New-York tribune., 1917-06-24
Production Is in Fair Way
to Being Solved,
Says Writer
Railroads the Crux
Development Departments of
Lines Educating Farmers to
Needs of Cities
By ARCHER WALL DOUGLAS

keting, or distribution, and conserva-
lion. and the one most needing imme-
diate solution is marketing.
Production is in a fair way OF being
solved, given time and money, for the
agricultural experts of the Department
Of Agriculture, the agricultural colleges
Of the state universities and Of the de-
velopment departments of the great
trunk lines rest not day or night IN
their campaigns Of education, research
and experimentation.
Ii will never be other than empirical
in many Of its ways and results, nor
altogether a solved problem, owing to
the limitations and inertia of human
nature, the vicissitudes Of weather, ana
the depredations of insect enemies. But
it is doing better each year, is practis-
ing better and more efficient methods,
and is gradually increasing the average
production per acre, despite much fool
ish and unknowing chatter to the con-
trary.
Moreover, there is no pressing need
of any sudden increase in production
beyond that already under way.
The talk Of possible danger Of our
being from necessity food importing
country, or that the population is grow
ing faster than the general means Of
subsistence, is the idle talk of those
who know not whereof they speak.
There has never been a harvest within
half a century that did not supply our
needs, with enough left for export.
Distribution the Problem
The matter of marketing, or distribu-
ton-for in this particular sense tho
terms are synonymous-is another
story, and one how TO end successfully
is very serious and pressing problem.
In the commercial world there is
system of distribution from producer
to consumer, between whom there arr
one or more middlemen. which is the
subject of much criticism, but which
still perseveres, largely because no one
has found better way.
But such a system does not necessar-
lily apply 10 the marketing OF food
products, because the conditions are in
herently different. In the beginning
the farmer is tie only producer in all
the world who practically has nothing
to say about the prices he obtains for
his products, and his is the only busi-
ness where the cost of his goods bears
no relation whatever TO the selling
prices.
These selling prices are determined
by several factors s-competition from
those of his own kind, supply and de-
mand and marketing facilities. No
body knows these facts better than the
farmer, and nobody resents more his
apparent helplessness to alter them TO
his own advantage. IL is this general
consciousness which is ever at the bot
tom of those innumerable and usually
futile efforts on the paxt of the farm
ers 10 obtain better and more renumer-
ative prices for their goods by combi-
nations whose sole aim was 70 with
hold the goods from the market until
higher and more satisfactory figures
could be obtained.
Competition Cause of Failure
The usual cause of the failure Of
these attempts at restriction OF trade
was the apparently insuperable one OF
a nationwide and even worldwide COM
petition from other farmers who were
quite willing, or else were forced, 70
sell at prevailing prices, Inc mere
fact that farm products have SOLD at
high and remuneratlve hgures Tor years
mast should not blind US TO the tact
thst this may prove TO be compara-
lively temporary condition.
In normal times the mere fact OF an
abundant harvest means lower and less
remunerative prices TO the farmer, un-
less he has solved that not TOO easy
problem of increasing production with
out proportionately increasing the ac-
companying expense.
THE real difficulty in this matter does
not lie in an overproduction, but IN the
lack of proper and more equable dlstrI-
button. In the beginning OF things, the
railroads Of the country are sadly lack
ing in equipment and transportaIon Ia
cilities to handle promptly and etilclent-
ly the business they are called upon 10
transport.
There have been cases in the peach
growing districts of the South where
the railroads have paid the growers Tor
peaches for which they could not tur-
nish cars for transportation 20 market,
and then dumped the fruit in the river
or had il fed to hogs. Meanwhile there
were many thousands Of consumers IN
Northern ATTITUDES who would have
been only too glad to have had an op-
portunity to purchase those peaches.
Peaches an Illustration
Let US take an illustration TO ex.
emplify the nature and compleHity OF
the situation. The growers OF peaches
in the Ozark regions OF Missouri and
Arkansas formed organizations for the
purpose not only OF successfully cult
waiting, but likewise Of marketing their
products. Now, peaches are grown
commercially in large quantities not
only in the Ozark regions, but IN
Southern Arkansas, East Texas, the
Pecos Valley Of New Mexico, louisiana,
Southern Alabama, Southern Georgia,
North and South Carolina, Southern
illinois. Delaware, Maryland, Connecti-
cutt. the Pacific coast, Colorado, Ohio
and a good many places besides. II Is
true that they do not all rlpen at the
same time and consequently are not
marketed synchrononsly. Nevertheless,
the times OF their marketing constantly
overlap and frequently conflict.
They are peri.hable fruit and must
be marketed Immediately when ripe or
nearly so, or else they soon prove q
seriox and often a total loss.
There are a limited number of
markets which they all seek To ship
them to a market already fully sup
Piled is suicidal. II will be readily
seen. therefore, that the successful
marketing OF these goods implies
ration wide knowledge Of such COM