Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-23
MILK In K. OF l.
Novel and Significant Move OF
the Producers Union.
AN ASSEMBLY OF KNIGHTS
Is Now Their Aim, and They Choose
a Labor Journal as Organ.
HOW DEALERS DISAPPOINT THEM
By First Refusing to Pay the Rates They
Now Agree to Give.
low DEALERS DISAPPOINT THEM
THE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY TALK

A number of the members of the Milk
Producers Union are greatly in favor of
making their organization an assembly of
the knights of Labor, and motion to that
effect will be made, probably, at the next
general meeting of the Union. The first
step in that direction was taken yesterday
afternoon, when Mr.. Jones made the mo-
tion to have the Trades journal adopted as
the official paper of the organization.
The reason of this proceeding on the part
of the milk shippers was explained by one
of them to a reporter of this paper in this
,lanner:
The public" he said, "has an idea that
our organization is run to uphold a monop-
oily, and we want to show the people that
such is not at all our intention. The fact
OF the matter is that the dealers we're having
a monopoly of the milk market, as they
made the price of our product. When we
objected to such treatment they simply
laughed at u.s. We had no remedy but to
organize our union, not to control the milk
market and put the price on the consumer, but
simply to protect ourselves from being imposed
upon, All we ask is to get fair price for our
product.
NO MONOPOLY INTENDED.
when we made the arrangement with Mr..
Reed of the CHARTERS Company, to be our
agent we never intended to give him the con-
troll of a monopoly either; we did that because
the milk dealers scorned our first demands, and
we also wanted to lower the cost of the dis
tribution OF milk, a move which would un-
doubtedly be of advantage to the public, be-
cause they would get the benefit of it.
"Our endeavor to associate ourselves with
the Knights of Labor, the working people, is
proof that we are the peoples friends, and will
work in their interests"
At the meeting yesterday afternoon Of the
Executive Committee of the Union, the situa-
ton was generally discussed. Mr.. Reed was
requested to make a statement of his work
during last week, and he said that he had done
pretty well, and telt confident that he could
find market for all the milk shipped to him.
Last Saturday, he said, he sold 5000 gallons of
milk, and when the shippers iutimated that be
would soon have to dispose of 1900 gallons
per day, he said he could do it. because he had
his wagons and agents still on the streets,
drumming up the retail trade.
The committee seemed to be satisfied with
that and the dealers actions came under dis
cussion. 1t was resolved that the shippers
meet on next Friday morning at IL o'clock and
await an invitation from the Dealers Union to
De present at their meeung at o CLOCK.
DR.. Irvine, the President when asked what
he thought about the price proposed by the
dealers I'll cents and Is cents per gallon), said:
OPEN TO CONVICTION CHEAP.
'If they had made us an offer like that when
we asked them to negotiate with us, this milk
war would never have taken place"
What will you do at the meeting If they
make such proposition to your
II do not know yet. 1 will have to wait until
the meeting takes place and until the point has
been discussed. believe, though, that we will
be able to make a compromise with the dealers
and get to an understanding. OF course this is
triangular fight. Mr.. Reed is in it, you know,
and he has to be taken care of somehow. How
il will be settled however, is hard to tell at this
time, because we do not yet know what the
dealers propose to do"
Mr.. Stewart, Secretary of the Union, COM
planned that number of shippers had seeded
from the union during the last week Several
of them had sent him their designations, and
he wanted TO know what to do about them.
Major A. NJ. Brown, the attorney of the union,
requested that the names be furnished him in
order that he might ask them to pay up. He
claims that the law makes them liable for the
SIS they put down when they entered the
union
Before the meeting closed a resolution was
passed instructing Mr.. Reed to offer milk at Il
cents per gallon 10 anyone who wants 1t, either
dealer, retailer or consumer.