The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-07-28
To The Editors Of TIE Apyoc.rg.

larry referring to the obstacles which confront.
ed the company at the outset, how the latter
were overcome, and how bright the prospects
are for continuation of the success which has
already crowned the efforts of the officers and
managers. However, there are some matters
which were only lightly referred to in thai let
ter which think should be more emphatically
explained.
Before doing SO, however, your readers may
ask the very pertinent question: "Why SO
1 much discussion about the subject of milk ~
| The answer, which is easily given, must
| naturally interest the public at large in the
first place, and in the second, it is of para
mount interest to the great army of milk pro-
ducers in this State. Ii is 20 reach the latter
that | now address myself, and in doing SO
| wish TO impress upon them the fact that the
| moment is at hand when they should become
members of this association, so that they may
enjoy its immediate and lasting benefits, and
no time should be lost or wasted by the pro-
ducer in filing his application for membership.
| Already many of the farmers in the sur
| rounding country have become members OF
| the association, but there are other producers
whom we desire to reach, who have held aloof,
owing to the misstatements and false impress
sions conveyed to them by the vendor of milk
in the city. The latter purchases his supplies
| from distant creameries, who have to buy IN
small quantities, through agents, then carl
| them to the central station, mix the fiuld from
can to can, and add certain chemicals that
act as preservative at needed periods OF the
year; as, for instance, in this existing hot
spell. That kind of milk is impure, and the
| vendors who sell it know that il is impure.
| In the next place, ever since this Associa-
| ton opened its doors for business and likewise
to merit public appreciation, many milk. deal
ers have openly and unhesitatingly predicted
| its failure. AT the outset they were Il unit i'll
allowing that the Company might struggle
along for month, aud few were charitable
enough TO extend the time limit TO two or three
| months, but all chung to the one assertion,
namely, that the organization was formed sole
| " for speculative purposes, ard that in short
time the doors would be closed and that the
farmers who had Joined IN the movement
would be the sufferers. Indeed, the manager
of one of the leading diaries in this city made
| open declaration in a letter that Just as soon
as milk became plentiful in May the product
from the farmer would be permitted 10 sour
on the platforms of railroad depots of this
city, In other words, he meant that the
Association might order milk but would not
have business enough to warrant hauling 1t
promptly from the stations, and In conclusion,
he wrote: UNLESS | am mentally deranged
the Company will be utterly unable to handle
it."
Now, what were the actual results of May
and June? Why the records for those two
months form one of the brightest chapters in
the history of this Company. From near and
distant points in the State the milk was
promptly shipped to this city and delivered al
our North avenue plant without a hitch Of any
kind. Not drop was permitted TO remain
on railway platforms, and not "A drop was
soured in the handling of the cans. Those
two months are the leading months of the
year in the milk trade. The yield from the
cows is always greater, and yet, great as was
the supply, this Company could have easily
handled more, and would have been glad of
the opportunity.
Lest it be overlooked or put aside, there is
another and equally pressing question to arouse
the keenest interest among the producers. 1t
is an undeniable fact that, while vendors of
milk and the producers have some interests in
| common, they end when 1t comes to the Ques-
ton of dollars and cents The essential thing
| for the vendor, in order to make success of
his business, is to buy his milk from the man
| who can sell it to him the cheapest. In order
that there may be fluctuations in the prices
there must necessarily be active competition,
and with the farmers watching for the oppor-
| iunity to make swift and sudden cut in rates
| in the flush season, when the surplus runs the
rial advantage of the drop in prices. But,
with all competition removed and the entire
surplus provided for at a profit, the farmers
united in the Milk Producers Association for
| a common purpose, the vendor who thrives
now at the expense of the producers and the
| public alike, would soon find his vocation
gone. That is why the vendors have circulat-
| ed these stories in connection with the United
Milk Producers Association, and that is why
they are so anxious to keep neighboring farm
ers from joining the company.
Now, few words in regard to the hesitancy
| of those farmers who want to reach the best
market possible for their milk, receive re-
munerative price for it, and yet be freed from
| alliance with the vendors. This Association
affords them everything they desire. AT pre-
sent there is shortage in the milk supply
reaching the Baltimore market, due partly to
the drouth, but principally TO an abnormal de-
mand for supplies by the Association, which
has found ready market at good prices for
| the disposal of the mary manufactured pro-
ducts made from milk. The Association
wants more milk. Therefore, the producers
have everything to gain by joining and moth
| ing to lose, and with increased membership
| the Association, within one month $ time, will
control the output Of all good milk in the
City of Baltimore.
u
Queer should hesitate no longer about joining
the Association, and one of these has to deal
with his responsibility in supplying the market
with the highest possible grade of milk.
Conditions have materially changed in the
matter of eating and drinking during the last
10 years. Pure food shows are held every
where, and men of science have devoted much
time TO producing articles of food free of all
| deleterious and impure matter All this con-
duces to ones personal and material happi-
ness, but what shall be said of the person who
insists on having pure solids, and is content
TO drink milk that is far from being pure
Milk as an article OF diet is used by nearly
every person during some portion of each day,
and it is just as essential that it should be alb
solutely pure as any other article he consumes.
This association happily stands before the
public today as having been tried and not
found wanting. Every drop of milk it sends
to its customers is absolutely pure. The pos
sibiliiy of impurities existing is untenable,
owing to the clarifying process through which
the milk passes after it is received from the
farmers. From the foregoing statements all
minded persons will admit that it is to the
material advantage of the producer to join this
association Immediately in order to share in
its benefits. The experimental stage has been
successfully passed, and today the company
has attained high and enviable position
among the people and the business industries
of Baltimore. This is an age of progress, and
that fact applies with as much force and po-
tency to the milk business as TO any other.
The advent ofsteam and electric railway wit
messed the decadence ofthe old FASHIONED stage
coach, and in order to keep abreast of the
times the farmer has had to discard the latter
and patronize the former. So, if he desires to
be considered progressive and up-to-date he
should cast aside fogyism and antiquated
methods aud join the United Milk Producers
Association. Having done that it will then
be only question of u brief time until he will
be reaping satisfactory returns from every part
of his dairy business.
W. b. CROWTHER,
i pras;1a,t