The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-12-05

/ meet often In social, business and
public meetings to acquaint them
lselvos more with public procedure of
every kind, to develop in themselves
more appreciation of their own priv
lilege and power, and then apply mod
ern principles Of cooperation and
concentration to the management of
their business.
Marketing Of Products.
i The reports Of the department of
agriculture show that the farmer re-
lceives less than half of the rrice of
his products which the consumer
lpays. The reason for this is that the
farmer permits it. He is, on the whole
Icontent to receive the price which the
lother man offers. The need is intelli-
Igent cooperation in collecting, grad
ling, packing and forwarding his farm
lproducts.
i Moreover, cooperation on the part
lof the farmers is needful for the solu-
tion Of such problems as the schools,
roads. transportation, country church
and other public questions. Then,
having learned to labor together with
his fellow farmers, he must learn to
cooperate with the city man to solve
questions Of community interest. The
i farmers must learn to insist that their
cooperation be taken and even well
coined in the solution of transporta-
ton problems. For great need OF
Iowa farmers Is more intelligent
method Of marketing their products.
j Overabundance of products on certain
market days, to be followed by other
days of dearth of supply, is condi-
ton which must harm all the interest
ed parties, and also puts the trans
lportation companies severely to the
test. great need is a more evenly
distributed supply of products on the
market
In this connection it might be point
led out that very great need of Iowa
lis the establishment by the railroads
or by the state of bureau of market
ling, which should furnish information
in regard to location ard kinds OF
marketable products, thus bringing
producer and consumer in touch with
each other Much local traffic might
be developed to the mutual advantage
Iof consumer, producer and transport
Ter. In thus increasing the volume Of
traffic, lower freight rates ought to
! obtain.
The working of Iowa farms involves
: the use of an endless variety and
amount of farm machinery. For this
) the farmers of the state pay out each
year an immense amount of money
: The manufacture and sale of this
machinery and kindred farm supplies
is in the hands of an immense com
bination which EFFORTS millions of dol
lars yearly from Iowa farmers beyond
what is a paying price. BY combina.
. ton and concentration, both of manu-
facture and of sales management
J there is a great economy of expendi
: fture in the production of this machin
? cry. But through manipulation these
/ great profits go to the stockholders Of
5 the concern. The farmers do not
share in the lessened cost OF manufac
: lture. In this way immense fortunes
5 are accumulated in a few hands. ant
S the many are compelled to pay trIb
2 lutte to them This is fundamentally
/ wrong and does not comport with
], sense of common justice. What /!
: true of the implement trust is equal!
e true of the lumber trust. the packins
g trust and other combinations. The
reason for this is that the farmers per
d NIT this state of affairs. They no
n only sell their produce at the price tn,
1t other man offers, but they also pa,
g for their supplies the price exactet
g by the sellers. The federal govern
d iment owes it to the citizens of tn,
l. state that above cited conditions b.
1t speedily terminated. This should 5,
d done not by abolishing combination
c. and concentration of production, bu
a. by forcing combinations to give to ii
b customers some of the benefits O
e economical production. And this coul,
easily be brought about If farmer
would cooperate and get In live toucl
with their congressman. A verv grea
e need is for Iowa farmers to shov
20 more intelligent interest in u Al
IS fairs.
- Rural Credits.
n. Another very great need or m
ID farmers Of the state is cheaper work
at ing capital. Not only is much capita
re- needed to purchase the land BIZ
20 much is needed to stock the land wit
N the necessary live stock. with buflt
3 ings. with machinery, with many al
a pliances of various devices looking /
9. more economic and efficient pro1u,
- ton. 1t is high time that on low
- farms the buildings and other In
49, provements partook more of the cha,
= acter of psrmanency. This woul
: lead to great economy in time, TIL
IA Investigations n tha do,,,x4...