Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-05-06

state of Texas, as she has no other
market. Even if this Texas market
were wholly supplied by this group Of
states, there would still be surplus of
something like 6,447,195 bushels per
annum. It is true that Idaho and the
other western states will continue to
market some of their surplus in prac-
tically all of the other states. Idaho is
noted for her baked potato.
Complaint claims that the Mime
sofa producer cannot market his pro-
ducts In Texas in competition with
Idaho. Colorado and California. The
record shows 1t to be fact that Min
nesota does not ship any table stock to
the Texas market. She does ship some
seed stock in tho early spring months.
There is no evidence in the record of
any kind that the Minnesota producer
has been damaged or that the produce
ton in Minnesota has been decreased
or retarded in any way by failure to
get into the Texas market The facts
are that Minnesota and Wisconsin have
much more favorable markets at their
command and therefore do not have to
compete with Idaho. The slight differ
ence between the Minnesota Texas
rate and the Idaho Texas rate should
not and does not create a barrier to
present the Minnesota potatoes from
going to Texas market.
MAY LOSE TRAFFIC.
TT Is barely possible that this COM
mission would not compel the Union
Pacific system to establish the rates
already in force from Idaho to the Tex
nc ri af hue
nized the fact that unless 1t can offer
an fnducement to the producers of
Idaho it is bound to lose the potato
traffic.
Heretofore controversies over rates
have arisen between different indus
tries or different communities, each
striving to obtain what were its lust
rights, or between competing carriers
in their endeavor to secure their pro-
per proportion of traffic, but now
those questions must pass into the
background in this our national crisis.
The great problem now to be solved is.
what can be done to increase our food
production. If Idaho and these other
western states are adapted to the rails
ing of potatoes, then it is the bounden
duty of this commission, regardless of
any hide bound rule or precedent, to
see that the producers of those states
are given an opportunity to do so,
q Idaho by reason Of her soil and cli-
matte conditions is peculiarly adapted
to the raising of potatoes. Idaho UP
to the present time has been favored
by the absence of disease and pests in
the potato production. There is prac-
tically no limit to the quantity of DO
tatoes that can be raised in Idaho If
the producers of Idaho have the as
of a stable market. Idaho pro-
ducers can not and will not engage in
the raising of potatoes IL their mar
ket depends solely upon the failure in
other producing territories to leave a
market open for their product. It is
moral certainty that no producer will
engage in any such hazardous enter
price.
Both federal and state authorities
and the public press, are exhortine al,
farmers to increase the production of
[arm commodities for the purpose of
avoiding shortage of food stuffs. Ida
no farmers can and will greatly in
crease the potato production in Idaho
IN the year 1917 If they have the as
surance that market is open to them
on an equal basis WITH other producing
but unless such assur-
ance is given, and the Texas market
should be cut off from the Idaho pro-
Queer, 1t Is moral certainty that the
potato production in Idaho Is bound
TO decrease.
Idaho producers raise as fine a
quality of potato as can be found in
any market, and the record shows that
n the past tons and tons of these DO
.atoes have been permitted to rot in
ne cellars. In years past Idaho farm
'rs have planted potatoes only to find
"hen the time came for marketing the
same that the market price was not
'uftlclent to warrant the harvesting of
he same, and they were permitted TO
'ot in the ground. This unwarranted
waste seems criminal in view of the
act that in the large centers in the
East the poor people have been COM
oelled to do without this necessary
God stuff by reason of some geograph- |
cal disadvantage In marketing such |
commodity.
CANNOT MEET DEMAND.
we must not lose sight of the fact |
hat the potato production in the Unit
ID States falls short of satisfying the |
lemand as shown by Idaho exhibit |
Way No. y, which shows that there
vas an average deficit for the years
9l4, 1915 and 1916 of something like !
769,5o9 bushels. In Idaho Exhibit
Way No. - appears the importations
# potatoes for the years 1914, 1915 and
s16, with an average of $4,000 bush
Is each year. In the face of these
igures every effort should be made by
his commission to encourage the pro-
uction, rather than curtai! in the
lightest degree the pr Lction of this
food stuff by some technical
obstruction of the law. 1t is possible
hat this national question should be