66 



the consumer's dollar, yet none of the intermediaries or so- 

 called middlemen get rich. Have we stopped to consider 

 that feature of it? 



Friends, it is not possible to accumulate a fortune in 

 the fruit and produce commission business. Now and then 

 may be found men who have amassed a very respectable sum 

 of money, but on investigation it will be found that a few 

 hard earned dollars were wisely invested, say, in real estate 

 or railroads. Take the retailer, what about him? Failures 

 are not uncommon, and as a class their net earnings are very 

 modest. I believe that the problem would be more than half 

 solved if a system of spot cash were established by the re- 

 tailers. It is altogether too easy nowadays to get credit, 

 and charge accounts seem to be the fashion. Bills soon as- 

 sume unexpected proportions and cannot be paid. With a 

 system of spot cash the family man would be protected 

 against himself and the retailer would not have to consider 

 bad debts. He could, and, I believe would, sell cheaper and 

 the attendant benefits would be felt by all. 



In conclusion, gentlemen, I ask that in your delibera- 

 tions you have the general good of all in mind. Care must 

 be exercised that we do not proceed with any selfish ends in 

 view. Selfishness in itself is reprehensible, but even more 

 it is a condition the outcome of which can only be unsatis- 

 factory and unprofitable. I thank you, Gentlemen. 



(Applause). 



PRESIDENT FROST. I am sure we all appreciate this 

 talk from a very busy man such as Mr. Hearty is, and we 

 have also received many fine points. In my own experience 

 1 believe that he has touched on the reason for the high cost 

 of the products and for the reason that the farmer does not 

 receive his share of it. I have felt that it was the credit 

 system and I have found in my own experience that the re- 

 tailer got nearly as much as the producer and that the com- 

 mission man does not. get as much as we would require for 

 over-head charges. 



I failed to mention that Mr. Hearty had a farm and that 



