New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-10
BILLION GAIN, AND MORE,
IF FARMERS COOPERATE
ST, 100000 Loss Yearly
Because Products Are Not
Sold to Best Advantage.
B. F. YOAKUM'S ESTIMATE
Representative Summers Tells
Conference That High
Prices Forecast Com
ing Of Hunger.

Chicago. April Eff farmers could sell
their products TO the best advantage they
would be richer in the aggregate by
sl,1S5, 900. 900 each year. according TO a
paper prepared by Benjamin T. Yoakum
chairman OF, the board of directors OF
the Frisco lines. and read here to-day at
the farm credits conference. which IS
tackling the high cost of living problem
Mr.. Yoakum's paper gave figures which
showed that $4,000. 900 worth of fruit
and vegetables rotted in the fields every
year: there was $3.50. 900, 900 loss from
cornStalks, rice. flax and other grain
straw burned in the field, and $1,000
000,0 additional which the farmers could
receive if by co-opera ton they knew
when and where 10 sell their products 10
the best advantage. bringing the total
loss up to sl.7S5, 5000 900.
TIatton W. Summers. newly elected
member Of Congress from Dallas. Tex.
predicted that the high prices of to-day
were the sinister shadow of cominuG
hunger cast over the land" There was
no system. he asserted for carrying over
the surplus Of bountiful years TO care
for the lean years.
Everybody at the conference waXed en-
thusastic. and there was such wealth
of opinion clamoring for expression tina /
the two sessions provided by the pro-
grammc were amplified by session held
tonight.
Speeches down on the programme were
delivered by Harry Pratt Judson, presi-
dent of the University Of Chicago: c. w.
Thompson. OF Minneapolis; Representa-
tive Summers, Of Texas. and J. H. Page,
OF Arkansas, and W. ]. Spillman. of the
Department of Agriculture at Washing
ton. Mr. Yoakum Is i'll at a sanatorium.
but ne sent an address prepared by him.
Louis w lIill. president of the Great
Northern Railway system. was to have
discussed the relation Of railroads TO the
marketing of farm products. but was de-
tanned AT -. Paul. Impromptu addresses
were made by ". s. Moberly. president
of the Farmers Union Of Arkansas. and
George McKerrow. superintendent OF
farmers institutes OF Wisconsin.
In his remarks Mr.. Moberly said that
in general farmers were not business
men.
Wisconsin farmers make very sue
cessful business men," intcrlectod Mr..
Mckerrow.
Tho Arkanssn averred that. compared
with the business men OF tho cities. the
farmers could not organize. finance and
manage cooperative scheme. Gener-
ally, he said. they had not the capital,
business ability and information re-
qulred. He mentioned "A number OF
farmers organizations which had failed.
The Wisconsin man again arose.
The farmers OF my state he declared.
mot only can but have organized many
permanently successful companies. They
do business like any city firm" lie cited
tho organizations of dairy and fruit men
as examples.
Representative summers said that NJ
the necessities OF the people changed the
scope Of government must change. and
that the matter OF farm credits was a
legitimate concern OF the national gov
eminent with the rush from the farms
10 tho cities which followed the intro
duction OF rapid transit the margin be-
tween farm production and general con-
sumption had become dangerously narrow.
Mr.. Thompson said farmers were not
effectively organized. because they were
unwilling to pay enough money TO obtain
able managers. Further. II Is not enough
that they should put their money into
an crganizat ion-thoy must put them
selves Into IT.