Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-11-19
BURLINGTON PRESS THURSDAY NOVEMBER 49, 1914

mors, under say, the state Granpo tbc
other elements Just mentioned nirbt mo
inclined to look asknnce at II nc sn,ro-
thing intended to secure bcnnot. cbioay
for the initiators. The same thinp might
be said If the enterprise werc taRon 49,,
by the railroads or the haniors M, b,, q,
consumers organization. I'm view Of ,,oeo
facts, some organization thar ie rn+ IN
tended for the advancement of on,. snoci,i
! interest, but for the good of tho ,vbo,.
state, should originate the movement. and
what better body is there in these re-
spects than the state Leeislatireq I
would have the creation of "a state de
partment of markets under n efron,,
competent and impartial leadership ,vbi,,
would command the condolences or nt
classes, one who would have sufficient
detachment or aloofncss from nnv marty
affiliations to be able to weigh tbinps
with discriminating iudlmcut. who
would be paid a good salary SO that there
would he no incentive to take p, ard from
any private interests In order to further
the latter and whose office would no in
vested with n degree of pcrmauence So
that he might pursue a consistent nn1
enlightened policy without fear or favor.
Under the guidance Of such a man. a
complete investigation Of the ,ntlro dis
tributive organization for both iutra-
State and interstate shipments wou1d NO
made. His department could bring tn
gothcr at one or more places the renra-
seutatives of all the varied interests Of
the people and by this method of confer
euce the policy to be adopted could ma
uufolded along judlcious lines But such
u plan must grow from less perfect to
more perfect fulhlmcut Of the desired
end; il must not be expected To be from
the start a smoothly-Wurking engine. with
all parts in perfect adaptation. The pur-
pose of this department would be to show
how agricultural products could be placed
mt the consumers door so as to more
adequately remunerate the producer ana
effect great saving to the consumer bv
the elimination of much OF the present
expense of the roundabout process.
trust that I have already made clear
how greatly the cost Of these products
is enhanced in the passage from the grow
cr to the consumer But lest anyone
should he doubtful, let me bring to view
the circumstances connected with one of
the largest and best organized trades of
the country namely. the trade in wheat.
When this commodity IS being sent from
the farms Of the West ana placed on the
market in chicago, which is the greatest
wheat market of the world, It passes
through the hands of from 10 tn IS differ
cnt parties before 1t reaches the miller
at Minneapolis Each of these must be-
paid for service rendered, and although
but n small amount goes to each unit in
the distribution, it is manifest that by
the time the gran reaches the miller
it's price is considerably increased over
that received by the farmer When to this
Ne add the cost of the corresponding 81
m"nts of distribution after it has been
made into flour ana before it reaches the
consumer as bread, we do not wonder that
the cost of living has been tremendously
augmented. OF course, we do not have
the grain in Vermont; but If We do not
produce it here We have TO pay others
for producing it ana pay also the addi- |
tional costs Of the intervening stages |
our own products have to go through a !
similar maze in going from the Vermont
farm to the Vermont houscholdor-and all
this to the detriment OF both producer and
consumer The question is frequently
raised in the mind of the writer as to
Why we should continually keep up the
cry Of greater expenditure for agrlcul- ,
ture, when, under the present system. the
larger amount Of the products we con-
sumo does not come from the State at
ALL and the few that do come from our
own farms come by such devious course
as to enrich others at the expense of our