The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1921-07-21

liquid hnuknhle asset, conforming 20
an rules and requirements ~ moderr
banking and commercial practice.
I'm order t1 safeguard This mark
citing system, the Department ~
Markets and Warehouses was created
and the entire system and the SUPER
vision and control OF an the details
of rs operation, were lodged IN the
hands Of the Commissioner Of Mark
cts and Warehouses. There are at
present In this system nearly 25O
agricultural warehouses, though ow-
ing to defective legislation, not all
Of them are as closely affiliated with
the system as they should be. These
cooperative agricultural warehouses
handle a volume Of business amount
ing to over sl00,000,000 annually.
Three years ago the administra-
ton Of the Markets and Warehouse
Department was extended by law 10
include the supervision Of the great
commercial warehouse and storage
companies Of the state. There are
about so Of this class Of warehouses
now included in the system, with
volume Of business in excess of $500,
GOO 600 each year. For the six years
operation Of the agricultural and
three years Of the commercial ware
houses, the total value Of commodi-
ties marketed through warehouses
under the administration Of the De-
partment Of Markets and Ware
houses, has attained the enormous
total Of Sl,200,000,000.
Under the law westablishing this
great market system, IL is the duty Of
the Department 10 establish agencies
for the sale Of Farm Products, but
no appropriations were allowed for
marketing during the first five years
Of the Departments existence. Two
years ago the State Legislature At
the request and with the support Of
Governor Hobby, appropriated &c.,
10000 for marketing purposes for
the two years ending August 3lst,
1921.
Since that time we have marketed
directly through the Markets and
Warehouse Department, approxima-
tely $4,000, 900 90 worth Of farm
products. on which the farmer re-
ceived az a conservative estimate an
increased price Of rs per cent, or
50 900 ,00OO0 more than under the
old system Of dumping farm products
on the market 90 be peddled or auc-
toned or. frequently 10 scalpers and
spectators, who were not dealers in
any legitimate sense.
Farmers Union has built in Tex
as one Of the greatest cooperative
marketing systems IN America. Re
Gently the Department Of Markets
and Warehouses has been given the
administration Of the Weights and
Measure Law This Act is one Of
vital importance 90 consumers and
merchants and affects the transact
ions of every citizen. This character
0f work Is SAB extensive and intricate
that n many states e ia administered
hv separate department of the state
government. established for that
purpose
Under the law establishing this
nartmont of Markets and Warehouses
becomes Che head Of one ~ the great
est marketing systems. with all its
branches and subdivisions, which has
been established in any state. Il has
under its supervision and control :
300 gins. ii00 public weighers and
300 warehouses, every gasoline pump
and every scale weight or measure
Of any kind, from the giant railroad
track scale 20 that Of the apothecary
and Of the jcweler, some Of which
viii weight a human hair. Every
package Of butter, every loaf Of
bread and every commodity sold IN
2 packages By merchants in Texas, are
packed according 90 standard weights
fixed by the Department.
I'm cooperation with the Texas
Farm Bureau Federation the Farm
ers' Union asked the Legislature 10
enact a commodity marketing law
through which producers may or.
ganize and control the sale of their
commodities This in an important
step IN the right direction, and the
Wichita Valley District Union nj
once took out charter, this being
he first charter issued in Texas un-
der the new cooperative law, but
it is not in any sense a complete and
perfected marketing system, and no
such complete and perfected system
can be established until adequate
+, warehouses. uniformly distributed
/ over the cotton producing arear u
provided. am convinced we will
never have adequate warehouse faci-
/ Titles as long as we depend on yolun.
/ tary associations Of local farmers
10 build them. Such system OF
warehouses can only be built by tax
alton. that is. by taxing the product
90 be stored.
"Some persons have argued that
such a system Of warehouses should
be provided by bond issues, or by
taxing all property. There are only
about '147 real cotton producing
counties in Texas, while there are
over 100 that produce no cotton, or
practically none. | am sure such
ounties would be unwilling to sup
por. bonds or general taxes to build