Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-09-17
BILL IN CONGRESS PROPOSES De.
sAaTMENT or MARKET.
ING.
PROPOSES TO IMPROVE
DISTRIBUTION METHODS
Au:'tor Points Out That New Means
k.tst ve fornd 10 Gel Products to
Consan,r Oirect-imrnsnse Waste
on Farms ana Garasns Could Be
i Iiti.~o.
Especial C.rrcsponGence.l

W lS.. ~ OA6 SSSAAAssAA
--....u-. ->----->.s, - sNaS, iAleupei
-. .>...s, has tSSehtly III
..u-..,-.. %. 49, 4.-,.,e u p.II 10 eStab-
l.... -. 80 ~ - ,...-... y: agriculture d
nulvou ~ ue Aiivm4l ne market bu-
leau. d coiipI extensive
(, C.. q oiiSuneul iIe4ueu by d cniet al
sAv,vvU u year. me purpose VI the
proposed bureau IS TO Improve the
inc tnu0S OF the sale anu UiStTAOutlon
VI agricultural pIoducts.
/ A.lvauy there IS an office OF mar
kets III the department when is work
| ing toward the same enu. however,
Mr Summers would have larger ana
more aInDlIlouS bureau tnan the pres
eut once. he has gwen out state
ment OF his views on the subject OF
SAFE and distribution ot agricultural
pr oducis. lie says:
In my judgment there is at TINS
| time no more important subject 1or
national legislation than the correction
OF the present methods OF sale ana
distribution of agricultural products.
| These methods violate every law VI
| business, entails enormous food ana
general economic loss and threaten the
TODD supply Of the nation. 1t Is mis-
take to consider this proposed leglsia :
ton as being intended for the advan-
tage of the producer only. 1t seeks TO
protect the most vital interest of each
one of our hundred million people.
| Production Cost Fixed.
| ..The cost 10 consumers of agricul-
! tural products can not be reduced, ex-
i cen, by getting to market the millions
Of dollars worth of fruits and vegeta-
bIes which rot in the fields and in tho
railroad yards while hungry but I'M
! located market awaits their arrival,
and by reducing the intervening cost
/! between producers and consumers on
these products which are consumed.
1T ought to be evident to every
practical mind that the net pront OK
producer can not be reduced. but that
| it must be increased, because pro-
ducers are quitting production at the
present profit. That is stupendous
fact which the nation must not ignore.
1t must have food and the cities can
not produce it. There is no way now
to force men to till the soil. They
can only be induced to do so by as
great net profit as a like investment
of time, ability and capital in any other
business would bring. IT is true that
| it has not always been so.
ProfitIess Year Diacourases.
"No appeal to sentiment and no
I genius of craftsmanship can maintain
the necessary balance between pro-
ducers and consumers under existing
| conditions The destruction Of that
balance means hunger. widespread. "A
large crop bring less total price than
small one. Marketings ere respon-
sible for this. II we penalize produc.
ton and make bountiful harvest
curse to producers, we create con-
dition in which the inevitable tendency
| is toward relatively smaller and small
er production and higher and higher
average price. One year Of nom
renumerative prices will drive more
men from agricultural production than
five years Of remunerat;ve prices can
attract to production. The fact Is that
when they once leave their farms 1t is
almost Impossible to get them back. II
too many leave the farm consumers
will not only have to pay as much net
profit as could be made in other busi-
ness but will have to pay a premium
besides to induce return to the farm.
This back to the farm sentiment Is
absurd. 1t is great deal more feasible
to undertake to keep the country boy
on the farm than 1t is to have the city
boy go to the farm.
Aim to Reduce Waste.
II want to illustrate the interest of
the consumer in the proposed legisla-
ton. Suppose the net profit required
to keep a given farmer raising corn is
20 cents per bushel. The price which
the consumer must pay for that core
is 90 cents plus all cost Of production
and all the waste, losses Of every kind
and all profits and charges which are
| added after the farmer parts with his
| title. The purpose of this marketing
bureau is to reduce the waste and in
! tervening charges which are added to
what the consumer must pay the pro-
Queer.
Il have no pride in this particular
| bill which I have offered but there are
two features of the bill which 1t would
be fatal not to incorporate. The task
placed upon this bureau IS one Of the
most difficult ever assigned to any de-
partment Of any government. We must
| have at it's head man of the highest
ability. I have therefore provided an
attractive maximum salary. 10000
The difference between this sum and
S. 5000, in my Judgment might be the
! difference between success and failure.
| The success of this bureau is going to
depend upon the ability of its head to
initiate as we'll as execute. Limitations
| and directions by congress can only
hamper, they can rot help. Get the
man with the required ability and let
him do what Is necessary. II he has
mt f11e ability no amount of direction
| in this character Of service can help"
German Military Attaehe Injured.
Toulouse, France, Sept. 16.-Capt. D.
Won Winterfeldt, military attache to
the German embassy to France, while
following the French army maneuvers