Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-05
The Farm Market Problem
BY Frederic J. Haskin

Washington, D. c.. Aug. "a few
days ago President Wilson signed the
rural credits bill, and plan to meet
one Of the greatest American agricul-
tural problems was formerly launch.
ed. There still remains another ques-
ton which must be solved before
American agriculture Is really on a
sound and logical business basis.
There is an important bill. now in the
committee stage Of it's life, designed
to answer this second question by
means of an ofiicial, organization OF
all the 100000 farmers in the United
States.
The rural credits bill is designed to
supply the farmer with cheap long
time money, which will put him in q
position to develop his land properly
and own It when 1t Is developed. But
the financial problem Is only one of
the farmers problems. The problem
Of efficient production is another one;
but In meeting this the American
farmer has the assistance of the fed
eral Department OF Agriculture. per-
haps the most elaborate and efhcieut
organization in the world for the
study Of problems Of production. The
farmers third problem, however,
brings uo another story.
1t Is the problem OF marketing, OF
finding a buyer, and 1t is the consen-
sus Of opinion that In this respect
American agriculture is in a bad way,
both absolutely and as compared to
other nations. The bill introduced
into house and senate proposes to
remedy this state of affairs by the
creation of new and elaborate organ
ization which will link every farmer
with every other farmer and every
buyer ."..,"
It Is hardly worth while to cite cases
from the sheaves available where the
consumer has paid fancy prices for
some article of food while the farmer
fifty miles away had the same article
BY the bushel rotting on the ground.
The problem Is being attacked from
dozen different sides by local organ
izations, by cities, counties and some
times by states. but the evil to a
greater or lesser degree still persists.
There is no, blame to be attached to
any particular class. The fault Is
seen to lie primarily with the sys-
lCuA, dul Lie SyolCA - "AOAo o>S~~AS~
it is blind and wastefud
The situation may be summed up
by saying that the consumer nays too
much for farm products. and the farm
er gets too little for them. To lay
the blame on the middle man Is An
easy but erroneous way Of placing the
responsibility The middleman for the
most part perform indispensable ser.
vices and as, for their exorbftant pro-
fits. YOU do not see the corner grocer
touring across the continent In his
limousine. The real fault rests with
system that works in the dark. that
dumps pota toesAon to market already
flooded with potatoes, that ships car
rots to Philadelphia and turnips to
Boston when Boston wants carrots
and Philadelphia wants turnips.t
No one Is arguing that the system ia
not wro-g: and critics are agreed
that what is lacking Is a good system
or renorts by which the producer can
find the best market. Of the moment,
not in his county or his state. but In
the United States of America. The
California Fruit Growers association
is often cited as an example Of how
an -OIEdulZdL1Ou VI IuAo oCASt SNA AuAAS-
ton. The association may ship a car
Of oranges to Chicago. While the car
Is crossing Kansas the news comes
that oranges are OF in Chicago and up
in Cincinnati. The destination Of the
car Is changed by telegraph. Instead
Of going to Chicago It goes to Gin
cinnati. The people of Cincinnati get
oranges at a. lower price than they
would have otherwise. and the orange
grower, gets better price for his
fruit ~ 3 ~ '~7.
e Something like this. but much
broader and more comprehensive, than
this. is the goal set by most Of our
market reformers. The bill now be-
fore congress. introduced in the SEN
ate by Senator Sheppard and in the
house by Mr.. Goodwin, proposes to
solve the problem in, this fashion: =
It provides for the establishment
Of a National Chamber Of Agriculture.
This chamber is to consist at flrst of
nine members appointed by the presi-
dent, at least Fix Of whom are prac-
tical farmers. The National Chamber
would be organized as a corporation
in the District OF Columbia. over which
congress has direct jurisdiction. and
as such would operate in all the Diff