The state herald., 1914-10-30
RAILROADS WILL
HELP THE FARMER
Common Carriers VIII Cooperate in
Marketing Farm Products-Middle
Men Charge Higher Rates
for Handling Farm Than
Factory Products.
BY Peter Radford
Lecturer National Farmers Union


The leading railroad systems of the
aation will establish market bureaus
to assist the farmers along their
ines in marketing their products.
Many roads have acceded to the re-
quest of the Farmers Union and an.
1ounced their willingness to enter
.nto active cooperation with the far
ners in marketing their products.
The express companies have sur
yeyed the field and the Federal Gov
srnment, through the parcel post,
las demonstrated the possibilities OF
.hc common carrier as useful agency
IL marketing farm commodities.
| consider the action of these giant
business concerns in determining 10
cooperate with the farmers in mar
keting their crops, 10 be the greatest
product of human thought on the
Western hemisphere during the past
year. and it demonstrates that the
educational work of TIE Farmers
Union has brought the nation TO a
clearer understanding OF the real
problem of the farmer.
To give information on marketing
is far more valuable than to give
advice on production. There is a mu.
ual interest between the railroads
aud the farmer which cannot exist
eetwcen any other lines OF industry.
The railroads are the teansters OF
agriculture. and they are e"ioloyed
only when there is something to haul
icod prices viii do more to Increase
tonnage than any other factor. ana
railroads want tonnage.
Agriculture has many inheren, 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.
ions. The harvest Is once year.
Shile consumption is pretty even
ly distributed throughout the entire
tkgough custom and Necessity, dump
their entire crop on the market az
scon as It ls gathered The problem
II organizing and systematIzing the
markets II ore In which the farmers
Invite assistance of all lines OF IN.
iustry friendly to their interests.
Farmers Eear the Burden.
The business OF the manufacturer
lends itself more readily to organlza,
ion mud the facilities for studying the
lmartets are more easily available. The
result Is that the merchants are CON.
l2elied 70 handle most staple mRnuiac-
i.uso! articles ut very little profit and
~ i Consequence the merchan. mus
'nol TO products which he buys di.
rect frnu the farm for his pr5ats.
Tfe reports Of the Federal Depart.
lIe1l OF As, ,'eulturo show some very
IuterrgtirE Information and enable
Ia DmuHrruu between tho cost OF
lulfietnE products OF the farm and
'rosa az .hc factory. 4 few items
leu serve n ILLUSTRATE the general
/ nun The cost of getting sugar from
30 reHasry 70 tue consumer ~ o
,ent, % ftN ioliar. 'he cost sg Get.
Irg tobacco from factory 10 coz
mnor .s n cents on the dollar n
telling o d9ilar'g worth OF perR tn
luIi1loman seis a prpat of 20 cents
1n the A1llas IN selling a dollnr's
w5rta ~ potatoes, the middlcman
Inab,H 70 cents on tho dollar in rell.
lmg q dollars worth OF fruit, the
ui1dlrmnn sH'a SO cents on tho dol.
r aad on rantnioupea SO cents
Farmers Bulletin No, $40. pupnahod
By tho Unlici satrs Department Of
Agriculture, ln discussing this auhjcct
ald
"Thr high price paid by consumers
.anglas ,rgm 3 % 300 pcr cent in
onc casos more than the farmer re.
,s'yoh indicator that there ia peutv
3f room for lowering the coat -
arm prolrcts 10 congnusra ana n
NO mmc time largely lncrtafing the
-ahh Income per farm. Nithrut IN.
,reapIng farm production. ihls cghah
ion ia undoubtedly o mnrsotlnF prob.
tenn which win have 10 30 aniyef by
5otter organization al farmer, and
improved method N ma"kctIHs"
Large shIppsrs Influence Rates.
IN railroad ratios tho lnennnllile
. are equally na glhrlnr. Rata m1anr
I'M lts primitive stassH waI largely
Influenced by demands aud arguments
1f larrr ahlpppru, bat the farmHrf
were uunreaHi,ad nad aeiiap np
pcafad before rate.maklnR bodies, and
, tha burden OF expense IN tfanaporta
lion Hes largely against the raw
, products Of the farm.
In hanhng our securities arc die
eliminated ngaiuHt. ps compared with
The pfoduclp OF the factories and
. Mines. Tho farmer lH entitled 10 d
square deal The farmer ~ moro m
J It..a.tat "a 4-agd arires nud rftieier.