The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-04-22
BY R. w. GILL,

difficult proposition in Portland and two
or three different efforts to install a
public market had failed. Universal pes
simism against organization of such an
institution prevailed. The fact that peo-
pie could order over the telephone and
get credit, led many farmers to believe
that the public market would not be a
success.
In the face of this condition and in
face of the fact that the commission mer-
chants and business men were opposed
to give in, the starting of a public mar
ket must be done very wisely with con-
siderable consideration and with a lot of
preliminary work. 1t Is absolutely essen
tial to have some newspaper that will
back it up and keep it in the eyes of the
public. We found that it was better to
have one paper and stick to it rather than
several papers. One that will back it up
from start to finish is necessary. | wish
to put special stress on that one feature.
without the interest of the consumer
you cannot have a public market. Every
society and every business organization
had its committee, These committees be-
gan the active organization of the market.
They selected 20 speakers which were
sent to every kind of meeting. On the
day of the opening there was a large
parade, which created great enthusiasm.
Everybody knew that the market was 60
ing to open.
Eliminating Middleman.
The main idea of the market Is that
none but producers should be allowed to
sell. Letting the middleman use the mar
ket as a sales place should be eliminated.
Agents, however, are permitted to sell for
the producer. 1t is necessary that speak
'ers should be sent out among the farmers.
An effort was made in that line and
special speakers were sent out which got
them to sign up that they would bring in
their stuff. When opening day came we
had worked up great enthusiasm and
everybody realized that the market was
going to be opened. Ii you open the mar
ket and have the producer there and not
the consumer then the farmer Is going to
be disappointed and not come back.
Therefore the opening day OF the market
is very essential. We even had people in
Portland come along the street and start
arguments about prices being higher than
in the grocery stores, etc. The harder
they fought the public market the more
they advertised. II you start a public
market in your town and people knock.
just let them knock.
The public market should be a pro-
ducers' market only as far as the farmer
is concerned. We permit each farmer to
actually employ an agent on a salary
basis. 1t cannot be done on a commits
sion basis. 1t is best to pay a salesman
pretty well as good statesmen are scarce.
An association especially should be very
careful to get a salesman that Is good.
We permit associations to sell upon the
public market. The association must be
comprised of actual producers. They
must also give affidavit that members of
their associations are actual producers.
Then they can count upon the market.
Shipping Crops In.
We permit outside stuff to be shipped
in and sold. The life Of the public mar
ket last year was maintained through
that alone. The success Of the public
market would not otherwise have been
so great. We had stuff from Hood River,
Salem, McMinnville, ETC., one man from
Salem selling his whole currant crop. 1t
is a noticeable feature now that the gro
cerymen say the public market Is not af-
fecting them as they thought 1t would.
1t has created a large consumption of
food.
There were cases where men brought
in as high as 100 dressed fowls and were
sold out by 10 and II O'Clock and really
could not keep in touch with the consum-
er. We found an immense demand for
dressed poultry, eggs, butter, cottage
cheese, etc. The farmers found they
could get a higher price, and when one
got a higher price they all came. The
farmers were getting more for their prod
uce than the grocerymen were. The pub
lie knew they could get a fresh article.
One of the propositions which is ex-
tremely difficult to handle and the olu
ton of which has never come about, Is
that of the race problem. The Japanese
were among the first to get in line. This
brought a great deal of criticism from
the people. 1t was felt that 1t was not
best to make any race line at all. A good
deal of the criticism anne from the farm
ers and consumers because the Japanese
were allowed to sell upon the market.
An open market is really the only solu-
ton Of that problem.
Rules Necessary.