Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-10-11
STATE HOUSE.
a Man in Maine Talking Up
a Creamery Combine.
The Smallest Real Railroad in Maine
Found Over in Fryeburg.
The Gu DIES Arc Directing 10 Having Forest
Fires Laid 10 Them.

Secretary McKeen has not studied
the creamery combine question long
enough to be able to state whether he
would favor some of its phases or not
but probably before any action is taken
by the creameries of the State they will
hear from Mr.. McKeen in the way of
of. some advice that will be the result
of a study of the question.
1t was learned by the Journal, one
day recently that there is a man in the
State calling on the different creamery
owners for the purpose of bringing
cries will combine. This man it is I'M
derstoOd is merely an agtator on the
subject, being without financial sup
port 1t is understood that his method
proposed is a consolidation or forma-
ton of an immense company that will
operate the greater number Of the
the c"eameries. SO many will be in
cluded that the little ones will have to
either fall into line or go under
Secretary McKeen had not been ad-
vised of the visit of the man to Maine.
but he said he fully agreed that the
creameries ought to make some sort of
an agreement among themselves 50
that they will cease TO do what they
Il t;,,,r off, hai, dS.
to spite each other.
But so far as the formation of the
trust is concerned said Mr.. McKeen,
Il am not sure that l would advise or
uphold anything of the sort l would
have to look into the matter from all
sides before saying anything against
the thing. We know that everything
is now running to trusts and it is but
natural this industry should follow the
lead of others
AS a matter of fact the creamery
owners of this State as of others are
beginning to realize that they must do
something or go out of business for the
running of a place for the mere pur-
pose of wearing out the machinery and
paying help is not what they are in it
for AS it is at the present time they
say they are running charitable insti-
buttons for the benefit OF the poor farm
er and the consumer. They take pity
on the farmer because he cannot get as
good a price by making up butter and
selling it as they manufacture it by
scientific processes. and then they have
taken pity on the consumer so that hN
will not have to eat the poor products
Of the farmers crude manner Of manu-
facture.
1t is said to be an actual fact that
not one half Of the factories in the
State Of Maine are more than paying
running expenses. They are SO thickly
settled now that they are competing
among themselves for the purchase of
the cream and in consequence there is
a constant fight to see who will pay the
larger price for the cream. Then at
the sale they are competing with one
another on the price to see who will
sell the cheapest. Thus at both ends of
the trade are they cutting off their
heads 1t is seen that in the concerns
that are running on the cooperative
plan where the farmers have what is
made after paying the expenses of the
factory. that they are receiving no
more than the ones where the farmers
sell for price outright. 1t will aver
age about the same in both cases when
taken for the year round.
| When the combine comes it is posi-
bic that people will have to pay more
! for their good butter. 1t is thought
that the standard of the dairy product
will be raised by it.
| At the same time the farmer will re-
ccive more FOR his product and the
profit to the manufacturer will be in
creased and SO all will be the gamer
with the exception of the consumer, but
he ought to feel satisfied if the quality
| is better.