OUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 261 



30. Q. Can this society regulate the price of potatoes? 



A. Certainly. This is a crop that frequently sells at ruin- 

 ously low prices when the production is large. It will be one 

 of the easiest to control. When the farmers are organized in 

 Maine, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, the 

 trick will be done. Consumers can pay fifty cents a bushel for 

 potatoes as a minimum price — which should net the grower 

 thirty cents to forty cents, when the crop is large — as well as 

 anything under. The chances are that the city consumer who 

 buys in the small will pay twenty cents a peck if the grower got 

 only twenty cents a bushel. This society will prevent such in- 

 equalities. The same illustration will apply to apples, only the 

 difference is usually greater. 



31. Q. Can you help the tobacco grower who is now at the 

 mercy of the tobacco trust? 



A. Most assuredly. If the tobacco districts are organized 

 and sell their product through their own representatives on the 

 national board of directors, they can absolutely take a good 

 profit on their crop before the trust can touch it. It is not 

 proposed to dictate to trusts, or put them out of business — 

 unless their existence jeopardizes maximum consumption and 

 markets — but simply to take the growers' profit first. 



32. Q. Will the minimum (profitable) price limit consump- 

 tion ? 



A. No. It will rather stimulate trade and increase con- 

 sumption. Because it will remove uncertainties. Under the 

 old system, if the farmer thought prices too low he would not 

 sell. If the buyer thought they were too high he would not 

 buy; also, the buyer was always fearful the price would go 

 down, therefore he always wanted to buy as low as possible. 

 Under the new system certainty will prevail. There will be no 

 fear or hesitancy. All will sell and buy as much as the market 

 wants, and farm products will go into consumption with 

 greater ease and regularity than by the old system. This plan 

 has beauties and advantages that can not be fully realized or 

 appreciated until it is in working order. 



33- Q- How can farmers store their produce? 



A. Several local unions can join together and erect neces- 

 sary warehouses, cold storage houses or elevators. These will 

 be under their direct control. There will be another cla^s 

 owned by the society in principal cities, where produce can be 

 shipped and stored for account of the owner. Warehouse re- 

 ceipts will be issued on grain and produce, which can be used 

 as credit at banks to secure money. Non-perishable goods 

 should be held on the farm as much as possible. A good 

 granary is as good as an elevator, while no storage is charged. 



34. Q. How will you regulate railroad rates, stock yard 

 charges, grain inspections, grading, etc.? 



