The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-01-27
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Let us, then, consider some of the
farmers grievances, and see how far
they are real In doing so. we should
remember that, while there have been
! and still are, instances of purposefu
abuse, the subject should not be ap
preached with any general imputation
to existing dstributive agencies of de
liberately intentional oppression, but
rather with the conception that the
marketing of farm products has not
been modernized.
An ancient evil, and persistent
one. is the undergrIding of farm prod
ucts, with the result that what the
farmers sell as of one quality is re
sold as of a higher. That this sort of
chicanery should persist on any i'm.
portant scale in these days of bust
ness integrity would seem almost in
credible. but there is much evidence
that it does so persist. Even as !
write, the newspapers announce the
suspension of several firms from the
New York Produce Exchange for ex
porting to Germany as No. 2 wheat a
whole shipload of grossly inferior wheat
mixed with oats. chaff and the like.
Another evil is that of inaccurate
weighing of farm products, which, II
Is charged, is sometimes a matter Of
dishonest intention and sometimes of
protective policy on the part of the
local buyer, who fears that he may
weigh OUT more than he weighs in.
greater grievance Is that at pres
ent the field farmer has little or no
control over the time and conditions
OF marketing his products. with the
result that he is often underpald for
his products and usually overcharged
for marketing service. The differ
ence between what the farmer re
ceives and what the consumer pays
often exceeds all possibility Of JUST
fication. To cite single illustration
Last year, according to figures attest
ed by the railways and the growers
Georgia watermelon raisers received
on the average rs cents for a melcn
the railroads got 1877 cents for carry
ing II to Baltimore and the consume
paid one dollar leaving 20 s cents fm
the service of marketing and its risks
as against 20.2 cents for growing and
transporting. The hard annals Of
farm-life are replete with such com
mentaries on the crudeness of pres
ent practices.
Nature prescribes that the farmers
goods" must be finished within two
or three months of the year, while
financial and storage limitations gen.
orally compel him to sell them at the
same time AS rule, other Industries
are in continuous process of finish
ing goods for the markets; they dis
tribute as they produce, and they can
curtail production without too great
injury to themselves or the commu
nifty; but If the farmer restricts his
output, IT is with disastrous conse
quences, both to himself and to the
community.
The average farmer Is busy with
production for the major part of the
year. and has nothing to SELL The |
bulk Of his output comes on the mar
ket a once. Because of lack of stor
age facilities and OF financial support !
the farmer cannot carry his goods |
the year and dispose of them |
rs they are currently needed In the |
great majority of cases. farmers have |
TO entrust storage-in warehouses and |
the financial carrying |
Of their products to others.
Farm products are generally mar
keted at time when there is a con. ,
restion of both transportation ard
finance-when cars and money are
seal e The outcome, in mary In
sta,tces. is that the farmers not ont,
sell under pressure. and therefore At
Il disadvantage, but are compelled to
take further reductions in net returns
in order to meet the charges for :ae
service OF storing, transporting, financ
ing, and ultimate marketing-wh
charges they claim, are often exces
sive, bear heavily on both consumer
ana producer, and are under the con
troll Of those performing the services
II is true that they are relieved OF
the risks Of a changing market by I
selling at once but they are quite will