Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1922-01-19

| ana with Otner inQustrleSf
II
Let us, then, consider some of the
farmers grievances, and see how far
they are real. In doing 30. we should
remember that, while there have been,
and still are, Instances Of purpossful
abuse, the subject should not be ap-
preached with any general imputation
to existing distributivs 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 a persistent
one, is the undergradlng Of farm prod
ucts, with the result that what the
farmers sell as of one quality 10 re-
sold as Of 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 1t does so persist. Even a. I
write, the newspapers announce the
suspension Of several firms from the
New York Produce Exchange for sx-
porting to Germany as No. 2 wheat q
whole shipload 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 q 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"
A 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 underpaid for
his products and usually ovsrcharged
for marketing service. The differ
ence between what the farmer re-
ceives and what the consumer pays |
often exceeds all possibility Of justi-
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 melon,
the railroads got 1877 cents for carry
Ing 1t to Baltimore and the consumer
paid one dollar, leaving 1913 cents for
he service of marketing and its risks,
rs against POP cents for growing and
The hard annals of
are replete with such COM
nentaries on the crudeness of pres
mt practices.
Nature prescribes that the farmers
goods" must be finished within two
# three months of the year, while
nancial and storage limitations gen.
rally compel him to sell them at the
anne time. AS rule. other Industries
re In a continuous process of finish
lg goods for the markets; they dis
'ibute as they produce, and they can
nrtall production without too great
Jury TO themselves or the commu- :
lty; but II the farmer restricts his
1tput, II is with disastrous conse-
1ences, both to himself and to the :
The average farmer is busy with
'oduction for the major part of the
EAR, and has nothing to sell. The
Xix Of his output comes on the mar !.
It at once. Because of lack of stor- =,
'e facilities and Of financial support, ;,
e farmer cannot carry his goods =
rough the year and dispose of them :.
they are currently needed. In the - -
eat majority of cases, farmers have v
entrust storage-in warehouses and - -
evators-and the financial carrying ~
their products to others. :,
Farm products are generally mar y
ted at time when there is q con- -
stion OF both transportation and ~
ance-when cars and money ara :.
lrce. The outcome, In MANY in ol
noes, Is that the farmers not only a :.
under pressure, and therefore AZ ~
disadvantage, but are compelled TO ~
re further reductions In net returns.
order TO meet the charges for the =
vice OF storing, transporting, insnc- ~
: and ultimate marketing-which :,
argos they claim, are often excss- ~
e, bear heavily on both consumer -
1 producer, and are under the con- ~
of those performing the services. ~
Is true that they are relieved Of y,
risks OF changing market by =.
ling at cnce but they are quite will