The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1922-01-26

help them. All or Us want 10 ger bath
permanently to "normalcy;" but IS 10
reasonable 10 hope for that condition
unless our greatest and most basic in
du~try can be put CA "a sound and solid
permanent foundation? The farmers
are not entitled 90 special privileges;
but are they not right ia demanding
that they be placed on an equal foot
Ins with the buyers 81 their products
and with other Industries?
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 stin are. Instances Of purposeful
abuse. the subject should not be APP
preached with any general imputation
90 existing dlstribuuve agencies OF de-
liberuteiy Intentional oppression. bat
rather with the conception that the
marketing Of farm products has not
been modernized.
An ancient evil. and a persistent
one. Is the undergradinE OF farm prod
ucts. with the result that what the
farmers sell as Of one quality is 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 II does SO persist Even as
write. the newspapers announce the
suspension OF several firms from the
New York Produce Exchange for ex-
porting 10 Germany as No ? wheat q
whole shipload Of grossly Inferior wheat
mixed with oats. chat and the like.
Another evil is that of inaccurate
weighing Of farm products, which, It
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"
a greater grievance Is that at pres
emf the field farmer has little or no
I control over the time and conditions
/ Of marketing his products with the
| result that he is often underpaid for
] =
/ FOR marketing service. Tie differ
ruce between what the farmer re
/ ceIves and what the consumer pays
/ often exceeds all possibility OF just
/ acation To cite single illustration.
/ Last year according 70 figures attest
ed by the railways and the growers,
/ &c, rgla NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. received
N the average 10 cents for a melon.
i the railroads got l2.7 cents for carry
| In. II 10 Baltimore and the consumer
| paid one dollar, leaving 1913 cents for
The service Of marketing and its risks,
AS against 2O.2 cents FOR growing and
! transporting The hard annals Of
| farm-life are replete with such com.
| mentaries on the crudcness 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 20 sell them M the
same time A. rule. other Industries
are in continuous process Of finish
ne goods for the markets. they dis
/
| curtau production without too great
| injury 10 themselves or the commu
| nifty but n the farmer restricts his
| output. II is with disastrous cunse
| quences, both 90 himself and 90 the
| community.
The average farmer Is busy with
production for the major part OF the
year. and has nothing 20 sell The
bulk Of his output comes on the mar
llet =: once Because of laCt Of Stor
! age facilities and Of financial support
he farmer cannot carry his good
through the year and dispose Of then
IS they are currently needed. In IN,
| -reat ma iprify Of cases. farmers hay,
| 90 entrust stOrage--in warehouses ant
,levators-and the financial carryln.
q their products 20 others.
Fnrm products are generally mar
seted az time when there is a con
.estion Of both transportation an,
fuance-when cars and money ar
scarce. The outcome. In many IN
,tances. is that the farmers not Onl.
sell under pressure. and therefore a
4 disadvantage, but are compelled q
rake further reductions In net returns
IN order To meet the charges for tn
service Of storing. transporting. fnanC
ing. and ultimate marketing-whlcl
charges they claim, are often exces
: sive, bear heavily on both consume
; | and producer. and are under the cor
troll OF those performing the service:
n Is true that they are relieved O
, | he risks Of a changing market b
, ,elling at once but they are quite will