The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-07-04

feedstore had rendered a very nec-
essary service. but had been COM
PEELED to pay two profits then add
third for his, all of which the con-
sumer was compelled to pay.
The commission men also sit in
judgment over the potato, and fruit
trade. Delta county potato growers
shipped car of potatoes to south
ern market last December. The car
seals were broken en- route, the spuds
froze and were a total loss to the
farmers Another grower escaped by
first shipping to point beyond the
line of tho initial carrier and then re-
shipping. Even then the foxy COM
mission men sometimes ferreted out
his destination and would rush in a
car of potatoes and beat down the
market on him. While visiting in a
large eastern city last winter, Delta
farmer CHANGED to witness commits
sion man opening car of potatoes;
two potatoes were found frozen. The
commission man said those two were
worth $1OO each to him, wired that
the car had arrived frozen and Sc
cured a discount of 5000. In that
same city the farmer found a live
grocer who was paying $2.40 per box
for apples. The farmer offered him
apples of the same grade at $1.4O per
box The grocer refused, saying that
il he bought direct from the pro-
ducers the commission men would
discipline him.
Delta county apple growers shipped
several cars to an eastern market.
Their destination was discovered by
commission men, who Immediately
rushed several cars of western fruit
to that same point and thus wilfully
glutted the market with fruit be-
longing to the independent shippers
neighbors The commission men did
not own the fruit thus used to de-
press the market, but they charged
and got their commissions while
causing great loss both to the indie
pendent shippers and the owners Of
the fruit so sold on commission. The
commission men wilfully glutted that
market to teach independent ship
pers lesson, and seem to say, SWELL
teach the rubes not to monkey with
our business" as Havemeyer remark
ed concerning his secret freight re-
bates on sugar.
A Nebraska farmers agent bought
IA cars of fruit in Delta county last
fall. While enroute east, four cars
of that fruit spoiled because of i'm
proper icing. Wonder if some com
mission man holds the secret?
In southeastern Colorado the broom
corn commission men are teaching |
the growers the same sort of lesson.
The producers there complained to
the state council of defense. The
chairman of the council, the biggest
grain dealer in the Rocky mountain
region, personally investigated and,
in written statement, said the
farmers were to blame and their
complaint not justified. 1t may.
therefore, be very properly inferred
that he officially. agrees with the
commission men.
. Inc anOVe is SuDInlIIeu as DelHs |
fairly illustrative of the damnable
combination now exploiting and fully
prepared to continue the exploitation
of producers and consumers of Colo
RADIO food products. Why should not
the constituted authorities of Colo
RADIO follow McAdoo's example when
he cut out the useless ticket Offices
in Denver? Mr.. Piassick, the Kan
sas City federal wheat comptroller,
has just about cleaned out all the
wheat commission firms that clut-
tered up the trade in that vital pro-
duct The public knows of and ap-
plauds Mr.. .Hoover's cordial approval
of this pruning, so there is high ex-
ample to guide Colorado officials.