Arizona republican., 1917-04-29

depent shippers were based on returns which the association had been able to secure for it's members.
 Coming nearer home attention might be directed to the splendid record made this year by the United Pro- duce Growers association of Arizona which has headquarters at Glendale Up to and including April r this as- sociation shipped 61 cars of lettuce to seven large eastern markets and for the 21 cars on which final settlement had been made. secured for their grow CTS an average of a trifle over $1 57 per crate. Prices were uniformly good and at no time was any single market overloaded. I venture to say that had all those growers been ship ping, independently there would have been at least half dozen cases of glutted markets with corresponding red ink returns for the shippers. The educational work on grading and pack ing carried on by this organization would in itself have justified it's ex- iStence .-f
 The question of industrial prepared ness has been agitating the minds of  Americas part in present world affairs is conceded to be that of an indus trially strong nation. But is it not possible that we have in our minds confused potential with actual indus trial strength? Agriculture. our great est and our basic industry, is essential ly unorganiZed for commercial pur- poses. The question of overproduc- tion and glutted markets has in the past largely resolved itself into the problem of faulty distribution. Few business men realize the tremendous waste resulting from inefficient dis tributing methods. Let me cite few examples One day in August several years ago. various shippers in the Ozarks placed 57 cars of peaches in St. Louis with no preliminary arrange ments made for the disposition of one single car Before railroad officials awakened to the seriousness of the situation some of the fruit began to spoil and reconsignment was almost cut of the question. To protect freight charges the fruit was sold at public auction at prices ranging from 25c per bushel down to practically noth- ing. At the same time peaches were bringing soc to $1.25 per bushel on many middle western markets. If ozark growers had been organized for mar keting is it likely that such condi- ton would have occurred?
 On one day in early September 1915. Chicago received over POO cars, of peaches or approximately. five times the maximum number that could nor mally be handled to advantage on that market At the same time many smaller cities in the middle west had supplies below their ordinary needs.
 Last year the sales manager for the largest vegetable shipping company in Florida told me that Florida tomatoes destined for market were usually d. verted three or four times in transit and in many instances cars were dl- verted as often as eight or ten times The actual monetary loss attendant upon such a system of distribution reaches large proportions and IS uln- mately shared by both producer and consumer.
 It has been suggested that the best means of meeting present food short age would be through federal distri- button of food products. It is not my purpose to discuss the pros and cons of this subject but there is one point which I cannot refrain from men tioning. If such a plan should ever be instituted the greatest difficulty which the government would have to face would be the problem of co-ordina a very disorganized industry. Dealing with the individual through his asso- citation would be simple and feasible while dealing with each individual himself would be a tremendous under taking I venture the assertion that if the average business man conducted his business according to the code or his farmer friends, competition would drive him from the field in a month and engulf his entire business.
 A few years ago the business man had merely an academic interest in the farmer. Today he has awakened to the fact his own and>the producers prosperity are one and the same thing. Financial troubles for the farmer mean dull times for the business man whether he be banker, shoe merchant. or grocer Too few of us realize that agriculture really is our basic indus try. the failure of which means a slow ing up of the entire industrial ma chine.
 Cooperation between business and agricultural interests is mutually ben eficial The business man can finance marketing operations. he can assist the grower in forming helpful com mercial contacts. he can place before the farmer all his own business. ex- periences, and can materially assist in the formation of commercial growers organizations. 4
 Banking concerns in the Pacific Northwest few seasons ago advanced S500,000 to one growers association. having no capital stock and no sur plus. This money was spent in mar keting one seasons crop and l may say at this point that banking inter ests in the northwest: have found such liberal practices both safe and profit able. If the business man does not stand ready to back. the prodnceH financially in a reasonable way. he cannot expect to profit by the farmers later prosperity. v
 Here in the Salt River valley you have a district embracing approxi- mately a quarter of million acres of irrigable land which even now is pro ducing over twenty crops, having an aggregate acreage of over five hun. dred acres each. This does not in clude live stock. poultry or other asri- cultural wealth aside from growing crops. Possibilities for crop produc- ton are almost unlimited. Properly developed, the markets of the state will care for very fair portion of crops produced. To reach the large eastern markets there is necessary long expensive haul. necessitating car lot shipments in sufficient quantity to be real commercial factor Produc- ton is not organized. so as to permit of advantageous marketing arrange ments At the present time an inten- 1xr of dr <Nf 4a pir mt county farmers is being made so that o.,do a bs