Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-02-01
II

Let rs, 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 pu<poseful
abuse. the subject should not be APP
preached with any general lmputatlon
to existing distrIbutlve agencies Of de
lIberately intentional oppression, but
rather with the conception that the
marketing OF farm products has not
been m0dernized.
An ancient evil, and a persistent
one. Is the undergradlng 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
chlcancry should persist on any I'M
p0rtant scale IN these days OF busl-
ness integrity would seem almost In.
credible, but there is much evidence
that Il does So persist. Even as |
write, the newspapers announce the
suspension Of several firms from the
New York Produce Exchange for ex-
porting % Germany as No. ? wheat a
whole shipl0ad OF grossly inferior wheat
mixed with oats. char 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 "welghs in"
A greater grievance Is that az pres
ent the Geld farmer has little or no
control over the time and conditions
OF marketing his products. with the
result that be Is often underpaid for
his products and usually overcharged
Tor marketing service. The differ
ence between what the farmer re-
celves and what the consumer pays
often exceeds all possibility Of justl-
fcation. To cite single Illustration.
Last year. according TO figures attest
ed by the railways and the growers,
Georgia Observation-Disclosures received
on the average rs cents for a melon,
the railroads got 1877 cents for carry
ing Il 20 Baltimore and the consumer
paid one dollar. leaving T9S cents for
the service OF marketing and It's risks,
as against 2O.2 cents for growing and
transporting. The hard annals OF
farm-llfe 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 10 sell them az the
same time AS n rule. other Industries
are In a continuous process OF finish
Ing goods for the markets; they dis.
tribute as they produce, and they can
curtall production without too great
injury % themselves or the commu.
nifty: but II the farmer restricts his
output. Il Is with disastrous eonse-
quences. both 20 himself and TO the
community.
The average farmer Is busy with
production for the major part OF the
year. and has nothing 10 sell. The
bulk q his output comes on the mar
ket az once. Because OF lack Of stor-
age facilities and Of financial support.
the farmer cannot carry his goods
through the year and dispose OF them
as they are currently needed. In the
great majority OF cases. farmers have
20 entrust storage-in warehouses and
elevators-and the financial carrying
Il their products 20 others.
Farm products are generally mar.
ke;ed az a time when there IS a con.
sestion Of both transportation and
tinance-when cars and money are
scarce. The outcome, IN many I'm.
stances. Is that the farmers not only
sell under pressure, and therefore al
a disadvantage, but are compelled 70
take further reductions In net returns,
In order 20 meet the charges for the
service II storing. Transporting. flnanc
ing. and ultimate marketlng-which
charges they claim. are often exces
slve. bear heavily on both consumer
and producer. and are under tie con
troll 81 those performing the services
II = true thg' they re relieved OF
he risks q chanEiIg market By
selling al oncs but a. are quite will