Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1919-09-19

laiifoau properties, but
pending the settlement Of the rail-
road question the remedy proposed
wall eliminate existing abuses.
Another novel feature of the bill
IS the power given to the secretary
CT agriculture to declare that IL
cehsees may be restrained from car
rylng on other business than that for
which they obtained their licenses.
A measure of this sort with all it's
application, must be worked out IL
the packers are to be prevented from
exercising their power to become the
masters not only of foodstuffs. but of
every other phase of production and
distribution in the country. Granting
the growing power of their uouopolv
their business is rolling up like a
damp SNOWFALL and unless stopped
will presently result in an ayaoncbe
Encourages Local Warehouses
The section in the bill in which
am especially interested concerns it.
self with the announcement and
standardization of foodstuff ware
houses to be established by local
communities and which mus. peces-
sarily be locally connected with re-
tail distribution. This section would
license such institutions erected by
2hnHlalities o" 81 bdivis,ons If he
states Of their accredited licensees.
The license would carry with it re-
sponsibility for equal treatment and
the assurance of an open market for
small as well as large shipments and
for sporadic local trade, which at
present finds no outlet. Connected
with this license is the assurance of
cooperation by the secretary in mat
tiers of inspection and STANDARDIZED
ton, instruction as to methods of
food preservation, and attention to
the question of transportation. In
other words, the secretary or the
commissioner of foodstuffs would
act at Washington as a sort of pat
ron saint" of these local institutions.
This section, for which / am re-
sponsible, is especially framed to en-
courage and to compel self-help by
local communities, rather than the
attempt to look to the federal gov
eminent for things which the federal
government should not attempt If
appropriations were asked to build
these buildings, the pork barrel
would be opened wider than ever be-
fore and the plan would fall Of its
own weight.
Self-Help Principle Recognized
1t is coming to be more and more
recognized that local communities,
through their governmental agencies
and their cooperative movements,
should dignity themselves and per-
form functions necessary to their
welfare.
1t is useless to spend time in curb
ing the evils of existing systems with
out offering logical and possible al
ternatives; and this food warehouse
proposal supplemented by methods of
economical local retailing will pro-
| al abanna1 hot W.
the producer and the consumer, do
away with the waste incident to long
shipments of live stock, offer Service
for making sales to local producers,
and furnish a market for meats
slaughtred on the range, all under
the best systems of inspection aud
regulation available.
After the bill is passed, as I be-
lieve it will be, the next step must
be taken by the consumers league,
cooperative associations and the
women housekeepers, through their
organizations and as individuals.
The bill will point the way and offer
all legitimate federal aid, to be sup
plemented and completed by such To-
cal retail distribution as each COM
munity may choose to adopt.
The local farmer with few chick
ems or couple of hogs or a wagon
load of cabbages or few barrels Of
apples will know that he will cecdre
fair and equal treatment. The con-
sumer will know that it is u to him
to reach the supplies thus accumu-
lated and preserved.