The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-11-29
ANOTHER VIEWPOINT


A comparatively new publication,
known as the County Agent and Farm
Bureau, is a monthly. In the October
number we find an editorial so great
ly out of line with current expression
on cooperative marketing that we give
it space as showing the other view
point. In its analysis of what is wrong
with farming, and the kind of remedies
needed, the editor says:
1T is a fallacy at the present time
to chase after the overworked idea Of
cooperative marketing as a solution
to the question We can show as many
instances where cooperative market
ing has tended to lower prices as
where it has tended to increase them.
THE way to stimulation lies along
different channels and that is co-ordin-
alton and united effort of all interests
which profit from agriculture The
trouble with the cooperative idea is
that it antagonizes large army of dis
tributors, many of whom are perfectly
legitimate, but who are placed in a
class with the illegitimate. Naturally
these concerns, fearing the destruction
of their business, are fighting back.
Instead of getting back of the situa-
ton and giving it their united help.
they have a tendency to throw OBJ
stacles in the way of the cooperative
movement in order that it will fail and
their own business continue to exist"
Without being controversial or at
tempting to give our own views in the
premises we must admit that the ed
| itorial quoted at least provides food
| for thought. All the business of the
world can not yet be handled on a co
| operative basis, not even all the bust
ness pertaining to agriculture, but
undeniably, much of it can, and will
| be. There are numerous outstanding
examples of the benefits of co-opera
tive shipping and selling, so many o
them indeed, that whole page of this
paper would only provide space t.
hint at all of them.
The Cranberry Growers
So far as we are aware America i
the only country where cranberrie'
are grown and here only in thre'
states: Massachusetts, New Jerse,
and Wisconsin. There is now a &C.
trail selling organization for all Gran
berry growers. Formerly individual
cash buyers toured the cranberry sec
tons and bid what they cared to
which frequently was below the cos
of production and handling. This cor
dition was prevalent up to the yea
1906, when steps were taken to ge
together and present a solid front
That year less than 100000 barrel
were grown in the three belts an
these were mostly bought at a los
to growers and sold at big prices an
good profits to consumers, the middl
man then having it all his own way.
Wisconsin organized the first sale
company. This was in 1906. A yea
later separate exchanges were organ
lied in New Jersey and Massachusett
and shortly after the American Crar
berry Exchange was organized an
now does the cranberry selling bus
ness of the world. AS a result crar
berry growing has become profitable
Nor can we see that the public ha
been held up. Prices reasonable t
consumers as witness the quart @
pound figures quoted by your groce
for that Thanksgiving and Christina
: Edelicacy. Thus encouraged the GRAZ
) berry farmers have increased produ,
: ton to around 100000 barrels, ever
+. barrel of which is in demand at a fai
, profit to the producer.
/. Lacking cooperation the cranberr
. business was going rapidly on tn
rocks. Through cooperation the il