The Meeker herald., 1914-11-21
RAILROADS WILL
HELP the FARMER
Common Carriers VIII Cooperate In
Marketing Farm Produets-Middie
Men Charge Higher Ratss
for Handling Farm Than
Factory Products
BY Peter Radferd
Lecturer National Farmers' Union

Lecturer National Farmers' Union
Tho leading railroad systems Of the
nation will establish market bureaus
TO assist the farmers along their
ines in marketing their products.
Many roads have acceded to the rs-
quest of the Farmers Union and an
aounced their Willingness to enter
INTO active cooperation with the far
ners in marketing their producIs.
The express companies have sur
veyed the field and the Federal Gov
srnment. through the parcel post,
aas demonstrated the possibilities Of
The common carrier as . useful agency
IN marketing farm commodities.
consider the action Of these giant
business concerns in determining to
cooperate with the farmers in mar.
keting their crops, to be the greatest
product Of human thought on the
Western hemisphere during the past
year. and It demonstrates that the
educational work Of the Farmers
Union has brought the nation to
clearer understanding Of the real
problem Of the farmer.
To give information on marketing
ls far more valuable than to give
advice on production. There II mu-
tual interest between the railroads
and the farmer which cannot exist
between any other lines Of industry.
The railroads are the teamsters Of
agriculture, ard they are employed
only when there Is something to haul.
Good prices will do more to increase
tonnage than any other factor. and
railroads want tonnage.
Agriculture has many inherent dis.
advantages which require combined
effort to overcome in marketing.
There are millions Of producing units
working Independently and selling
without knowledge of market condi-
tions. The harvest is once a year,
while consumption 10 pretty even-
ly distributed throughout the entire
year, and most of the farmers.
through custom and necessity. dump
their entire crop on the market as
soon as 1t is gathered. The problem
Of organizing and systematizing the
markets is one in which the farmers
Invite assistance Of all lines Of In
dustry friendly to their interests.
Farmers Bear the Burden.
The business Of the manufacturer
lends itself more readily to organixa-
tion and the facilities for studying the
markets are more easily available. The
result 10 that the merchants aFe COM
PEELED to handle most staple manufac-
tured articles at very little profit, and
as \ consequence the merchan. mus
look to products which he buys d.
rect from the farm for his profits.
The reports Of the Federal Depart
ment of Agriculture show some very
Interesting information and enable
comparison between the cost OIL
marketing products of the farm and
those of the factory. A few items
will serve to illustrate the general
run. The cost Of getting sugar from
the refinery to the consumer is .
cents on the dollar: the cost Of set
ting tobacco from factory to con-
sumer is IA cents en- the dollar. In
selling dollars worth of eggs the
middleman gets q profit Of so cents
on the dollar. :. In selling a dollars
worth Of potatoes. the middleman
makes 10 cents on the dollar; In sell
ing a dollars worth Of fruit, the
middleman gets "a cents on the dol
lar. and on cantaloupes 50 cents.
Farmers Bulletin No. $40. published
by the United States Department Of
in discussing this subject,
said:
"The high price paid by consumers
ranging from s to 500 per cent, in
come cases, more than the farmer re-
iceives, indicates that there is pienty
of room for lowering ths cost ";
farm products to consumers and at
the same time largely increasing the
cash income per farm. without In
creasing farm production. This ccnri-
tion il undoubtedly marketing prob
lem which will have to be soived by
better organization Of farmers and
improved methods Of marketing"
Large Shippers influence Rates.
In railroad rates the Inequalities
are equally AZ slaring. Rate making
in its primitive stages was largely
influenced by demands and arguments
of large shippers. but the farmers
were unorganised and seldom ap-
peared before rate-malins bodies, and
the burden of expense in transporta
tion lies largely against the raw
products Of the farm.
In banking, our securities are dis
criminated against, as compared with
the products Of the factories and
mines. The farmer is entitled to 4
square deal. The farmer Is more IN
terested in good prices and efficient
service than he ID in rates.
Notice for Publication