Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1922-02-01


ing with the buyers of their products
and with other industries?
II
Let as, 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 purposeful
abuse, the subject should not be ap'
preached with any general ilnputation
to existing distributive 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 q persistent
one, is the undergrading 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 IL much evidence
that 1t does 30 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. = wheat
whole shipload Of grossly inferior wheat
mixed with oats. chafr and The like.
Another evil IL that of inaccurate
| weighing Of farm products. which, it
is charged, Is sometimes matter Of
dishonest intention and sometimes Of
protective policy on the part OF the
local buyer, who fears that he may
weigh out" mere than he weighs in. I"
A greater grievance is that at pres
control over the time and conditions
OF marketing his products. with the
result that he Is eften undergrad for
his products and usually overcharEed
for marketing service. The differ
encs between what the farmer re-
ceives and what the consumer pays
often exceeds all possibility Of JUST
| 1cation. TO cite 4 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 12.7 cents for carry.
ing ii to Baltimore and the consumer
paid one dollar, leaving 19S 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 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-
| uuences, 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
ket at 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
| to entrust storage-in warehouses and
I, elevators-and the financial carrying
Of their products to others.
Farm products are generally mar,
| keted at time when there is a con.
-estion of both transportation and
| linance--when cars and money are
! scarce. The outcome, in many in.
| stances, Is that the farmers not only
T, sell under pressure, and therefore al
| disadvantage, but are compelled tt
| take further reductions in net returns
in order to meet the charges for the
4 SUNNY VI StViihE, tiHHsPoi tiHsS hhdhS
| ing, and ultimate mafketing-whicl
!, charges they claim, are often exces
sive. bear heavily on both consumer
| and producer, and are under the con
troll Of those performing the services
| 1t Is true that they are relieved o.
The risks of changing market BY
selling ut once but they are quite VIII