Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-03-17

AeN>c eAiete IL CVSty CITY anu dlilOSt
every village, there. are at least three
concerns retailing groceries, meats,
vegetables and dairy products, where
one would serve the public without
inconvenience to any one. 1t will be
found that wagons and automobiles
distributing these commodities are in
EACH, Others way in every city block,
frequently as many as five or six diff
ferent vehicles making such deliveries
at the same time in the same block.
What would be the cost to the post
office department if mail were deliver
ed in the same uneconomical, slip
shod manner? Si5i -.
Jointly the producer and the. con-
sumner pay every dollar of. this use
less expense, this needless waste.
Thousands of men and teams are en-
|ployed in this wasteful method of
distribution that should be on farms
producing the. necessaries Of life in
stead of being. simply. parasites living
on the difference between the amount
the farmer receives and the amount
the consumer pays for the products OF
agriculture.
| In no other direction is wise, con-
structive, practical organization and
regulation. SO urgently demanded as
in this problem Of eliminating every
farthing of unnecessary expense
which, now exists between the initia
seller, the farmer, and the. ultimate
consumer, the, individual buyer in the
city and village. By intelligent actor
along these lines two things of vita
Importance may be accomplished,
First, a material reduction in the cost
of those things which eveIyE human
being must have to live; and, secont
an increase in the amount the farmer
receives for his product .-.
With the steady increase in popula-
ton, it is hopeless to, expect any re,
duction in the prices of farm products
on the farm. On the other hand, as
farm labor. demands and must be pait
some where, near the wage paid FOL
common labor. in, other business, a:
the farmer awakens to the. fact thai
he is entitled to a fair return on the
money he has invested in his business
as well as a fair remuneration for hi!
long hours of toll, an increase in thu
price of. these products. is inevitable
Hence the imperative necessity fol
saving every penny not absolntel!
necessary in the, distribution tof al
lIproouces. nf3 :sC yt8atjrli 4-i:o
Il The approximately g. cents out @
each dollar paid by the consumer
which now represents the cost of dis
tribution, should be carefully scruti
nized, and the last penny which cal
be saved by cutting out unnecessar.
handling, by reducing the number O
hands through which these9product
Ipass, each lexacting his toll, must b
saved and, divided between the farme
who produces all, nanb rthe ultlnaat
consumer, who pays. fefait0alL IN (
T. is safe to sagfthatut there is no
a, farmer in Iowa, owning and opera
Iting a farm Of 160 acres. tout of debt
and a good farmer, who could ALLOW
himself the wages ,ofa section foreman
and his hired help the daily pay of
section hand, with the hours of labo
and conditions of. service enjoyed b,
section hands, who could out of tn
profits of his farm pay the wage
alone, realizing no return whateve
'Eupon the money he has invested in hi
business.
4 When farmers make up their mind
that they are entitled to this basi
Of return for their labor, and 6 pc
cent per. annum on invested capital
and avail themselves of the powe
which cooperation, as suggested il
the quoted will give them, presen
I prices for farm products will seen
1 moderate indeed. Fair play for tn
producer and the consumer!-An low;