The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-06-06
HOW TO HELP THE FARMER


Somewhere between the farm and
the dinner table there is tremendous
waste, and one solution of the high
cost of living is to eliminate this
waste. The farmer in the United
States sells $4,000, 100000 worth of
products annually, for which the con-
Gunner pays $13,OOO,OO0 1000, or
more than twice as much as the
farmer receives. Mr.. B. F. Ioak-
UNI. of the Frisco System, analyses
the situation thus: The farmer re-
ceives 46.1 per cent, to which is ad-
ded $50 per cent, he divides as fol-
lows: Dealers and re tailers' expen-
SEES and profits 1871 per cent; waste
under existing methods IL percent
railroads 3.S percent. The ques-
ton, therefore Is, what can be done
to abolish this waste Of IL per cent,
of $1,56O, 100000 and divide it be-
tween the producers and consumers.
In an address before the conven-
ton of Southwestern Growers at Dali
las, Texas, last fell, Mr.. Yoakum
pointed out that while our manufac-
turing industries are the most eff
ficient in the world, Gin the funda-
mental matters of scientific regions,
of close and scientific marketing, the
farmers of the United States are a
generation behind the farmers of
Germany and France" Much has
been done in the matter of road bet
terment and scientific agriculture,
but the field of marketing has been
left untouched except that the rail-
roads have improved their facilities
of transportation. So far as putting
marketing on a scientific basis, the
Government has done nothing at all.
Mr.. Yoakum contends that the farm
er should be as closely in touch with
his market as the steel maker, the
automobile builder or the oil pro-
ducer is with his market, and to
this end he recommends the estab-
lishment of National Market Bur-
eau under the Department OF Agri-
culture.
A bill to establish such a Bureau
was introduced in the last Congress
by Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia
but failed of passage. In letter to
Senator Smith, Mr. Yoakum ampli-
fies the advantages to be gained
from such a Bureau, and advances
arguments why the federal govern
.ment, which has done much for the
farmer in matters pertaining to
seeds and soils, should now assist
him in putting his produce on the
market to best advantage. A Ma
tional Market Bureau would call for
an appropriation of 100000. BY
it a system of market reports would
be established for every section of
the country, local agricultural ass
ociations would be co-operated with
and all unnecessary expenses be-
tween producer and consumer eli
minated. Daily bulletins would be
sent out giving mot only the mar
ket price and cost of boxing and
packing, but the freight rates, the
express rates, the storage rates and
selling commissions, the different
products that can go by parcel post,
the proper way to pack fruit, vege-
tables, poultry, products, etc., and
every item of expense from the
farm until sold at the markets. -
There can be no question that this
is a legitimate field for the work OF
the Agricultural Department. 1t
will help the farmer in giving him
a more equitable share of the final
selling price of his products and will
benefit all the people in mat it will
appreciably lower the cost Of living
-Leslies Weekly.