The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1935-01-24


in the report made to Secretary Of Agriculture Wal
lace by Dr. A. A. Dowell superintendent Of the North
west School Of Agriculture at Crookston, the ad
vantages and disadvantages Of direct selling prepares
after years study of the question.
The relative merits Of terminal markets versu
direct buying by packers has been argued widely, il
by selfish interests resulting in much con
fusion of the question. DR.. Dowells report is blow
to the terminal markets because he sees certain de
finite advantages and few drawbacks direct selling
If fatty denies some of the allegations we have beer
led to believe
Terminal markets have suffered from a steady in
in direct buying That this increase would hav
resulted if farmers had suffered by direct transaction
is decidedly doubtful This competition is a challeng
to the terminal market and the middleman who oper
ates there, to improve facilities and function
economically if they are to survive.
DR.. Dowelps study probably exhaustive an,
unbiased and persons with only limited knowledge O.
the subject must be careful in their criticism How
it probable that direct buying would b.
subject to great abuse if too generally practced part
icularly without weighing and grading supervision al
recommended
The following statements are taken from the re
port:
AS hogs bought direct cost packers somewhat
more than hogs bought at public markets. and
since it is found that the cost of marketing hogs
direct is less than through public stockyards, it
follows that on the whole producers realize
on hogs marketed direct
Direct marketing has not lowered returns to
producers.
1t has not reduced competition for hogs.
A rise decline in hog prices is as likely to
cur first at interior points at public markets.
Direct marketing has not increased marketing
costs widened the margins between prices of
hogs and prices of hog products
The general trend Of hog slaughterers' margins
I'M the last few years has been downward while
the trend of direct marketing has been decidedly
upward.
Direct marketing has not deprived public mark
cts of supplies of the various qualities of hogs
sufficient for registering prices for the different
grades.
Public markets are not price-determining points
but only price registering points and there is no
basic price determination point.
Direct marketing has tended to reduce rather
than to increase the actual cost of moving hogs
from farm to packers.
But to the producer at home with hogs for
sale, the latter competition (direct buying effort
opposed to consignment marketing at terminal
markets) is more useful since he is in a stronger
position opposite the buyer with his hogs still at
home than he would be if they were at public
market and had to be Sold
In order to keep tissue shrinkage at minimum,
hogs should be moved from the farm to the
slaughtering plant in the shortest possible time.
The practice of filling should be discontinued at
all markets. Uniform grade standards for trad
ing in hogs should be adopted for at all types
of markets.
Efforts of the state highway patrol to develop
bit of respect here for stop signs, speed limits
similar traffic laws which all too freely disregard
ed will be applauded by great part of the driving
public.
Arterial highways are established for safety but
they become serious menace if coming from
side streets fail to observe them. Even when streets
icy we have motorists who prefer to swing aroune
greater speed than advisable and there
still individuals who like to drive up to the curb Al
high speed, depending upon brakes to stop the cal
an inch from the sidewalk.
Reckless driving sometimes the motorist
few seconds, perhaps minutes, but the fellow il
the biggest hurry usually has nothing to do when h,
arrives.
Recently we heard a property owner remark tina
he paid $50 taxes house which rents for SO PEI
month. In other words half the income went to tn,
government the other half to upkeep insurance ant
similar items of which doubt had to be mad
up from other sources, the house actually becoming
liability to the
The principal job before the state legislature il
to revamp the tax system that levies to a larg
extent take into consideration income and ability Il
pay.
We never liked the idea of charging three per cen
Of office holders salaries to build up the party cam
pagn fund, practice at which bill already intro
duced at the state legislature is aimed On the othe
hand the practice Of shaking down" the corporation
and citizens who expect finger in the legislative pi
afterwards is an even more vicious practice
The Window Citizen remarks that the amount o
rainfall for 1885 is Of far importance than wha
the new tax rate win be- We hope the precipitation
will increase fast the taxes have.