Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-05-13
The Advertising Farmer.
by Frederic ]. Harkin


washington. May 12.--Advertising
in the newspapers offers way out ot
present difficulties for many farmers,
in the opinion of students of the tarn1-
marketing problem, of which few OF
them are taking advantage.
IL is noticeable that merchants and
manufacturers. although most of them
are facing reduced sales and n falling
scale of prices. are not cutting down
ON thei. advertising Many OF them on
the contrary, have increased their ex-
pcnditures for newspaper space. realiz-
ing that this is necessary to eounteract
the tendency toward n slump in buy
ing. American business spends on an
average about two million dollars
day in advertising. but the volume of
sales averages about hundred million
dollars n day The two million dollars
is the regulator and stimulator of the
flow OF the hundred million, The way
in which the individual BUSH man
ls..s his share of the two million de-
tcrmincs very largely what is to be
share of the hundred million.
This is "A fact which the farmers. as
a class. are just beginning to grasp.
The farmer. for the most part. pro-
sIu,cs staple raw materials which may
always be sold at market price by
merely hauling them 10 the nearest
market Unlike the merchant ana the
manufactures. nc does not face a com
petition which is capable of driving
him from the market. nor docs he have
10 create "A demand for his product y
bushcl Of potatoes is always worth
something, and people will always need
potatoes
The Farmers Position.
80 the farmer has reasoned in the
past He ranks among the producers
oi fundamental necessities. In fact.
l., produces the most fundamental
necessities of all only wood. steel and
other basic materials Of industry can
compare with food in this regard
Ih, producers of steel 90, not adveT-
tis, The demand for steel is certain.
lu~t as Is the demand for food Hut
IA. producers Of steel and of most OF
IN. other basic materials Of American
,ud5stry are organized and dc control
% prices of their products That is
Tn great difference between them and
III, farmers if tn, potato growers
Vtr, organized. They would he in the
ssmr strong position as th, producers
81 tihN anu ltittIthil Hiuh lHiihtis ''hN
IN, faimcl is IN no such pusitiou. lie
ha@ almost mo control over the market
ln-iee of the staple commodities which
h, produces Some efforts are NOW
/. .ug made d, farmers tp obtain such
ooHtrul hy holding crops and by MAX
ava agreements as to how much Of
a givru commodity shall be produced
THESE efforts viii douhtless grow in
strength and cxN,nt. but 50 far they
have not produced any striking re-
suus as is shown hy the present
economic situation Of the farmer who
IS hearing tho bruut of tn, fall i'm prices
What advantages has the farmer 10
counter balance these disadvantages
llt has an uf the rights of free conpe-
ttiou. il he will only Use them. He
has the right to produce anything he
for the best price he can obtain. For
example, the price Of corn may he down
hut if he can produce a high grade oi
seed corn and advertise il in such a
way that he can convince others Of its
excellence he may b. able To sell it foi
a very high price Again. beef and
hides may be down but breeding stock
and breeding service are things fol
which a special market AT a specia
price may be created. There are thou
sands Of suburba mites who are startine
IN the chicken business this spring fol
example. and who will pay good prices
fov Matching eggs, Young chickens. an5
breeding stock