The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-01-18
NATIONAL
EXCHANGE
PROPOSED
BILL TO CREATE PRODUCE AND
CLEARING HOUSE OF iNFoRMA-
TIoN TO ENCOURAGE TRADE
RELATIONS.

resentative Hatton w. Summers of
Dallas, the chief purpose of which is
to enable the department of agricul-
ture and other departments of the
federal government and the agricultu.
raj departments of the states to or
ganize into practical machine
through which the field of production
can be brought into trade relations
with the markets. Mr.. Summers says
the bill does not seek to bring the
department of agriculture into a new
field Of activity, but to stimulate ac-
tivity in a field already occupied by
it into conformity with the needs.
"The work of these departments is
now only one-third done, since eff
fectiye help is given only in connec-
tiOn with two of agricultures three
big problems, production and preser
vation of soil" said Mr.. Summers.
| "The third and most difficult problem,
that of sale and distribution, is prac.
| tically left untouched. The weakness
| in the program of the federal and
state agricultural departments lies in
the fact that the more the farmers
produce the less they get for it, Give
the producer a fair remuneration for
his labor and prevent the accumula-
tiOn of a little surplus from forcing
the bottom out of prices, as can be
done, and greater results will come to
the activities of the department with
half the present expenditures. Farm
ers will be given a proper incentive
to apply scientific methods of pro
duction and preservation of soil fer
tility, and the consumer will be given
cheaper products and a more depend
able supply This lies in the fact
that they would be given an oppor-
tunity to utilize the products which
now go to waste. and which they are
more and more having to pay for in
the price of the product consumed, |
and the other unavoidable loss be-
tween production and consumption |
will be largely eliminated.
"The net profit of the producer evi-
IDENTIFY can not be decreased, but must |
be increased. The only hope of the
city dwellers to get cheaper farm
products is to eliminate the waste and !
avoidable intervening charges"
Mr.. Summers hopes to receive as
sistance from cities as well as coun-
try districts in obtaining passage of
his bill. He will discuss the bill |
largely from the standpoint of the |
city dweller when he speaks in Al
bany next week before the agricul-
tural society of New York. The
essential terms of Mr.. Summers bill
are as follows:
at shall be the duty of each of
the departments of the government
to furnish the secretary of agricul-
ture with such statistics and data as
they may acquire which would be
useful in the operation of such ex-
change, and to render such other SER
vice in the sale and distribution of
farm products through such exchange
as it would be practicable to render.
"The secretary of agriculture shall
keep advised as nearly as practi-
cable with the details of the guam
tity, quality, location and price at
which held of agricultural products
and the volume and location of de-
mand in the United States and abroad
and the price at which such products
may be sold, and shall make such
available TO the producer
and purchaser of such products. and
shall endeavor to bring about such
system in the sale and distribution of
such products as shall eliminate the
waste and extremes in prices result
ing from the present lack of system
therein.
"Those desiring to offer products
for sale through such exchange may
do so by grade or by sample delivered
to such exchange under such rules
and regulations as the secretary of
agriculture may prescribe, but all
tenders Of such products shall be for
a definite quantity and quality. Pro
yided, however, that the secretary Of
agriculture is authorized to permit
contracts for the sale of such pro
ducts to be made upon a basis grade,
with the option to deliver other grades
in fulfllment Of such contract. Pro
yided. however. that no exchange
permitting a delivery within wider
range Of grades than the ordinary
user Of such product dealt in uses in