The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-30
BUREAU Of MARKETS TO
GIVE MUTUAL PROFITS
Farm Products VIII Benefit
Through Law.
BILL APPEARS IN THE HOUSE
Commissioner of Agriculture, Under
Whose Department Bureau Will
Operate, Lays Emphasis Upon Its
Need.

sspeaioinC Of the bill creating q
bureau of markets, introduced in the
House Friday. Commissioner of Agr!-
culturo Koiner told of the need for
ouch a bureau IN connection with the
work of the department OF agricul-
ture.
"A successful system OF marketing
caIm products Is the most needed con-
summation in the State" said Mr.
koiner. Effective and economical
methods for distributing and market
ing farm products should go hand i'll
hand with scientific methods Of pro-
duction, as II profits little to improve
the quality and increase the quantity
of our crops II we cannot learn when,
where and how they may be sold u
advantage.
THE individual grower frequently
discovers that working alone he Is UNI
able to do certain things which are
economically essential The marketing
OF agricultural products is a business,
and. in order to bring the greatest
returns to the producer md 10 lessen
the price to consumer. Il must be
conducted In a thoroughly business
like way. Wholesale prices are often
so depressed as TO be ruinous 10 pro-
Queer, while the consumer who buys
In small quantities realizes little re-
duction IN price. In other words, our
present methods do not give to the
consumer the benefits of the ahnor-
NAL. low prices which the producer
receives in seasons Of abnormal pro-
duction.
The question OF fair and equal
high cost OF living and curtailinE oil
M thai, all nfhaT fhtnRR
CONT ined Last spring cabbage sold
in Southern Texas as low as $500 per
ton. while at the same time they were
retailing in Austin at $40, the con-
sumner paying fourteen times what the
producer received Tomatoes sold in
East Texas at 30 cents per crate
while in Dallas the consumer paid as
high as $40 per crate. In Virginia
this year Irish potatoes sold as 10"
as rs cents per barrel. when they were
being retalied on the markets Of Rich
mond and other cities at 40 cents per
peck.
Object OF Proposed Bureau
This object then, of bureau oil
markets will be 30 equalize in ever,
way possible such abnormal conditions
when they occur. rendering such as
distance 10 producer and consumer M
chase agricultural products at fair
and reasonable price.
Investigations under this bureau
are. intended to aid in solution OF all
market problems, in which are also
involved transportation and storage OF
farm products. In bringing producer
IN touch with demand the ONCE viii
undertake to render assistance both
TO the individual producer and shipper
and 70 aid associations of producers
and consumers in the difficulties re-
la:iug 10 production OF farm products
st will be the object OF this depart
ment to put the producer In position
to handle business with the common
carrier I'm an intelligent manner. The
bureau will endeavor to create better
understanding on the part of shippers
OF the peculiar problems and Difficult
ties confronting carriers, and, on the
part of carriers the special needs and
ANTIQUITIES OF shippers OF farm pro-
ducts. This effort should result. IN a
closer cooperation of the two. which
in necessary and desirable; for in the
last analysis. production and transpor-
tation are merely different phases OF
industrial activity, and the producer
and carrier must prosper or fall to-
gether."
Brief Outline or Nork,
To attain It's end the bureau will
make a careful study of the distri-
button of the states productions along
the following lines:
!. The market demand-~nearby and
distant.
2. Location of producers; diversi-
ncation to meet conditions of supply
and demand: containers practical TO
Use and the packing and stAndardizing
of products; and the business methods
and customs of marketing.
g. Trar sportation, which carriers
best to use In specific cases. expense
and service considered. and a more
satisfactory use OF parcel post.
4. The best method of disseminating
information that will bring producer
in touch with demand so that the
farmer may have honest crop and
market information. enabling him to
secure a reasonable price for his pro-
duce and the cons INNER to pay a rea-