The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-07
STATE STORAGE
CONTINUED from Page o6s.l

TRIMS at ~ 10 oV cents OuSnei'
which is less than the cost of produce
per with its principal production on
this basis. The harvesting of the ma
tons wheat crop covers a period of
about 100 days, but it represents food
for the world for IL months. While
wheat is waiting to be ground into
flour and made into bread, it must be
stored somewhere. These are the pres
ent places of storage: the stack, farm
granary, country elevator. terminal
elevator, flour mill and flour storage
warehouse.
Wheat Sells Too Low.
Probably the wheat market is the
most highly organized of any system
of commerce by which a staple article
Is taken from the producer and dis
tributed to consumers ali over the
world. But in the accretion in price
between the producer and the con-
sumner, which is frequently very great.
the Kansas wheat producer has no
share. Today the Kansas farmer is
selling his wheat at less than the cost
of its production for two reasons
first, because he cannot finance the
holding of it for a fairer market, and,
second, because there is no place where
he can store it and not lose control Of
himself. If the second phase, could be
solved much progress would be made
in solving the first.
To-day. and this is true In some de-
gree every year, the Kansas farmer is
overwhelming the transportation ia
cilitieS of this state-and they are
excelient-with his demand for cars to
move his grain at a price which means
a loss to him. This Is largely invol-
untary.A The farmer cannot help it
under our present system. But If the
first big wheat movement was partly
70 ~ 1xy yaYo 70
present transportation facilities would
suffice. 1t is true that there are ter
minal elevators at the Missouri River,
Minneapolis, Chicago. Galveston, New
Orleans, Buffalo, Duluth and else
where. but always when the wheat
reaches those elevators under press Of
the circumstance which has the wheat
grower in its clutch, the grain has
passed from his control and he receives
no benefit from any enhancement of
price-depressed when he sold it
that may subsequently come.
Big Marketing Loss.
There are exceptional years, per-
haps, but on an average, the Kansas
wheat growers collectively lose from
fifteen TO twenty-five million dollars
annually from the marketing condi-
lions which induce giut of the mar
ket and congestion in transportation
because OF the practice of trying to
sell ana move year supply OF 1000
stuffs in three or four months
The efforts of the cooperative
agencies have not been adequate, tho
| commendable and to be encoura ged.
There should be built in the wheat
belt elevators with sufficient capacity
| to relieve the flut which row attends
| the marketing of every crop. They
should be public warehouses where the
| individual or tie cooperative society
/ could store grain and receive certif-
icate which would be collateral at the
bank And because there seems to be
no other way, these elevators should
be built and operated by the state"
Mr.. Reed declared he has had-an
exceptional opportunity to observe the
conditions under which the Kansas
wheat crop is harvested. sold and
transported. and that he offers this
suggestion with all sincerity AM
I earnestness, as the only way out thai
L can find. for IL Kansas is to prosper
something. must be done to sllevia:e
the evils attending upon the market
ing of its greatest and financially mos
inn M