Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1917-03-29
FOOD DISTRIBUTION THEORISTS.

John j. Dillon, in the February Review Of Reviews, under
takes to tell the American people how food should be dis
We say undertakes, because nowhere in the article do we
find suggestions leading to an adequate solution, excepting
that he AYERS that the remedy lies IN "a direct, efficient and
economic system of distribution from the farm direct to the
consumer through a terminal warehouse market system and
Mr.. George w. Perkins, who attained to some degree Of
e1ninence as a pilot for the progressive party in the last two
presidential campaigns, in a ford statement to the public
through the daily press a few days since, also follows along the
lines suggested b, M; Dillon 10 n. The ,l;al Whole s complex o. osa problem rob- en-
heed the advice Of this distinguished statesman and fellow
We are living in an age of the employment of tremendous
capital, during a time when some Of the great capitalists
command not only their oun resources but likewise, through
the agency of insurance companies and trust bankers, a large
measure of the resources of the people.
These vast resources are utilized, not to cheaper distribu-
ton, nor to bring the producer and the consumer nearer to-
gether, but to monopolize and to manipulate and to set at
naug1ht the principle of supply and demand.
mate need O. w babod tbe sneotatcle Of women and eh;ldIren
crying for bread in a great city like New York, where during
the past few months a million dollars worth Of ~foodstuffs has
been destroyed on account of deterioration because withheld
from the markets in anticipation Of high and yet higher prices.
An association of producers, such as Mr.. Dillon and Mr..
Perkins say would serve every purpose in distribution, would
have to be supported by untold wealth. It would need to con-
troll the great arteries of transportation from ocean to ocean,
ter. It would need to establish and maintain warehouses
throughout the country, and cold storage facilities galore;
this, it must command a few billions in cash to lend or advance
to the producer pending the sale of his products.
Let III indicate a lew OF le SOulJrylng SITUATIONS UlaG
would confront such an association as the gentlemen suggest,
under existing conditions.
Some years since a factory was erected at Denver, Colo.
Its capital was proftably employed. Suddenly the freight
rate from eastern factories making the same line Of goods was
SO reduced as to flood the markets surrounding Denver, while
the rate from Denver to the same markets remand as before.
Tn result was the enforced closing of the Denver institution,
whereupon, or soon thereafter, the old rate from eastern
points was restored.
The railroads wanted the benefit of the long-haul on the
goods which the Denver factory was making. Eastern fac
tories could make them a trife cheaper because Of cheaper
raw material. And the Denver factory was frozen out by
the extremely low rate on the finished goods.
A dealer in feed in the little town of Fruita, Colo, dis
covered, incidentally or accidentally, OF otherwise, that he
could ship corn in carload lots from Nebraska to a common
point in Utah and rebil at the local rate to his home town,
causing the ear to,.sdoublee back,tEon the track, and thus save
the scheme, and they laid it low by changing the rvte from the
common point to Fruita.
A man living in Nebraska, having purchased land near
Grand Junction, Colo, ascertained that he could ship his car
load of emigrant goods to Salt Lake City, Utah, three hun
dred miles beyond Grand Junction, for thirty dollars less thar
to Grand Junction. He billed his car through to Salt LAKE
i City. Upon reaching Grand Junction, he persuaded the con
ductor OF the freight train to sidetrack the car, pleading tina
he wished to rest his stock: Once upon the sidetrack, he un
loaded the car and left it standing empty. The local railroad
officials insisted upon his reloading and proceeding on to Sal
Lake City, but the man declined, whereupon the railroad ha,
the nerve to threaten suit for the extra thirty dollars. Sui
was not brought, however-probably owing to the pubhct,
that would eventuate.
f These facts but illustrate some Of the phases Of raIroa,
discrimination. The power to hinder the development o
localities, the opportunities for harassing and even suppress
Ing industrial ia enterprises all combine to render especiall
hazardous the business of a producers association. Ther
. are tricks in all trades but ours,'' and in none more nume1
! Gus and varied than in railroading.
Hence, the problem Of distribution will not be satisfactory
: solved until with its solution are included the problems. Q
! transportation, warehousing, terminal elevators, cold storag
and craftsmanship. 1t is a question of tremendous magnitud
and extensive ramiGcation.
The theorizing of such theorists as Mr.. Dillon and sue
financial magnates as Mr.. Perkins if we consider only til
$ producer, the retailer and the consumer, is but the effel
vescense of a day dream.
LEGISLATIVE ssEMERGENCY.n