Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1913-04-10

Chicago. April 10.-"The government
must take hand in aiding in the
establishment OF a system of econom-
ical food distribution If there Is to be
a material reduction in the cost OF liv-
ing aceordington b. f. Yoakum In an
address read for him at the first
national conference on marketing and
farm credits at the Sherman Square
hotel in Chicago today.
He said that roughly speaking the
products of American farms were pur-
chased by the housewives of the coun-
try for 81. 0,Ooo0OO and of this amount
tie first producers received 5000, 100000
or 46 per cent Five billion dollars go
for expense of selling and dealers
profit. or IS per cent. Waste by decay
and loss in transit and in city markets
amounts to $l,500.000,0O0 or II per cent
OF the $4,000, 100000 the railroads re-
ceive little less than $500 00000o, or
less than per cent
Cut Selling Expense.
"'rhe place to look for a saving. said
Mr.. Yoakum. is in the selling expense
and loss by waste. the two items
amounting to 00.000,000. or $780,
100000 more than the producers receive.
I'VE are now squarely up against
the plain question of what is to be
done. The problem is not as simple as
increasing crops or live stock produc-
mense i'll volume and calls for treat
nlent different from What has ever been
given in this country. From other
countries we get some good sugges-
tions as to what we should do. but
our country is nearly as large as all
Europe. and conditions are so differ
ent that we cannot get as much help
from across the sea IN the way of bust
ness methods in marketing our crops
as we do about soil, breeding and 9th
ar lessons which we are learning from
the older countries.
''One of the large actual wastes Is
caused bty decay of fruits and vege-
tables in the fields To prevent this
rotting on the farms when the food
Is needed in the cities, the governments
through n national market bureau.
should encourage the construction of
storage warehouses for holding per-
isaable fruits and vegetables and for
packing and shipping farm products.
Tie government is now spending
$l6.00o.000 a year. and most OF the
states contribute large sums of pub
iic money in addition for the benefit
of agriculture. to pay for experiment
stations, to restore the soil. increase
the YIELD. improve breeding and dairy
ing reclaim waste lands, study plant
life. protect trees and many other
kinds OF excellent work. Inadequate
marketing facilities and mpossibillty
of distribution hurts every one of the
above efforts.
1T is. therefore. the plain duty of
the government to aid In pioneering
work for better market conditions'
Proper packing and shipping are as
necessary as successful farming
Cabhases Rot; People Starve.
This winter cabbages were rotting
IN Texas because farmers could not get
" ton for them, and at the same time
hungry people in cities We're willing to
pay at the rate of $50 a ton Apple
Tatihe Is gong out of style because
orchardists cannot get fruit to the Nat
dWeliers and poorer people at the
prices they can afford to paw. The
government pays large sums of money
TO SNOW how to spray apple trees. Ii
should pay something to show how TO
market the apples.
MI loakum said that the establish
ment of these market convcniencas in
sufficient number to be near farms
( would naturally cost a lot of money
and in order to provide these funds he
is III favor of the government giving
JUS sanction TO an agricultural credit
system not like but similar to those
which nave been found practical in the
European countries.
Credit System Neede
ON this point he said
An institution in a generak ay sim
5lar to the Credit F'oncier 4 France
could be organized in this country un
der a federal charter. II could be made
semi governmental In character with
the secretary of the treasury. the Sec
retary Of agriculture. and two other
government representatives as mem
bers of the board of directors II could
be made stock company of $500 600
capital, s5.000.0O0 to be sold at not less
than par, with an additional amount
not exceeding s5,0O0.0 900 to be issued in
any one year, as approved by the board
of directors. consisting of the above
mentioned government representatives
and others selected by the stockholders
1t could also be authorized to transact
business in foreign countries to get the
benefit of a world market for its Sc
curites
Under such charter. branch or