Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-02-04

and federal governments, through agricultural
departments. colleges and experiment stations
doing. also know that Mrs Sheldon was very
badly mistaken when she wrote, every atom OF
information and assistance IS on the side Of pro
duction: nothing whatever regarding what the
farmer is to receive for it, the matter of
Distribution We know. for instance, that the
poso1ice inaugurated the parcel post marketing
plan. which farmers in some observation-disclosures
natcly few or none in Thurson county-have
taken mold of and made something for themselves;
we know that the federal department of agricul-
ure has special bureau devoting it's entire ener-
gies to the problems Of marketing and distribu-
ton and that it is constantly making suggestions
to farmers through the newspapers and in special
bulletins; We know that our colleges and expert
ment stations are doing the same thing, constantly
advising also as to properly organized production,
which is essential to advantageous marketing.
These are but few Of the things that are being
done, but they sufficient to refute Mrs. Shell
don s statement.
We agree absolutely with Mrs Sheldon when
she says that the farmers must do their own mar
ketng, and therefore we cannot understand why
she so sarcastcally harpoons the Potato club, I'M
less she has missed the point again in this instance,
as fear she has. What on earth is the Potato
club save a group of farmers gathered together
for organized production and marketing? For all
we know, the club hasn't the slightest idea of
marketing its potatoes in fancy boxes on silver
salvers, but it does propose to buy good seed, to
organize production so as to provide the varieties
the market wants, to grade it's product and to
standardze it so that the buyer will know that the
D oG
them, and to market them on cooperative basis
just exactly as Mrs. Sheldon says the farmers
must do. 1t proposes to do with potatoes the very
thing the farmer must do with his entire business
before he gets it on the right basis organize his
production first and, that done more important
yet, organize his marketing.
The truth Of the matter is and we rather
think Mrs. Sheldon will agree with us in this
that the present situation in the farming business
can best be summed up in that old saying, every
body for himself and the devil take the hindmost''
1t is the most disorganized business on earth as
we know it here, individuaistic in the extreme,
competitive in the extreme, and so most difficult
and discouraging. Every farmer grows what he
pleases and almost when he pleases, with almost
no attention given to what his neighbor and neigh
brs neighbor are growing or what the market
can use, and the result is the most haphazard
hodge, odge of conditions when he tries to mar
ket his produce, that can be imagined.
The farmer has produced, but as general prop
osition it has been on the Topsy "just growed''
order, and he has not marketable has over
looked the most essential feature of his business
from the standpoint Of his own profit. There are
some farmers, of course, to whom this does not
apply, but generally speaking, that is the situa-
ton. To progress he must, as we have said before
and as we have earnestly tried to make plain in
this extended comment-he must first organize
his production and then organize the marketing
of what he produces.
That is the marketing situation as we see it.
Very likely will be accuded of taking position
hostile to the farmers interests, yet we cannot
but believe that person who studies this COM
ment thoroughly will agree that such an accusa-
ton would be far from justified, will agree that
rather does it point out the things that must be
done to make the farmers lot a better one We
invite discussion of the subject of course but let
make it constructive, as this is intended to be,
and not destructive-let's work out of it, some
how, way out of our present difficulties