Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-20

enzen & Woodman, Mallers BuiiulnS,
Chicago; 225 Fifth Ave., New 1olA
City; Gumbel Bldg. Kansas CITY, MO-
TO REDUCE MARKET COST.
A bill is pending in congress when
provides for the establishing OF oi-
vision of markets in the department
OF agriculture, the trainers of the mea-
sure claiming that saving OF $2,Ooo'-
900 900 a year can be effected thereby
in the unnecessary expense OF market
ing farm products. 1t Is argued IN
behalf Of the bill that the department
of agriculture has given its entlre a.
tention to the question of productloh'
with no thought Of distribution me
assertion Is made that the 1917 crop
will yield $4,000 900, 900 to the producer
yet these figures will have grown TO
s13, 0OO,0 o0, 900 when the products
reach the consumer. The committee
In reporting favorably on the bill puts
1t this way 1.-THE consumer gets $6'-
OOO. 100000 while the distributor gets
81, 900 900, 900, clearly showing that I'M
der our present system it is more pron'
table to distribute than to produce. A
Washington dispatch in the Boston
Transcript discussing the features OF
the pending bill says:
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 sucn
a way as to bring the producer ana
consumer into closer contact. The Dill
is. in fact, intended to encourage the
tendency now evident in other coun-
tries to cooperative trading between
the producer and the consumer me
committees report in, describing tne
purposes of the proposed Legislation
says:
First, it's enactment should bring the
producer and consumer closer TO-
gether and thus decrease the great
difference which now exists between
the prices paid osthe producer ana
the prices paid by the consumer. r
Second, by the enactment OF this law
the farmer will be furnished with IN
formation and know where to md a
market for much of his products which
now 70 to waste because OF the lack
of that knowledge.
The committees investigation of
market conditions convinced it that
there is too great an increase In the
value of product after it leaves the
farm. The committee says:
This increase is placed there every
time it passes through the hands OF
one who is an agent in its distr1bu-
ton It is occasioned, to some extent
by transportation charges, but very
large;- by the profits Of those who
handle it lin it's transit to the final
consumer.
In this connection some startling A.
cures are presented-they are adj
mitted TO be misunderstanding the
prices received by farmers for pro-
ducts consigned to the city OF New
York and the prices paid BY consul
mers in that city in the last year.
For instance, it is said that in the
last year farmers sold $17,000,00O
worth of eggs in New York and the
consumers paid for the same eggs
more than $2S,O00,0oO. Cabbage worth
81. 1925. 900 to the producer was sold in
the New York market for 1928 900.
Milk for which farmers received $685.
600. 900 was sold in New York for near
w s49.OOO,O0O. Potatoes valued at 49,
437.0OO to the producer were sold to
consumers for $6O,000,000. Onions sold
to the New York market for 1921, 600
went into the hands of consumers at
cost of $s,212,000.
These figures are astonishing and
show that something is radically
wrong with out present system of
marketing. Millions of dollars worth
OF farm products go to waste every
wear because the farmers do not know
where to find a profitable market.
while these same products are In de-
mand at reasonable prices in many of
the markets of the country. Fruit falls
,,ngathered from the trees and 'vege-
tables rot in the ground, while within
reasonable distance these same pro-
ducts are in demand at good prices.
such is the lack of knowledge on the
mart of both producer and consumer.
The bill directs that the division of
markets shall make inquiries as to
The systems Of marketing farm pro-
ducts, cooperative and otherwise, In
The United States and other countries.
The information thus collected is to be
distributed to farmers, farmers or
panizations and societies of consumers.
and made available for the use of
jnon iduals or organizations, either
nv the circulation Of printed bulletins
and kilograms, or by information CIV
en- personally by officials Of the d.
vision. The division is further direct
ID to investigate the demand for farm
products in various trade centers and
he current movements of such pro-
iucts with a view to furnishing ac-
,urate information as to the best
available markets. This information
llso is to be distributed throughout
...e untry
PRESENT COMMISSIONERS ARE
REMOVED.