MARKET PROBLEMS 



199 



specific commodity wliicli they offer to tlie public. That there 

 are evils and waste is obvious. Many of the farmers do not 

 know just what the trouble is. They have the feeling that 

 they are not getting for the commodities what they should, 

 and in the absence of any clear knowledge of just what the 

 evils are, they frequently are inclined to take radical positions 

 and to urge radical measures. 



" 'A great deal of pressure was brought to bear on us to 

 request at least $1,000,000 for this work at this time, and 

 there will doubtless be a good deal of criticism because we 

 do not suggest an appropriation of a million or more dollars. 

 It is my judgment that it would be unwise to do that now. 

 We have set forth the plan and the amount we think it will 

 cost at present. 



'The farmers must be induced in particular communities 

 to develop staple products, to standardize them, to properly 

 prepare them for market, to study what market to reach at a 

 given time, and the best and most economical method of 

 shipping the products. 



" 'Of course, I am not speaking of concerted action which 

 shall have for its object the establishment of a closed market 

 or the fixing of prices. I imagine we shall not accept such 

 a principle in agriculture any more than we would in manu- 

 facturing. It is as unnecessary as it would be undesirable.' 



City Marketing. 



sum of $14,000 will be spent getting and disseminating 

 information on the one subject of city marketing and distri- 

 bution, which particularly concerns the consumer. Study is 

 being made of the utilities and limitations of both private and 

 municipal markets. The practice of huckstering by the 

 farmer and by professional hucksters is being gone into 

 thoroughly. 



"Light freight service on trolley lines is another thing be- 

 ing investigated. At present it has been found that the con- 

 sumer pays enormous overhead charges on all materials that 

 the farmer brings into town in his wagon. Most of this, it 

 is declared, could be eliminated if a freight and express ser- 

 vice were maintained by interurban trolley lines between 



