The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-01-27
II

ana With other industries!
Let us, then, consider some OF the
farmers grievances, and see how fsr
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 imputation
to existing distributive agencies Of de-
liberateiy intentional oppression, but
rather with the conception that the
marketing of farm products has not
been modernized.
An ancient evil. and a 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 a higher. That this sort Of
chicanery should persist on any i'm
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. . wheat
whole shipload of grossl: inferior wheat
mixed with oats, chaff and the like.
Another evil is that of inaccurate
weighing OF farm products, which, it
is charged, is sometimes q matter of
dishonest intention and sometimes of
protective policy on the part Of the
LEGAL buyer, who fears that he may
weigh out" more than he weighs in"
4 greater grievance is that at pres
ent the field farmer has little or no
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 justi
fcation 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 10 cents for melon,
the railroads got 12.7 cents for carry
- J,l
paid one dollar. leaving I9S cents for
the service Of marketing and its risks,
! as against 202 cents for growing and
transporting The hard annals Of
fafm-life' are replete with such COM
uaentaries on the cTudeness Of pres
ent practices.
Nature pFeScribes 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 q continuous process Of finish
inc goods for the markets; they dis
tribute as they produce, and they can
curtail production without too great
injury to themselves or the comml-
mtg: bat if the farmer restricts lis
! output, it is with disastrous conSe-
quences. both to himself and to the
community.
The average farmer is busy with
| production for the major part Of the
year, and has nothing 10 sell. The
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 them
as they are currently needed. In the
great majority of cases, farmers have
to entruSt St0rage--in warehouses and
elerators-and the financial carrying
Of their products to others.
Farm products are generally mar
keted at time when there is con
ycstion Of both transportation and
| iinance-when csrs ana money are
/ scare. The outcome III mary IN
Sta!ices. IS that the farmers not oEiy
T., sell under pressure and therefore IT
disadvantage, bat are compelled to
! take further reductions in net returNS
in order 10 meet the charges for :ae
! service OF storing. Transporting, fnanc-
inc, and ultimate marketins-waich
charges they claim, are often e1c,s-
sive, bear heavily on both consumer
anil producer. and are under the con
troll Of tao>e performing the services
1t !s true that t&oy are relieved Of
| the isis &C Z Changing market by
! selling ~ once but they are quite Will