texas Bermuda
onions They were finer than the
onions from the Bermuda islands, the
soil and climate being better adapted
to their reaching a delicate flavor and
size.
The industry grew and prespered un-
III there were more onions raised than
there seemed a market for, and the re-
suit was glutted markets and great
Joss to the growers. There was also
the trouble of some being shipped too
green or after they were rained upon
and they were rOtted The sacks they
were packed in We're not uniform. and
the onions were bruised.
Each grower competed with his
heighbor and they ran the price down
below the cost of production
Industry Saved from Ruin.
The industry was threatened with
complete ruin until the growers formed