Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-15
Two sides 70 Ire Question.

pOtdtOCo SO0l0 hoSO oCCh coio sSAAS
time In the last month for a price
far above any the producers have re-
ceived in recent years. and yet they
were not satisfied. Whether stocks
are still in the hands of producers or
in the hands of middlemen. there
will be very little public sympathy
for those who lose while holding on
for the purpose of squeezing rev
more cents out of consumers already
squeezed nearly to the point, OF col
lapse.--Biddeford Journal.
| Located in the mazes Of dense
metropolitan area, we should not ex-
pect our Biddeford nsighbor to be
fully alive to the bucolic side Of things.
We might expect 1t to be prejudiced
from the consumers and local dealers
! point Of view. Another Maine daily
| frequently refers to the farmers
trust" and the "trustified rurals who
exact the pound OF flesh" To these
gentlemen Of the market places and the
high cost of living, permit us to offer
few sweetly solemn facts.
The farmer is getting a share of the
returns In these abnormal conditions,
it is true; and he is paying it out, just
as other consumers are doing, to live.
The thing that seems to grind hard
est for those who look into 1t super
ficially is the price of Potatoes, $3.50 a
barrel, so cents a peck. What arc
local dealers exacting while they COM
plain to consumers of the robber
farmers? Why from IS to 80 per
peck in this State, and more in large
cities.
| II analyses this way: The farmer
prepared the land, added from $40 to
! $50 per acre in fertilizer. added Is
bushels seed per acre Cat prevailing
prices at time of planting) and
sprayed, hoed and other wise cared
for, dug, storted and hauled to deal
ers, doing all the lifting and Juggling,
/ for the stupendous sum of $50 per pix.
That is a big price, an unheard OF
price, a price only made possible by
short market and demand that has
| held and strengthened every day since
, harvest
But what does the dealer do for the
relief Of his regular customers, know
ing the farmers price is more than
they can afford to pay? Why, he adds
to the price (for his arduous labor Of
handling these potatoes once) from 30
to 70 per cent. He takes no risks of
pests, shrinkage or slump in prices for
he buys just enough to supply" his
customers. If the farmer receives
$3.50 per Dbl. for all his expense and
troubled to say not word about the
previous years in which he has taken
all the chances, paid all the bills and
done all the work for price so small
as to barely pay for the seed) and the
local dealer slaps on only Is cents
peck or s165 Dbl, for weighing them
out to customers we ask you this fair
question: "Who has the best right to
complaint"
Today we have called store after
store and asked the retail price of po-
tatoes-65 cents pix was the lowest.
Here is another specimen: A farm
er's daughter, in a neighboring town,
Tuesday called several stores in Au-
gusta, Hallowell and Gardiner con-
corning prices Of vegetables. She had
few bushels of handsome carrots for
sale. She called one of the largest
stores in the three cities: How much
do YOU ask for carrots?" she asked.
Five cents per pound" was the re-
DIV. A little later she called the same
store and inquired: what would you
nav for some fine carrots?" The reply
came back: "Who is speaking, please?"
She gave her name and X. +. D. ad-
dress 1--WE would pay a cent and a
half a pound for good ones" was the
answer.
The same girl switched TO another
city and asked the dealer How much
are cabbages per pound?" Twelve
cents" came the astonishing response.
Later she called the same store and
asked: what would you pay for few
nice cabbages?" why, Blank G.
Blank bought ton yesterday for s120;
we would pay the same for good ones
six cents a pound"
No comment is necessary. further
than to say that no other dealers were
asking so much, and some OF them
were selling for six cents cabbagcs
that they bought earlier for from $50 to
$40 per ton.
Just one more incident Yesterday
an Augustan paid 81 cents pound for
half strip Of bacon, cured by the meat
trust. Round hogs are selling here at
IS to Is cents per pound.
Moral Don't curse the farmer too
much before you consider his side of
the question; and, as a first considera-
ton, remember that he Is a consumer
who buys as largely per family as does
tho cifv consumer He h,1ys feed seed