The Washington times., 1913-12-08
MARKETING REFORM
URGED BY HOUSTON
Secretary, in Annual Report,
Declares For Cooperative
Methods of Food Production

food products is essential, in the opinion
of Secretary of Agriculture Houston, as
expressed in his first annual report,
which says:
There are dangers here. of course.
Cooperation cannot result in an Crgani-
zation which shall attem3t to establish
4 closed market and to fix prices. We
shall doubtless condemn this as strictly
n one field of industry as in any other.
and ii would be as unnecessary as II
would be unfortunate
The aim should be an economic ar
rsngement which shall facilitate pro-
duction, lead the producer to stand
ardize and to prepare his product for
the market, and to find the readiest
and best market for his product.
Such action will result in gain to the
producer as we'll as to the consumer.
Flu: thermore. IL is desirable that such
concerted action shall proceed from be
low upward. 1t must concern itself
With the overcoming of a specific eco
ionic difficulty in this fell CT produc-
ton and distribution. II should asso-
ciate itself with some particular product
which is capable of being standardized.
Experience shows that the best results
are secured only when the members OF
such cooperative society are those who
are tvrd fide Ere ducers.
Principles Must Be Sound.
Many enterprises in the United
States claiming to be of a cooperative
nature have existed and do exist. They
are of all sorts and descriptions; some
are truly cooperative, others are clear
~ exploited. Some operate on principles
that are sound: others on principles
that are obviously bad. A form helpful
TO enc undertaking is not necessarily the
best for another, and one successful in
one community under certain conditions
carrot necessarily be expected TO sue
ceei under conditions in another COM
munity.
Waste must be eliminated. In SIM
pie justice the producer must be paid
specifically for what he produces, and
for nothing else, and the consumer
smust receive what he thinks he pur-
chases and must be willing to pay a
fair price for a good product. 1t Is
clear that before the problems of mar
keting the individual farmer, acting
alone, is helpless. Nothing less than
concerted action will suffice. Co-opera-
ton is essential. The same buciress
sense and the same organizing genius
which have placed this nation in the
front rank in industry must be invoked
for agriculture. Reflection suggests this;
experience demonstrates it All the sue
any produce anywhere in the world
have come through organized effort
The individual farmer has neither ade-
Quate information OF the facilities.
Houston Seeks Facts.
Here, again. the need is for in
formation, and the department, acting
in cooperation with the general edu-
cation board. has devised machinery
and instituted investigations into this
field of cooperative effort at home and
abroad There are many facts to be
ascertained. We desire to know and to
estimate the various sorts of enter
prises afoot IN order to be able to give
the people information concerning the
principles and practices OF the best
forms of cooperation.
"At the earliest practicable moment |
the department will disseminate the in
formation. and, II circumstances war
rant and funds are available VIII assist
in making such demonstrations as may
be practicable.
Secretary Houston makes other strik-
ing differences to present prices in deal
ing with the problems of agriculture.
He assumes the position that the coun-
and abundant food supply but that
these have either been undeveloped or
Wasted
Too Great Ease of Living.
We have Enthusiastically reached the |
period when We must think and plan.
says Secretary Houston. We are suf- !
fering the penalty of too great ease of
living and of making living. 1t is not
singular that We should find ourselves !
in our present plight Recklessness and
waste have been incident to our breath |
Iess conquest Of a nation. and we have
had our minds too exclusively directed /
to the establishment of industrial SUI
premacy in the keen race for competi- |
ton with foreign nations. We have been
So bent on building up great industrial
centers by every natural and artificial
device that we have had little thought |
for the very foundations of our indus
trial existence
The report is not a mere review OF
the agricultural situation, but, instead. |
il presents In summary many broad |
economic problems of the nation.
Storage Inquiry Urged.
Some of the striking increases asked
in appropriations is the sum of s6O,44l
for extending Investigations Of the ham
ding, shipping, and storing of poultry,
esgs, and fish, and $4,000 for investiga-
tons OF the marketing and distribution
Of farm products.
Warning Of the national shortening
- given by the Secretary in this Ian
guage: Increased tenancy. absentee
ownership. soils still depleted, made
quate business methods. the relative
failure to induce the great majority OF
farmers TO apply existing agricultural
knowledge, and the suggestions of de
pendence on foreign nations Tor 1000
supplies warn us of our shortcomings
and incite US 10 additional efforts TO in
crease production
The report states that there is no
ground for believing that the country
has vet approNimated the limit of out
put. but that he are Just past the pio- |
neering stage
Reorganization Is Planned.
That extensive reorganization is plan |
ned by the Secretary IS show in the |
report. The Secretary declares his in |
tention to ask Congress in the coming !
estimates for authority to prepare a |
plan of reorganization, redirecting, and |
systemauZing tho work as cOnsidera-
tons of economy and efficiency demand !
The Secretary proposes five or six Du-
reeaus. each handling ell correlated |
work, instead of the present numerous |
bureaus that cause some duplication.
A system of efficiency ratings affect
ing all clerical and subcIerical employees.
designed to eliminate all danger of ia
voritism and TO provide for promotion
entirely upon merit, has been sstab-
lished- II Is recommended that the de-
partment be permitted 10 increase the
maximum salary OF 5000 allowed to
scientific investigators.
Through a redistricting Of the coun-
try for purposes OF food inspection Sec
retary Houston expects 10 expedite and
make more effective prosecutions under
the pure food and drugs act.
The Secretary devotes much space TO |