Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1914 — THE BIG DOG GETS THE BONE [ARTICLE]

THE BIG DOG GETS THE BONE

It is passing strange that there is not a more fraternal spirit prevailing aniong the farmers and the consumers, and between the two classes. Because of their lack of organization they are being daily plundered by the robber middlemen and trusts —scientifically PICKED TO THE MARROW. Did you ever throw a bone out to a little dog and then watch a dozen big dogs pounce upon it? And did yea take note of the little fellow’s pained look as he watches his meat fade away? ' The consumer and the farmer are in much the same position as the little dog and its master. THERE ARE TOO MANY BIG dogs Aiiorxn, In other words, instead of having farm products take a short cut from the producer to the consumer, either direct or via the retailer, they pass through the hands of numerous middlemen, all of whom slice off abnormal profits and boost the price sky high before the consumer ever gets a taste.

Middlemen will have their pound of flesh, whether the producer and the retailer get anything or not. And often produce junkets around from one big dog to another until the price mounts so high the robbers must get additional plunder by lopping off the legitimate profits that are due the farmer.

Too much big dog and not enough bone! The average farmer is keen upon chasing the big dogs away from his little one, but through force of habit he just about lets the middlemen and the trusts rob him of even the socks he stands in. He has been soaked and gouged and fleeced so often and so much he would feel lonesome if £ome one didn't hand him another wallop. And he will continue to be gouged and fleeced and swindled and plundered until some one comes along with a sane plan for kicking the buzzards into the discard and marketing his products without trebling and quadrupling, their cost to the consumer. DOWn among the Florida fruit growers the big dog got the bone for a good many years, until some fellow with brains advanced the idea of a fruit growers’! organization. Of course, like everything else new, it was poo-hooed at first, but now the members of that organization are getting good prices for their fruit, their crops are marketed by the organization, they are sure of their

money, and the consumer gets his fruit at a reasonable price. MANY LITTLE DOGS CAN LICK A BIG ONE, and in like manner CONSISTENT ORGANIZATION CAN DO WONDERS FOR THE FARMER AND THE CONSUMER. and trusts are DIG DOGS. They are hungry— ravenously hungry- and will continue to gobble everything in sight until the farmer arises in his might and thunders a mighty “No!” W ith the right kind of organization among the farmers the big dog mill cease to exist. But until such an organization is an accomplished fact he Will continue to get the bone.