206 MARKETING PROBLEMS 



men and ' large.' In regard to the selling of corn, for 

 instance, if a body of small growers formed themselves 

 into a co-operative society, and entrusted their business 

 to a joint representative, they would save the great loss 

 of time and money involved in going to market them- 

 selves, and they would avoid the risk of a fall of prices 

 when a collection of individuals, forced by their own 

 financial position to sell, surrounded a buyer only too 

 ready to take advantage of them and keep down the 

 price ; whereas, if they remained away, and left the 

 business to be done by a joint representative, the buyers 

 would have to go to that one man, and better terms 

 would be got. As for the large growers, their special 

 interest in such a combination would lie in the fact 

 that the ' market price,' according to which they sell, 

 would have been practically fixed by the rates already 

 accepted by the * small ' men forced to take such terms 

 as they could get. In other words, a combination of 

 producers would be able at least to control the local 

 market even if they did not make still better terms by 

 doing a substantial deal direct elsewhere and the 

 ' large ' men would benefit equally, in proportion, with 

 the ' small.' The actual ' consumer ' would pay no 

 more, but the intermediate profits would be reduced, 

 and the better returns from the sales (especially when 

 they could be added to a reduced cost of production) 

 should effect a material improvement in the position of 

 the producer. 



