The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-01-12

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 imputation
i to existing distrlbutiye agencies Of de-
liberately intentional oppression, but
rather with the conception that the
markeii4 Of farm products has not
been undermined
An ancient evil, and a persistent
one, is the undergradlng 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 Inn
portant scale in these days Of bust
ness integrity would seem almost In
credible, but there Is much evidence
that i does 81 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 a
whole shlpload Of grossly inferior wheat
mixed with oats char and the Ike.
Another evil is that Of Inaccurate
weighing Of farm products. which, II
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
~ 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
ceiyes and what The consumer paws
often exceeds all possibility Of justl.
hcatlon To cite q single illustration.
Last year, according 10 figures attest.
ed by the railways and the growers,
Georgia Observation-Disclosures received /
on the average 10 rents for a melon. {
the railroads got 1877 cents for carry
ing II 10 Baltimore and the consumer /
paid one dollar, leaving 79s cents Or
the service Of marketing and its risks,
as against 20.2 cents for growing and
The hard annals Of
are replete with such com
mentaries on the crudeness Of pres.
ent practices.
Nature prescrbes that the farmers :
goods must be finished within two
pr three months ~ the year. while
financial and storage limitations gen
orally compel him Ia sell them at the
'ame time As rule. other Industries
ire u q continuous process Of finish
NJ goods for the markets. they dis
ribuie as they produce. and they can
urtai production without too great
injury 20 themselves or the cofnnu.
lily. but II the farmer restricts RS
,utpui. II T. with disastrous conse-
luences. both to himself and 10 the
The average farmer l. busy with !
production for the major part ~ the {
ear. and has nothing 20 sell The i
ulk 81 lis output comes on the mar a
ct AZ once. Because Of lack u sfor /
ge facilities and 81 financial supuort
he farmer cannot carry his goods
through the year and dispose Of them @
$ they are currently needed In the a
reat majority Of cases. farmers have z
D entrust storage-ln warehouses ana
levator- and the financial carving
( their products 20 others =
Farm products are generally mar. !.
efed 30 time when there h a con =
rstian = both transportation ana g
cars and money are g
.arce The outcome. In many IA. .
.ances. IS thar the farmers not only 4
10 under pressure. and therefore Al u
dlsada antage. but are compelled 10 :,
he further reductions IN nei returns
order @ meet the charges for the
.ryiee - storing. transporting. dnanc. q
x. and Ultimate marketing 2
iarges hey claim. are often ences ~
W. bear heavily On both consumer VI
b producer. and are under the con b
~ y those performing the services IL
= true that they are relieved of :.
p risks - q changing market b.
mig Al once but they are quite vim =