The log cabin Democrat., 1922-01-28
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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 still are, instances of purposeful abuse. the subject should not be ap- preached with any general imputatlon to existing distributive agencies of de- lberately intentional oppression. but |, rather with the conception that the marketing of farm products has not been modernized.
 An ancient evil, and 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 chlcanery should persist on any im- portant scale in these days of busi- ness integrity would seem almost in credible, but there is much evidence that It does so 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. 2 wheat whole shipload of grossly inferior wheat mixed with oats. chaff and the like.
 Another evil is that of inaccurate weighing of farm products. which, 1t 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" 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 overcharged for marketing service. The differ ence between what the farmer re- ceives and what the consumer pays often exceeds all possibility of justl fication. To cite a single illustration Last year, according to figures attest
 
 ed by the railways and the growers. Georgia watermelOn-raisers received on the average 7.5 cents for a melon, the railroads got l27 cents for carry. ing 1t to Baltimore and the consumer paid one dollar, leaving 79S cents for the service of marketing and It's risks, as against POP 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 prescrlbes that the farmers goods" must be finished within two or three months of the year, while financial and storage limitations gen erally compel him to sell them at the same time As rule, other industries are in a 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 nity; but If the farmer restricts his output, IL Is with disastrous conse | QuenCeS, DOtn 10 nlilSel1 ana 10 tnt community.
 The average farmer Is busy with production for the major part of the year, and has nothing to sell. Tht bulk of his output comes on the mar 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 then as they are currently needed In tn, great majority of cases, farmers have to entrust storage-ln warehouses anC elevators-and the financial carryin. of their products 10 others
 Farm products are generally mar keted at time when there is a con gestion of both transportation anC f1nance-when cars and money ar, scarce. The outcome, in many in stances, Is that the farmers not onl, sell under pressure, and therefore a a disadvantage. but are compelled t, take further reductions in net returns in order to meet the charges for tn, service of storing transporting, fnanC ing, and ultimate marketing-whicl charges they claim, are often exces sive, bear heavily on both consume and producer, and are under the con trol of those performing the services IL Is true that they are relieved O the risks of a changing market b selling at once but they are quite will