Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-04-10
B. F. Yoakum Says Over
Billion is Lost Through
Inability to Properly
I Market Farm Products
BIG CONFERENCE
NOW IN SESSION
Marketing and Farm Cred
its Discussed by Prpmi-
nent Men Gathered, in
Chicago.

Chicago, April 9.-Railroad and cor.
lege men were the principal speakers
In the second days session OF the First
National conference on marketing and
farm credits which is being held here.
B. F. Yoakum of New York City.
chairman Of the board of directors Of
the Frisco lines, was unable to be
present but his address was read at
the conference, President Harry Pratt
Judson of the University OF Chi.
cago, G. w. Thompson of Minneapolis,
director Of the bureau OF econ.
omic research of the University OF Min
nesota, and Congressman Hatton w,
Summers OF Texas, were among the
more prominent on the program.
Yoakum Makes Comparison.
Speaking on Relations Of the Gov
ernment, Agriculture and the Railroads
and Their Bearing on Better Market
ing" Mr.. Yoakum said In part:
Agriculture and transportation have
laid the foundation which has made
this the greatest and most powerful
nation OF the world. They are the
biggest factors in Americas growth.
Since 1905 our population has increaar
ed 16 per cent. The value OF farm
products was ST pei, cent more lii 1912
than In 1905, while railroad construc-
tion was 40 per cent less. e s.5
There are now not more than 1000
miles of new railroad under constr,ic.
ton. II would require the cOnstf1ic.
ton OF 165 900 miles OF additional rail-
road to furnish the same transports.
ton facilities west of the Mississippi
river that there are east OF 1t, on the
basis of area
"The great area of rich country can.
not grow as it should on 1000 miles
per annum of newly built railroads.
Railroads Cannot Keep Pace.
Our public men as rule have not
realized what confronts un in tho way
of agricultural development. The pro-
duction of farm food supply and IT.
movement to the market and it's rela.
tions to the consumer require as much
scientific and intelligent consideration
as do raw material to the manufactur.
er and It's relation to the consumer ia
readjusting our present tariff sched-
ules"
Big Waste to Farmers.
Mr. Yoakum said he believed In the
readjustment of the tariff but declared
that If congress should wipe out the
entire tariff on every article that II
brought into this country. on last
years collections it would only amount
to $326,000,0OO while the waste which
falls upon the farmers OF the nation
means an annual loss Of over Ave
times the entire amount collected BY
our revenue collectors.
The speaker gave figures which
showed that $35,000000 worth OF fruit
and vegetables rot in the fields every
year; $250,000,0O0 loss from corn
stalks, rice, fax and other grain straw
burned in the field and 31,500, 900, 900
additional which the farmers could re-
ceive If by cooperation they knew
when and where to sell their products
to the best advantage bringing the
total loss up to $1,785, 100000.
President Judson presided at the
round table discussion and luncheon at
noon while the subject why IL the
Farmer Not Effectively Organized
was discussed.
Increased Production Not Enough.
What May be Expected From the
Federal Government" was the subject
to be taken up during the afternoon BY
w. j. Spillman, special representative
of David F. Houston, Washington, d.
c., secretary OF the department Of agri.
culture. Mr.. Spillman said In part:
1T is becoming more and more ap-
parent that increased production wilE
not OF itself meet the needs either OF
the farmer or of the city consumer.
1T Is now generally recognized that
the problems relating to the market
ing are quite as important az those
relating to production, If, indeed, they
are not more so. The present move
ment for the opening distribution II
therefore timely. am of the opinion
that 1t will have vastly more effect on
the cost of living than any other
movement relating to agriculture"
0TaY TN ENEEDcnAY