Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-04-24
CUTTING OUT THE MIDDLEMAN

When the consumer asks why commodities cost so
much the producer refuses to accept responsibility. He
inists that it is not his fault, and that he is getting no
more than a fair return for his labor. When the pro-
Queer asks why he does not get more for his product the
consumer denies that he is responsible, and points out
that he is paying all that he can afford to pay. If not
more.
Neither producer nor consumer being responsible.
there remains but one other person to- whom blame can
be attacked, the man in between, and one Of the most
popular cries of the day 10 down with the middleman."
Now, in the very nature Of things. there must be
mlddlemen. In only a very few cases can producer and
consumer deal with each other directly. The local mar
ket gardener can dispose Of a part Of his product by
selling direct to consumers. and this can be done also by
the farmer with a limited quantity Of the product Of his
dairy and poultry yard. But there are many who, with
the opportunity right before them, prefer to omit this
practice and to employ tho services Of tho middleman.
Many gardeners and farmers who could peddle out
their products II they chose, and thus get all the profit
that is made. choose instead to sell in bulk lots to the
merchant and leave to him the work Of retailing. And
many consumers prefer to deal with the merchant for
these things because Of greater convenience and more
regular service. Even in these limited fields, where tho
products are delivered to the consumer without passing
through the hands Of the manufacturer, there is a de-
mand for the services of the m%iddleman.
When it comes to the marketing Of tho great bulk
of our products tho middleman is indispensable. In-the
four great groups of people who deal with our commod-
tiles we have:
The producer,
The manufacturer,
The merchant, and
The consumer.
~ANA " A0 NA~ A0~S VI lax AAAoA dAuA
ed each Of these groups may be %subdivided many times,
and the work Of each may be applied at various stages.
And the work Of all must be supplemented by that Of
the carrier. Thus. in the case Of wheat, tho merchant
usually follows the producer. Then comes the miller as
a manufacturer. then the jobber and the retailer, then
the baker, who in one sense u . consumer and in an
other a manufacturer, then, perhaps. another jobber and
another retailer before the commodity passes into the
possession Of the person who eats it
That looks like q lot Of machinery. It is. But some-
times a lot Of machinery Is very useful and very econ
omical. Probably the miller could produca a GOOD
article Of nour If he were to discard halt his machinery.
In many cases a single machine conld be made to per-
form approximately the work that is now performed cy
several by adjusting It afresh for each separate opera
ton. But experience has shown that this would be a
wasteful process There is greater efficiency and econ
omy in using one machine all the time for q specific
work and IN crowdins it all the time to its capacity.
And so there is economy in having the work Of men so
arranged that each WIN be able to devote himself eutire-
" to that for which experience and Information have
best nttsd him.
It does not matter what terms We use, tho VARIOUS
functions above described must be performed; ana IL the
farmer chooses to mill his own hour or the merchant or
miller to row his own grain, each process remains sap
arate and distinct, and instead Of eliminating tho middle
man, tho individual has merely stepped for a time into
the place Of that middlsnnan and performed his functions
in addition to thoss in which he II chiefly interested.
We oaunst getrrd Of the middleman. Whether a. a
separate fnA1vsduaa. o. a. . co-opsrettve society. or a.
the staes itsstf. the middlsmau must bs always with US.
~middleman. but the na1ans Of such arrangements - viii
insure the performance Of his work without waste ana
for q reaSenabls osnpsnsshon.
Bradstreses mentions tene1h1s evidence that food
areas are being greatly increased for this season. and
the countries producing units are still rushed in trying to
keep abreast Of the demands. It says that practically
every industrial sntsrprtss Il active. with outputs being
taken as rapidly - produced.
The German autseracy il strong in promoting
lmsssanical ana military sffsessncy. but weak in the
snlssstanAthE u maftsrs Of pscholosy. The German
lsssss,lss w1a1h was DssnsssA !. Btasl VII only have