The Ordway new era., 1914-10-30
RAILROADS WILL
HELP THE FARMER
Common Carriers viii Cooperate In
Marketing Farm Products-Mtddss
Men Charge Higher Ratss
for Handling Farm Than
Factory Produets-
BY Peter Radford
Lecturer National FsrmeEs' Union

BY Peter Haofofo
Lecturer National Fsrmers' Union
The leading railroad systems Of the
nation will establish market bureaus
to assist the farmers along their
lines In marketing their products.
Many roads have accsded to the re-
quest of the Farmers Union and an
nounced their willingness TO enter
Into active cooperation with the far-
mers in marketing their products.
The express companies have sur
vsyed the field and the Federal Gov
ernment, through the parcel post.
has demonstrated the possibilities OF
the common carrier, a. 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 pasA
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.
ASssAAo
is far more valuable than TO give
advice on production. There 10 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, and they are employed
only when there IL 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-
tons. The harvest 10 once . year.
while consumption is pretty even-
" distributed throughout tho entire
year. and most Of the farmers,
through custom and necessity. dump
their entire crop on the market ~
soon ~ It II gathered. The problem
Of organizing and systematixing the
markets IL one in which the farmers
Invite assistance Of all lines Of in
dustry friendly to their interests.
Farmses. Dsar the Durdsn.
The business Of the manufacturer
lends itself more readily TO orsaniza-
ton and the facilities for studying the
markets are more easily available. The
result II that the merchants are COM
PEELED to handle most staple manufao-
tured articles at very little profit. and
- . consequence the msrchan: muh
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
q comparison between the cost OF
marketing products Of the farm and
those OF the factory. A few items
viii serve to illustrate the general
run. The cost Of getting sugar from
the refinery to the consumer Is Q
cents on the dollar: the cost Of get,
ting tobacco from factory to con-
sumer Ia II cents on the dollar. In
selling . dollars worth Of eGss the
middleman gets . profit Of 80 centA
on the dollar. In selling . dollars
worth Of potatoes. the middleman
makes 70 cents on the dollar; in sell
ing . dollars worth Of fruit. the
middleman gets 81 cents on the dol
lar. and on cantaloupes 81 cents.
Farmers Bulletin No. $40, published
by the United States Department Of
Agriculture, In discussing this subject.
said:
THE high price paid by consumers
ranging from to 500 per cent, in
some cases. more than the farmer re-
ceives. indicates that there 10 pienty
of room for lowering the cost u:
farm products to consumers and At
the same time largely increasing the
cash income per farm, without in.
creasing farm production. This conai-
tion IL undoubtedly q marketing prob
lem which will have to BE solved by
better organization Of farmers and
improved methods Of marketing"
Large shippers influence Rates.
In railroad rates the inequalities
arc equally ~ giarins. Rate making
In its primitive stages was largely
by demands aud arguments
of large shippers. but the farmers
were unorganised sad seldom ap-
peared before rats-makins bodies. and
the burden Of expense in transporta.
tion lies largely against the raw
products Of the farm.
In banking. our securities arc dis
criminated against. a. compared with
the products Of the factories and
mines. The farmer II entitled to .
square deal. The farmer 10 more in
in good prices and efficient
service than he 10 in rates.