Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-05-27


the farmer successfully sells his prod
dat direct to the city retailer while in
America it is almost impossible for the
farmer to get into the city. In fact
American cities are practically quaran-
tined against the farmer so far as
selling direct is concerned.
1.-THE farmer who tries to sell his
product in the city is up against it"
said the president of New York cor
poration. At the suggestion of one of
our officers we last year raised a
small lot of very fine potatoes on some
of our vacant lands. We thought we
were business men but selling those
potatoes was too much for us. We
found that the retailers had contracts
with jobbers for their years supply.
The jobbers and wholesalers were
shipping in their potatoes in carload
lots and they did not care for the few
bushels we had. Even the hotels had
either bargained for their years sup
ply or would not make contract with
anyone who could not furnish all that
they might need during the year.
I'm fact no one in the whole city
wanted our potatoes. We were COM
PEELED to practically give them away.
1t opened our eyes. We know now
what the farmer is up against in the
city markets when he has anything to
sell. The farmer can no longer sell
a product without going from house
to house as a peddler. AS business is
now conducted his situation is hope
less. It seems to me that It is cooper
alive marketing or nothing for the far.
mer."
Colorado Peach Grower Has Trouble.
Nowhere on earth do they raise bet
ter peaches than in Colorado. Recent
ly in an exceptionally good year one
grower marketed 10000 boxes of fine
peaches in the usual way expecting
big returns. When the final settle
ment arrived he took it home so that
his wife and children who had helped
with the work might enjoy it with
him. When he opened the envelope he
found first long and detailed state
ment which he did not fully compre-
bend. But turning to the accompany
Ing letter he read this paragraph: 81
think we are fortunate indeed, in view
of all the circumstances, to find that
no liability stands against US. If you
will send us your draft for $50 this
will close the account and no further
liability will attach to YOU" Finally
It soaked in that the result of the en-
tire year was loss of $50.
But he possessed himself in pa
ttence and thought it all over. From
inquiry he learned that while retail
prices were good, the peaches had
passed through the hands of six to
eight persons each of whom had taken
out q profit. No one person had robbed
him. No one had been dishonest. No
one had made excessive profits. Each
one had simply looked out for himself.
The farmer had BEEN fool enough not
to do the same thing.
Farmer Tries to Sell Direct
The next year at the opening of the
season the grower went to the Denver
retailer who had handled his product.
He was glad to find that his peaches
of the previous season had arrived in
good shape, had been readily sold, and
had brought good price. The dealer
said he would be glad indeed to han
die his peaches again If possible. Then
the grower demonstrated with pencil
and paper that the grower by selling
directly to the retailer would double
his own return, double the retailers
profit and still leave ample margin for
all expenses intervening. The retailer
gave a respectful hearing but slowly
shook his head. Nothing doing" he
said. IF I buy my peaches directly
from you the wholesalers will suggest
that I buy my pineapples and bananas
of you too. I tried it once. It did not
take them long to get wise. was in
formed that If I ever did that again l
would not be able to buy any fruit In
the city. You can't blame them for
they think they are protecting their
business in the only possible way"
Inquiries Of retailers in other parts
of the city brought the same answer.
It was absolutely impossible for the
grower to market his fruit In the city
Of Denver.
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