The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-02-18

LA o4S, W, Gu. lo-loWSI PRICES
to the consumer, through elimination
Of expensive system of distribution,
and consequent increased consump-
ton, were points STRESSED by Murray
D. Lincoln, secretary of the Ohio
State Farm bureau, speaking in the
auditorium OF the court house Thurs
day afternoon.
Last autumn riding from Toledo to
Columbus said Lincoln. I'VE passed
through field of nicely headed cab
bage which had been left standing in
the field and had been frozen. A
woman sitting in front of me remark
ed, Isn't it too bad that farmer was
too lazy to harvest his crop? And I
had to pay nine cents pound for
cabbage at home yesterday, too!" We
know of course that it was not laZi-
ness. hut low prices, that made it more
profitable to leave the crop in the
field than to harvest it.
Tells Of Aid Given.
Southeast Ohio sent in hurry call
last fall for help to market their ap-
pies. We investigated the markets
and found that We could get an offer
Of only So barrel for them. The con-
tainer cost $50, making the price of
the apples $1.50. or 50 cents bushel.
one and one-ninth cents a pound. Yet
just across the street. fruit stand
and grocer. were selling apples of
inferior quality at 10 cents pound.
We put on a. campaisn ard sod,
through the Retail Grccers association
six car lots when they had never
handled more than ono car before.
One grocer sold sos bushels. although
he had never before sold over %
bushels"
Explaining the Ohio Plan" of or
ganization for the farm bureau, Lin
coin stated that marketing was an i'm.
portant phase Of their activities, as
shown above, from the standpoint of
both the, farmer and the city con
sumner. Other DEPARTMENTS were the
legislative, educational and general
DEVELOPMENT departments. Our big
gest job. however, is to get fairer
share Of the consumers dollar Any
system of distribution must be in
efficient, when single distribute OF
gets as much as, or more than. the
producer. who has TO figure in his in
vestment. labor. risk. and raw mater
ial. II farm products could he more
cheaply distributed. it is probable that
their consumption would also be great
ly increased. as the selling nrice is
too high now for many TO indulge in
them Not enough neople use butter
and milk. for instance.
Don't Expect "Price Fixinr."
1--WE will get better price through
orga niZation. but il will not come from
fixing prices" We expect to have
something to say about our prices. Of
course and we should have. Wha'
would you think of Ford if he should
set his autos outside the door of his
factory as fast as they were complet
ed and ask for bids on them? Ye
that it's what we have been doing, anC
we have been taking whatever wa:
offered, mostly"
Local associations according to com
moditieS, with state and national pools
such as the Canadian wheat pool, fol
| selling, was the plan explained b.
Lincoln. The same organization woulc
be used for buying also as is now thu
practice in the Indiana fertilizer poo
and various buying pools for Irvine
and other bulk commodities. Thu
middleman would not, and should not
be eliminated but excessive profits
Apply Business Methods.
1--WE have three important tasks,
said Lincoln, Just the same as an!
other manufacturers. We must bu.
our raw material such as feeds ant
supplies as cheaply as possible. pro
| duce as efficiently as we can, and sci
| for enough to pay us costs and prof
| it. Every other manufacturer does al
these, but we have been paying atten
| ton only to production.
A campaign which had put farm bu
reaus in "A counties of Ohio on
three-year, $40 membership basis
was described by the speaker, WIFI
stated that the other counties ais.
would go on the same basis as sool
as organizers could be sent to them
He particularly commended Prebl
county for the buying and selling poo
which had been formed for all tn
t farm organizations. The Grange, tn
farm bureau. and the co-operativ
elevators had all combined, with reE
resentation, through a committee o
16, including five from each organiza
ton.
These were announced at the mee'
ing to be for the Grange, Mr.. Penrod
c. C. Lane, James Foley, A. NJ. Lair
and Lester Benham; for the farr
bureau. Earl Arbaugh. c. c. McCreary
w. E. Cassidy, c. E. Ulery and Judg
A. c. Risinger: for the elevators onl
two have yet been appointed, c. w
Zehring for West Alexandria. and S.
Hawley for Twin Town. The other
will be announced at the Saturda
| meeting.
Cautious Against Dissension.
You must keep the companies fror
selling fertilizer and other supplies
your members at different prices.
cautioned Lincoln That is strat'
gy they often practise. A compan
may come into a territory, make
very few sales. or even only a singl
sale at cut price especially to star
dissension among the others who pal
a higher price, and the farmers ar