American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-12-09
MARKETING HOGS.

otabO& ~ o5Aho LIN iOAAONAh6 OQUSu-
er the population roughly divided into three class
es-ths producers, the consumers and those en-
gagged in buying and turning raw materials into
the finished product, and the distributor of all
these food products and other commodities neces-
sary to the evxistence of civilized man.
Between two large plains of land lies a broad.
beautiful valley, ON the one side live the pro-
ducers and on the other the consumers, each Of
the two classes dependent upon the other, and
both working hard to provide the necessities of
life. Living in a land of plenty there is much
DISCUSSION about the high cost Of living but little
said about the real cause and remedy. But, before
the commodities may pass from producer to con-
sumner they must cross over the valley where live
the local buyers, the speculative buyers, gamblers,
manufacturers, jobbers, wholesalers, travelling men
and retailers, then after each has added to the cost
or so-called market value of the commodities,
whether adding to the intrinsic or true value or
not, they are passed on to the consumer.
The striking thing about the valley is the won
derful transformation that has taken place there
since the birth Of our nation. In early days only
a few factories and mills, and a simple direct sys-
tenn of distribution was found in the valley. 1t is
true that in those days industrial life was more
simple and that with the invention of machinery
and the numerous discoveries by scientists, new In
dustries came into existence, which complicated
the situation, agriculture making rapid progress
Oh account of labor saving machinery being in
troduced attracted more attention from the pro-
ducers than before. They became SO busy pro-
ducing that they forgot what was going on in the
valley. AS matters grew more complexed the
men in the valley took advantage of this condi-
tion and made the situation still more complex.
The luxuries of the valley together with the in
ducements offered, led many from the plains to
iOin in the dpyelODmant Of what is known tOday
az the middle man system. The greater the num-
Der added to support this system tn egreater its
power.
On the consumers side of the plain In a man
sion overlooking the valley, lives Uncle Sam.
From different places in the valley are we'll beat
en- paths leading to the mansion, and also to a
building called the public press. The paths from
the plain laid out by our forefathers are outgrown
with grass and but few there are who travel that
way.
To prevent commodities from taking shorter
routes across the valley thus leaving out one or
more of the members of the system, strict rules
eand regulations are enforced. Realizing that the
burden imposed upon the producers and consumers
by this round about system is unnecessary and un-
Just. a highway is being built across the valley
from one end by organized labor and the other by
the organized producer. Upon the completion Of
this highway of cooperation 1t will be dedicated
to the use of the American people.
think that anyone who has made some study
81 the market system in the northwest will agree
with me that the farmer as we'll as the laboring
man is suffering from the greed Of organized
capitalists.
AS a remedy for the present hog market situa-
ton a writer in the Rural Spirit has suggested
that we raise only half as many hogs next year.
l beg to differ with him, however, and hope that
af4or oivinn ~ roattor p fbnuu chit hn will onn-
slider my views in a kindly way. In the first place
what shall we raise to take the place of the other
half of hogs raised this year that will not over
stock this northwest market of ours? We cannot
let our land lie idle. Secondly this suggestion is
too much like the one given by the wheat grower
who proposed that in order to make the wheat
gamblers raise the price of wheat each farmer
raise only one bushel where he grew fifteen be-
6re. The wheat grower wanted quicker results,
otherwise the remedy is the same. The result
would work a greater hardship upon the poor
grain grower than upon the rich Spectator. The
grain gamblers could retire from their Jobs and
pay a dollar a loaf for their bread until the las,
wheat grower had starved and the sod had formed
on his grave, and still have enough money
wrenched from the farmer by base and dishonest
methods used to plant a bed Of "forget-me-nots'
with a border of costly stones to mark the final
resting places of the millions of wheat growers
ia our land.
Let us apply a remedy that In in keeping with
the experience of others who have had disaster
stare them in the face but have taken courage and
are winning out "In union there is strength,
United we stand, divided we fall" There is onl,
one thing to be done and that is to follow the ex
ample of the farmers OF Wisconsin, who built
farmers cooperative packing plant at La Crosse
Market reports show that the Portland packer
have underpaid the farmers two dollars per hun
dred weight This amount in Oregon, Washing
ton and Idaho this year would 60 a long way to
ward building a packing plant at Portland. Tn
thousands Of organized laborer1 in Portland hav
assured US that II we will label our produce an'
sell 1t to them direct through a market estab
lished there they will buy our produce. The sam
will be true Of Seattle and other cities OF the wes'
An instance occurring at Great Falls, Mont, thi