Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-09-19
FARMER DISCUSSES
FARMERS PROBLEM;
WHERE IS MARKET?
Selling End" Is Greatest Diff
Guilty of Grower in This
Country.
SEEK TO CONTROL CROPS.
Experience of Recent Strawberry
Season Recalled-Some
Questions Asked.

Over in North Yakima the fruit
growers are kicking about the low
prices they received for their peaches;
in that and the Wenatchee valley and
other apple producing sections, the
growers have taken heroic means to
gain control of the entire production
OF apples so they can control the mar
ket; here at home the strawberry
growers this spring formed an asso-
citation for the disposal of their crop
and propose to go about it still more
Systematically this fall in preparation
for next year.
Cooperation, organization, to con-
troll and market the entire crop, is the
trend of affairs throughout the state.
The problem of how to dispose of the
crops raised SO abundantly in this
county and dispose Of them at a profit,
is the greatest problem the farmer con-
fronts. Now he is trying diligently
to work it out.
A discussion of the problem, then,
from the farmers standpoint, ought
to interest readers of THE WASHING
TON STANDARD. Here it is:
Editor WASHINGTON STANDARD:
again take the liberty Of handing
your readers a small package of dope,
fresh from the farm. This week 1t
will bob up in the form of gentle
smash at conditions of the strawberry
market just past. And by the way, q
STANDARD reader recently told me that
my dope was all right. This made me
feel like thanking him for the compli-
ment, but he went on to say:
"Yes, your stuff is all right. but az
ter all l guess it's like pouring water
on a ducks back-it is read only to
be forgotten"
saw where he was right. Still
think there ought to be way to beat
that old saying, and believe there IL
If we only get about 1t right, and my
remedy is simply agitation. If we
know of an existing evil. by agitation
only can we get it squarely before the
people, but it requires the help Of
many willing hands. One cannot ac-
complish much alone.
believe Abraham Lincoln said
while the slavery question was being
agitated: IF ever get chance at
that thing. I'll hit it hard" Now.
please allow me to speak plainly of
few things that ought to be hit and hit
hard.
If our local dealers can buy dressed
pork from the farmer for II cents per
pound and retail it for 22H cents,
there must be something wrong.
II watermelons can be bought in
Eastern Washington for few cents
each in the field and sold in the cities
along the Sound for from 25 to 40
cents each, there must be something
wrong.
Olympia consumers are not kicking
because they can buy nice peaches
wrapped and Grated for 80 cents per
crate, but imagine the grower is get
ting but mighty little out Of 1t after
all commissions have been paid.
And last but not least. when the
Thurston county berry growers form
what Is known as berry association
for the purpose Of shipping the sur
plus fruit out of the county, and the
growers statement reads cents per
crate for many Of his berries, is that
all right or is 1t all wrong?
l say 1t is about the biggest sweat
shop proposition that we ever went up
against. At the same time let 1t be
understood that we are attaching the
blame to no one. Our people entrusted
with the business end of this evidently
did their best, considering weather
conditions, etc., but there Is something
radically wrong when it requires some
60 days to get returns from a con-
signment of this kind, while in the
meantime we keep right on with the
expectation of getting satisfactory re-
turns.
Perhaps some of our STANDARD
readers may think this article little
overdrawn. My answer is: If you
are not already wise to some of the
conditions / have mentioned, better
look them up. And l would say far
ther that any one who expects some
thing for nothing" should be put on
the unfair list and duly advertised,
for any time you get an article for
less than 1t costs to produce that ar
tlcle, then you may safely bet that
some one is suffering.
Let US hear from some other reader
of the STANDARD--I don't want to do
all of the talking Very truly.
ROSS CHILSON.
son makes which is excellent, and that
is his last >ne-"Let us hear from
some other reader of the STANDARD"
Continued on page 2)