The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1914-01-09
FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1914
FARMER AND CONSUMER.

FARMER AND CONSUMER.
1t is shown by the report OF the sec
rotary of agriculture, that the value of
all farm products for the past year, in
Guiding live stock and poultry, exceeds
$4,000 900, 900. This is the farm value.
What consumers will have to pay for
such of it as they buy may be inferred
from the statement in the report that
there is an increase in the cost of
these products from producer to con-
sumer of to 500 per cent. 1t may
be remarked that none of the per
cent increases are enjoyed by the or
binary consumer, but he has the priv
ilege of paying the 500 per cent ones
exclusively Prices average on the
farm POP per cent higher than they
did a year ago This is why a shorter
crop in total bulk is bringing the
farmers more money, and why the
consumer is paying for the shortage.
1t must not. however, be assumed that
this increase in total farm value means
general prosperity among the farmers.
Those who lost their corn and oats
crops, or had them reduced to half
crop or less of inferior quality, and
whose hay crop was short and who
had to feed stock in summer and fall
because of poor pasture, if they were
not so fortunate-or foresiehted, which
is better-as to have other crops that
yielded well. are not getting their share
of benefit from the high prices The
income is too unevenly distributed to
cause general rejoicing among the
farmers, while there can be no rejoic-
ing at all on the part OF consumers.
Greater yields of the crops cut short by
the drought of last summer would not
have given the farmers a larger total
income, but would have distributed the
would have made the burden upon
would have made the borden upon
consumers lighter, thus being better
for the farmers as a whole and the
rest of the country as whole.
The secretary takes the opportunity
to call special attention to the need OF
some radical change in marketing
methods in order to give the farmers
a larger porportionate share of the
= consumptiye value of their products,
and at the same time to reduce the
final cost of them to consumers. The
increase in cost because of the repeat
ed handling and the expensive system
by which it is done can be avoided by
better marketing organization on the |
part of the farmers themselves. 1t is
being done by orchardists, particularly |
on the Pacific coast, through whose |
cooperative associations the country is |
better and more evenly supplied with
fruit than ever before, and the pro-
ducers are getting better prices than
ever before. They have transformed
losing business into a paying one.
and at the same time benefited the con-
sumers. Something like this is CON
templated for the general farmers. 1t
is being done sporadically in various
parts of the country. Farmers clubs
have been organized, which not only
look collectively after the marketing
of the products of their members, but
do collectively many things which
would be too expensive for the indiv-
idual to do thus reducing his produc-
ton cost and increasing his productive
value at the same time. The report
does not suggest to consumers that
they also undertake collective methods,
but consumers themselves have given
this phase of the subjects some at
tention. Unfortunately for them, col
lective buying is not so easy as col
lective selling, yet if consumers are
to profit materially from the new mar
keting methods that are sure to be
adopted they must do something for