Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-03-12
HOW Co-oPERATIvE MARKETING
ASSOCIATIONS AFFECT
PRICES
CONTINUED from page eleven

realize the production must continue
But where did my four bits go?'
aThat went for Gamers boxes,
freight. stevedores. deck hands, coal
miners, oil men, draymen, cold stor-
age. in cannery wages that are three
times as high as formerly, in high
freight rates on sugar, perhaps
hauled in the ships that made Mayor
Rolph a millionaire, for tin and la
bells and cannery cases, higher wa
ges in lumber camps, rent, clerk
hire and delivery for the retailer.
THE Gamer sold the case of "a
cans for $3.50. When retailed the
same case cost consumers S1440.
Each can carried burden of %
cents in its trip from the Gamers
warehouse to the consumer, or
total of Sc. When the grocer took
your can from the shelf and handed
It over the counter, his 20 per cent,
earned in two minutes, cost you IL
cents-more than the original grow
ers price on the pears"
Robbers" said Jones Wait, "
said Hamilton, doesn't Mrs. Jones
usually telephone the store and have
goods delivered way out at your
apartment and charged? The gro
GERS price is set according to GUS
tomary expense and not by the ex-
ceptional occasions when patrons pay
cash and carry home, The grocer
is lucky if he nets four per cent prof
it after all expenses are paid"
Gust one more question" said
Jones. "How about the expense of
this association, isn't it just one
more expense between producer and
consumer? What does this cost and
who pays it?"
1T came out of your dime" said
Hamilton. "In 1919 the business of
$50 growers, producing about half
the pears of California was handled
at an average cost not of 90 per
cent not of 10 per cent nor OF five
per cent, but the almost microscopic
and enthusiastically small charge of
two-thirds OF one per cent on the
growers whole output.
Gamers used to have scores of
buyers in the field at an expense Of
$3.50 to $3.50 ton for the fruit
purchased. This needless expense is
practically eliminated One man,
the manager of the association, does
all the selling, at minimum expense
And furthermore, out of the as
ISOLATION charge to growers of 80
cents ton on the cannery pears,
there is provision for inspection,
shipment billing collecting, and re-
hitting the grower, and included al
so adequate financial insurance This
is credit indemnity insurance.
Should cannery fail to pay the as
ISOLATION the American Credit In
demnity company pays, just like fire
insurance"
You astonish me- said Jones,
"How do you get by so cheap"
Because this is modern, scientific.
cooperative marketing We have
had the assistance in organizing of
a man who is one of CALIFORNIA;
most successful merchants. man
who has done more to encourage
food production and to stimulate
California agriculture than all others
put together-State Market Commits
sioner Col. Weinstock."
But don't associations stifle COM
petition?"
"On the contrary they encourage
competition of new kind, construc-
tive, not destructive Speculation s
lessened or eliminated. The grower
is encouraged, bends every energy in
competing with his neighbors for
better quality and increased produc-
ton New fields and orchard lands
are cleared and planted. You con-
sumers want more to eat Better
methods mean better crops. Better
spraying and cultivating means bet
ter quality. Maximum production
means reasonable prices.
This association has directors
meetings monthly. In winter and
spring these meetings are held in
the different fruit districts. Grow
ers attend; last week 60 growers of
santa Rosa met our directors from
other sections and day was spent
IN planning with the assistance of
scientific experts, better cultivation
and spraying methods This means
increased production of better fruit
Tor you, Mr. Consumer.
In few years California, instead
of 100000 tons of pears will produce
100000 tons. Does that sound good
to you?
Have We hampered canning and