The Portland daily press., 1882-02-24

| Yesterday morning at 10 o'clock, over thirty
| well-known farmers gathered in Reception
Hall to see what, if anything, could be done in
regard to getting better price for the sweet
corn they raise for canning purposes. Among
| those present we noticed W. L. Prince, @. A.
Merrill, NJ. w. Pearson Geo. S. Merrill, and
| Sylyanus Porter of Cumberland; A. R. Smiley
| Skowhegan; Cyrus Means and Elliot Fernald,
| Saco; John Hammond, North Berwick; Moses
| Hunt, Windham; Lewis Perkins, Mechanic
Falls; I'll. M. Raymond Westbrook; Mr..
| Brown, Westbrook; Liberty B. bennett,
| Daniel Dole and Daniel Dole Jr., and Andrew
Halves of Deering; j. True of New Glouces-
ter; N. Dyer of Pownal; R. 0. Conant, Port
| land Lewis Mcclellan, W. E. Strout, Fred
| Seaman of Gorham; S. L. Boardman and
| Dr. Iapham of the Maine Farmer Augusta.
Later, there were additions to these numbers,
| and in the afternoon a much larger attendance
| than was to have been expected owing to the
| terrible condition of the roads, result Of the
| late storm.
The meeting was called to order by M. W.
Pearson of Cumberland, who read the circular,
which has been published in the daily papers.
and, on his motion, Mr.. Lewis Mcclellan of
Gorham, was elected chairman, and, later,
Mr.. M. w. Pearson was elected secretary
Mr. Mcclellan said this was question that
interested not only farmers, but packers.
Whatever action was taken here it should be
harmonious The feeling among the farmers
is simply that there should b. an equitable
arrangement between producers and Gamers.
He thought there was something out of joint
when twenty-four ounces made pounds.
Gorham, he said, had been largely interested
in the packing business for years. He was one
of those interested in the first can
ming factory erected in Gorham. 1t was
broken up by the Jones patent, and
the company sold out. The firm was Water
man, Webb & Mcclellan. When this patent
expired the difficulty of canning was removed.
Davis, Baxter & Co.'S factory canned many
thousands Mr.. johnson put up 1900 cans
last year The latter has enlarged his factory
and will put up 10000 this year. A combina-
ton of fifteen farmers has erected shop and
will put up 10000 more. The canning bushes.
is to take new departure and farmers will in
sist on having on having an equitable share in
the profits. They will have a fair price for
raising sweet corn, or they won't raise it. Sew
eral are talking of canning on small scales
The grange, of which the speaker was men,
Der, had ordered him to attend this meeting
and report proceedings. He called on Mr..
Dyer, of Pownal, for his views.
Mr.. Dyer, large planter, thought corn
planting was not a paying business owing to
the price but he thought if the farmers would
take hold that prices could be bettered. All
must take hold however. 1t wouldn't do for
only few to hold on. In conversation the
other day with Mr.. Lewis, the Gamer, of Free
port, that gentlemen told the speaker it was no
nse for the farmers to go in and take hold of
this thing; they could do nothing. The speaker
seemed to think SO too. He thought it was the
way with farmers to take what the packers
gave them, not to get what their work was
worth. He thought if the farmers would send
representatives here something might be ac-
complished. He called on W. L. Prince of
Cumberland, as he heard the Cumberland
Farmers Club had plan mapped out.
Mr.. Prince said that the club hadn't got
plan mapped out. They talked over the situa-
ton and issued the circulars for the meeting
to-day, in order to s5e how the people feel
about the matter. We are not satisfied, said
he, with the prices for sweet corn. We want
to know if there is any way to plant corn and
make money at present prices. Last year the
speaker planted one and one-half acres; at the
end of the season he would have been better
off to have planted yellow corn. Calling labor
$3.50 a pay, and including board of man and
oxen, he was in debt $40, for one and half
acres. He had planted corn for fifteen years
and if he didn't know how he wanted to learn.
He called on Mr.. Smiley of Skowhegan.
Mr. Smiley said the action taken by the
the farmers here to-day those he represented
would stand by They were not satisfied with
the present arrangements and management
for raising sweet corn. After the club circu-
lar was received at Skowhegan a meeting was
held and we'll attended. The question was
discussed and it was decided to be represented
here and the speaker chosen as the delegate.
1t was the unanimous opinion of the Somerset
farmers to raise sweet corn at $3.50 per one
hundred pounds. Then the packers could put
as many ounces in a can as they liked. 1t was
also thought right to demand pay on delivery
of the corn and if refused then to refuse to
plant more corn. The speaker hoped what
be driven from the state; that price would
be fixed upon equitable alike to producer and
packer.
Mr. Pearson said he had heard report that
the packers had said they should have to pay
more to the producer.
Mr.. Dyer said he had heard they had made
the remark they should require q ounces to
can this year but only 26 next year.
Mr.. Hammond of North Berwick was
called on. He was satisfied Maine people did
not get enough for their sweet corn and he
came here for information.
Mr. Moody of Falmouth had never raised
any sweet corn for the packers because he
could never cipher it out SO that it would pay
him. Perhaps it will pay. He thought the
way farmers had taken the matter up it must
always be a permanent industry inn to State
The question is will It pay to raise the corn?
There is considerable margin between producer
and consumer. The consumer pays IL to Is
cents per can, and the producer gets or
cents margin of IA cents in favor of Gamer
and merchant. The merchant has TO pay
something to the Gamer above what his corn
costs which reduces the Gamers profits some
what, but still leaving margin OF cents be-
tween merchant and producer. This is too
large a profit. He found no fault with the
Gamers. 1t is natural for man to make all
the money he can. Still, the speaker thought
by retaining such a margin the packer in
jured himself. The produce has to be trans
ported, in most instances, a long way by the
farmers, and at present prices, with expenses,
he didn't see how farmers could afford to raise
the corn. He thought the Gamer and pre-
Queer should be brought together and the
matter reconciled. The business must be
limited to the coast since the west cannot raise
sweet corn. He didn't think the State could
afford to lose the canning business.
Mr. Mcclellan said, in a conversation with
Mr. E. T. Cowdrey, of Boston, the great deal
er. that gentleman told him the best sweet corn
came from Oneida, n Y, and that the COM
munity possessed some secrets it would be well
for our farmers to secure about raising sweet
corn. He also spoke of the high character of
Maine canned corn, and in this connection Mr..
Mcclellan paid high compliment to the Port
land Packing Co., whose word, he said, was as
good as their bond and their bond as good as
gold.
Mr.. L. B. Bennett was espied and brought to
the front, and put through regular cross-ex-
animation, as it was known that he packed his
own corn. Mr. bennett thought the law of
supply and demand regulated prices If the
Gamers state, as has been said, that they can
get all the corn they want raised for them, he
thought it would be difficult to make them pay
more than at present. He thought twenty-six
ounces of sweet corn raised at 81 cents paid as
much money as raising yellow corn If the
farmer raised and packed corn at $500 per
dozen, he could do good thing That was
the price the speaker got for his corn. He said
the courts had decided the two Winslow pa
70 for Of 81