The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1914-12-31
IN marketing farm commodities.

VI MAJ htNink ldIHn tOHliuOui'itos
| consider the action OF these giant
business concerns in determining to
cooperate with the farmers In mar.
keting their crops. TO bo the greatest
product OF human thought on the
Western hemisphere during the past
year. and Il demonstrates that the
educational work OF the Farmers
Union has brought the nation to n
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 q 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 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.
advantage which require combined
effort TO overcome In marketing.
There are millions OF producing units
working independently and selling
without knowledge OF market condi-
tione. The harvest is once year.
while consumption Is 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 II 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 organiza.
tion and the facilities for studying the
markets are more easily available. The
result is that the merchants are com.
pelled 10 handle most staple manufac.
tured articles at very little profit, and
as a consequence the merchant must
look 10 products which he buys di.
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 OF
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 h
cents on the dollar: the cost OF get
ting tobacco from factory to con.
sumer is IL cents on the dollar. In
selling a dollars worth OF eggs the
middleman gets a proht OF so cents
on the dollar, In selling dollars
worth OF potatoes. the middleman
makes 10 cents on the dollar; in sell
ing a dollars worth OF fruit. the
middleman gets 81 cents on the dol.
lar, and on cantaloupes SO 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 8 to 500 per cent. in
some cases. more than the farmer re-
ceives. indicates that there is plenty
OF room for lowering the cost of
farm products to consumers and at
the same time largely increasing the
cash income per farm. without in
creasing farm production. This condi-
tion is undoubtedly a 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
are equally as slaring. Rate making
In its primitive stages was largely
Influenced by demands and arguments
OF large shippers, but the farmers
were unorganized and seldom ap
peared before rate-making 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 a
square deal. The farmer is more In
terested in good prices and efficient
service than he is in rates.