Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-12-29
Editors Letter Box !,


: kt6r ,Kennebsc journal:
Z noticed in ,y0ur, paper Of recent
date q Communication signed by Mr..
J. L. Dean OF Winslow In which he
lays the high prices entirely to the
merchant and ffays the Waterviiie
Chamber Of Commerce for its efforts
to help the farmers in this section.
Now I am not member OF the
Chamber Of Commerce and can GER
tainly speak out in meeting" in r.
gard to this. l am resident of VS.
terville and for a number Of years
have been interested in farm conei-
tons and prices for farm products
and have realized that in many cases
the farmer did not get what was
right for his produce and that too Of
ten perhaps the larger share Of the
consumers dollar went to the mtddiea
men, but after giving the matter g.
great deal Of study I am forced It'd
come to the conclusion that 1t is the
farmer and he alone who Is RESPONSE
BILE for the conditions which prevail.
Take one commodity in point. Wa
terville is the center Of a great apple
raising territory yet there has not
been a first quality apple offered for
cause there is no demand for them?
Certainly not, but because every first
class apple In this section has been
sold to apple buyers and shipped out
Of the State and now the farmers
come in with mean. scrubby wormy
apples and demand as much or more
than they received for their selected
stock from the apple buyers. In many
cases the price asked is as high as real
apples are bringing in the Boston mar
kets. There has not been a fall for
years but what there has been a mar
ket in the city Of Waterville for hun
dreds Of barrels Of first class apples
but the farmer has not tried to fill it,
instead he has sold his apples to the
packer who will take only the best
and then he complains that the local
buyers will not take the seconds and
bowls about the farmer only getting
IS cents out Of the consumers dollar.
Another case. The writer has for
number of years been taking butter
and eggs from a farmer in China,
most estimable gentleman. Here is
your ideal plan. direct from the farmer
to the consumer, but do get my but
ter and eggs any cheaper? Most as
suredly not. Each week my farmer
friend knows just what the prices on
butter and eggs are in the highest
priced place in the city and that is
just what I pay. And my case is not
the exception, but the rule. There are
number OF these producers who come
to the city each week and sell direct
and 1 have been unable to find a sim
gle case where they have sold a cent
less than the regular retail price. If
the Jobber and the wholesaler estab-
retailer with their expensive estab-
lishments to maintain and freight and
trucking to pay can do the distribution
for IS cents of the consumers dollar.
II certainly seems as though the far
mer could do 1t for say SO cents and
would give the consumer a saving of
ID cents on each dollar. But expert
ence proves that the farmer wants the
whole dollar.
Again let Mr.. De- an take his team
and go out through the country and
go 10 the, door of the producer and
buy from him and take the produce
at the door paying the cost of distri-
button himself. Does the farmer sell
to him any cheaper, If he will try It
ne will find that the farmer has his
daily paper at hand and that his price
is the full retail price. Again where
the farmer grabs the whole dollar.
leaving nothing for the consumer. !
The farmers Of Maine have what is
known as Farmers Union. They
buy direct, cutting QUE the local dealer
and taking thousands of dollars out
OF the pockets Of local tradesmen.
They maintain in the city Of Water
vile a well appointed retail store.
Surely here is chance to get farm
products at lower price, but no the4
farmer Is again after all Of that dollar
and visit to the store reveals that
prices are just the same as they are
in the high priced credit stores down.
town.
Is it not fact. Mr.. Dean, that, the
United States Government through
the medium of the parcel post tried
to bring the producer anu the con-
sumner together and was forced to
give up the plan because the farmer
wanted all of the consumers dollar
and wanted him to pay transportation
charges as well.
The above facts are known to every
one who cares to study the problem
and when you consider them, does 1t