The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-04-25

Rszapurr April 2s8 1872

No. Editors
The evident eauaos and sincerity ~
y6ng Fast Dorset correspondent ia bis
article aa the milk question " ia tie
Jarusuef last week deserves atten-
uau
His conclusions are Of lit,le value bc-
cause they arc evidently drawn from a
limited knowledge Of the causes ofdis-
satisfaction among milk producers, and
a misunderstanding 81 the proposed
measures for their removal
The real cause Of complaint is nat
that milk Is cheap, and farmers de not
get price enough. Middle men use
this argument and they have made it
answer for cover to double dealing
for years
/ 1.-THE market is overstocked, and
( the price Of milk is low in consequence
the farmer has no cause Of complaint.
I The real cause Of complaint Is, the
farmer does not get a just aud equitable
share Of the proceeds Of the sale of his
milk.
I The customer pays literally; Freights
are not exorbitant, taking into con-
/ sideration the care and trouble in
v0lved aud yet the farmer receives
only a mere pittance for the most valu-
able production Of bis farm, aud the
/ farmer is wronged in this division Of
proceeds Of his milk by two classes OF
middle men, viz; The commission
man and the peddler. 1t is for the in.
tercst Of the commission man to court
the favor Of the peddler, and to appear
to work for the interest Of the farmer
So that it is not really safe for the farm
CT to make any distinction between
them but as a general rule his safety
lies little distance from both.
The cause for middle men has been
the perishable nature of milk, and the
consequent necessity of having GUS
toner provided on its arrival in market
and the same cause has and viii al
ways be likely TO give the middle man
an advantage over the farmer. Com
mission may be understood, ireights
and expenses limited but the report
Of damaged milk is made by the mid
die man and cannot be disputed by the
farmer. The farmer also complains that
the middle man handles his milk ex-
ponsiyely and dishonesty eTpeHsicely
because he Injuries and loses cans
through careless ness and inattention,
and by mismanagement in distributing,
three times more men being employed
and supported than is absolutely re-
CURED. DisbonesHH because adulter-
ates the farmers milk and creates a
false supply and by so doing lessons
the demand, and, in the division of
proceeds, protects himself at the ex-
pense of the farmer. The farmer is not
satisfied with the present system be-
cause the wrongs and abuses that ex-
list or that may arise are entirely beyond
his control, and under the control of
middle men. The reason of this is OBJ
vious all of the middle men who re-
ceiye and distribute this vast amount
Of milk daily, taking all of the pay and
dividing with the farmer as they please
may meet in convention any day, and
at very little expense and by organic
alton and union take any measure they
please to hold and exercise any de-
sired advantage, and protect them
selves against the charge Of wrong-do-
ing as we'll as against detection or even
suspicion.
On the other hand the milk produ-
GERS are scattered over an area of over
so, 900 square niles, and cannot meet
without mourning heavy expenses of
time and money. Any candid mind
will realize at once the complete and
unlimited advantage the organized
middle men have over the unorganized
and scattered producers, and every
farmer will chaie under such an arbi-
tary and unnatural rule, and feel hui
inflated and degraded to know that a
class Of men by little management,
takes the well earned fruit Of his labor
and layishly spends it upon IuXuries
beyond bis reach.
But the signs Of the times are ONE
nous. The great mass Of milk produc-
ing farmers have become aroused. And
as they are compelled TO support and
milk their own diaries, they propose to
market their own milk, pay expenses
themselves and pocket the balance
without any dictation from outsiders.
Bot the exact method Of doing this has
not been fully decided upon.
A general organization Of all Of the
milk producing interests has been eE-
fected; plans and suggestions have
been solicited from all interested
sources and in answer to the call the
executive board Of the Vermont and
New York Mix Producers Association