Mexico Missouri message., 1916-11-30

ago contained the following special
rom Montgomery City, Mo-:
Lack of information, bad business
methods and downright dishonesty
we're blamed for the present high
cost of living by Sam Jordon, well
known farmers institute lecturer of
the State Board of Agriculture, in an
address at the courthouse here yes
terday.
The middle man has his place in
the program just as well as the pro-
Queer and consumer, he said, land
there's a vast need of reform and ed
ucation among all factors. There's
too much of a lack of understanding
among all parties"
Mr.. Jordon suggested that market
centers be established for the pur-
pose of disseminating information as
to the demands or needs of various
markets as to supply and demand.
He used as an illustration, Missouri,
with st. Louis, Kansas City and st.
Joseph as primary centers and such
cities as Joplin, Springfield, Hanni-
bal. Moberly, Sedalia and others as
secondary centers, which in turn
would keep in touch with all their
surrounding towns.
This scheme is starting with the
Government" he added, "but is far
from hitting the spot"
Supplies Dumped to Keep Prices Up.
Jordan said that he had reports
that not long ago on a certain day in
Kansas City there were over 500 car
loads of potatoes on the tracks in
/ that town, aIta the report was that
more than 100 cars had been frozen.
The intimation was that this had been
purposely allowed, for the seeming
reason that it was the desire of GER
tain business men to keep down the
supply that the price might be kept
up.
Mr.. Jordan also stated that he had
been told that each season the dealers
in Kansas City set day on which nc
more old potatoes could be bought by
the consumer. That after that GER
tain day only new potatoes could be
found on the market, and that the
old potatoes had been sent to the
dump. He said he could not vouch
for the truth of the statement, but
} the reason for this action was that
the supply might be kept down that
the price might be kept up.
The speaker also said that he had
been told only day or two ago by
man who said he knew that in st
Louis in one year he knew of 200,
900 barrels of apples being thrown
into the river by the dealers in thar
town, for the apparent purpose o
keeping the supply low and the price
} high.
= Cites Case of Apple Dealer.
l Mr.. Jordan told of another cas-
that happened few years ago il
, Western Missouri, that seems to b,
a general principal with many so
= called business men. An apple grow
er from near Springfield wanted t.
sell two car loads of apples in thi
. Western town and agreed to plac
s them on the track for So barrel, an,
l that by little advertising and us
4 of the telephone they could sell iron
!, the car door at $3.50 a barrel. TIL
= merchants stoutly refused to conside
4 the proposition, as they said the tow
did not buy over half car in veal
n and they were sure they could not SCI
o two cars. The grower thought the
e could if they would sell at such
a price as the consumer thought h
! could pay.
! The merchants said they could nc
o handle them on profit margin of S
:. cents a barrel, as they sold them q
e $500 a barrel. The shipper said h
y would ship in apples and sell theI
a himself at $500 a barrel. The dea
n ers told him if he thought he coul
l. land such deal to go, his length.
AS a result he went to his hote
n got the telephone directory and b,
n fore he had left the telephone he ha
J. engaged his two cars. They were d,
II livered according to agreement, an
* by that time had almost two MOI
IS cars sold to be delivered as soon
IN could be done. The idea appeared
lie be with, "Sell as little as you can Il
is the biggest price you can get"
IN He stated that the packing cor
t. panies seem to work on the san
p principle, for they have driven Il
" cattle grower out of business to SUI,
an extent that there are more thu
100000 head of beef less in h
lg United States now than there were
lg 1900, and they have made the pric
re so high to the consumer that he