Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1922-11-24
''Son,e aspects Of the
Farmers PrOble1l,S'
By BERNARD NJ. BARUCH


with consumption is recognized as wise
OF farming Vet. venture to say. there
is no other industry in which it is so I'M
portant to the public-to the city dwcller
that production should be sure. steady.
and increasing. and that distribution
should be in proportion TO the need. The
unorganizcd farmers naturally act blindly
and impulsivcly and. in consequence.
surfcit and dearth. accompanied by dis
concerting price variations. harass the
consumer. One year potatoes rot in the
fields because OF excess production, and
there is a scarcity Of the things that have
been displaced to make way for the ex-
pansion Of the potato acreage; next year
the punished farmers mass their fields on
some other crop. and potatoes enter the
class OF Injuries: and so on.
Let US. then. consider some Of the
farmer S grievances. and see how far they
arc real In doing so. we should remcm-
Der that. while there have been. and still
are. instances Of purpoSctul abuse. the
subject should 10; hc approached with
any general impu,ation to existing dis
tributivc agencies Of deliberately intcn-
tional oppression. but rather with the
conception that the marketing OF farm
products has not been modcrnized
The Undergrading Evil.
An ancient evil. and persistent one,
is the undcrgrading Of farm products.
with the result that what the farmers
sell as Of one quality is resold as Of a
higher. That this sort Of chcanery
should persist on any important scale in
these days OF business integrity would
seem almost incredible, but there is much
evidence that it does 50 persist.
The difference between what the farm
sr receives and what the consumer pays
often exceeds all possibility Of justification.
To cite single illustration. Last year.
according to figures attested by the rail-
ways and the growers. Georgia wafer
melon-raisers received on the average is
cents for melon. the railroads got l2.1
cents for carrying it to Baltimore, and the
consumer paid one dollar: leaving 1913
cents for the service Of marketing and its
risks. as against 20.2 cents for growing and
transporting. The hard annals Of farm
life are rcplete with such commentaries
on the crudeness Of present practices
Selling Under Pressure.
Farm products are generally marketed
at a time when there is a congestion Of
both transportation and fnanCc-when
cars and money are scarce. The out =
come. in many instances. is that the farm
crS not only sell under pressure, and
therefore at disadvantage, but are conf
PEELED to take further reductions in net
returns. in order to meet the charges for
the services OF storing. transporting, 6nanc-
ing, and ultimate marketing - which
charges. they claim, are often excessive,
bear heavily on both consumer and pro-
ducer. and are under the control of those
performing the services. 1t is true that
they are relieved OF the risks OF changing
market by selling at once: but they are
quite willing to take the unlavorable
| chance. if the favorable one also is theirs
and they can retain for themselves a part
OF the service charges that are uniform. in
good years and bad, with high prices and
low
Some farmers. favored by regional com.
pactness and contiguity. especially in Cali
foFaia. already have found a way legally
to merge and sell their products integraliy
and in accordance with seasonal and local
demand, thus improving their position
and rendering the consumer reliable serv-
ice OF ensured quality. certain supply, and
reasonable and relatively steady pricss.
They have not found it necessary to re-
sort to any special privilege. or to claim
any exemption under the antitrust legis.
lation OF the state or nation. Without
removing local control. they have built
up very efficient marketing agency.
The Hard Job.
The grain, cotton and tobacco farmers,
and the producers OF hides and wool, be-
cause OF their numl crs and the vastness
OF their regions, and for other reasons
have found indignation a more difficult
task; though there are now some thousands
OF farmers cooperative elevators, ware
houses, crcameries. and other enterprises
OF one sort and another, with a turnover
OF billion dollars year
In view Of the supreme importance to
the National we'll being OF a prosperous
and contented agricultural population.
we should be prepared to go a long way
IN assisting the farmers to get an euuit able
share OF the wealth they produce, through
the Inauguration OF reforms that will pro-
cure continuous and increasing stream
OF farm products. They are far from
getting fair share now Considering
his capital and the long hours of labor
put in by the average farmer and his
family, he is remunerated less than anv
other occupational class, with the possible
exception OF teachers, religious and lay.