Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-12-09
Mr.. BASSETT
Defends The
M|LkMEN


than surprised Saturday evening wher
l read the communication Of A. Rob
ertson On the rise III the price Of milk.
He is stoneoutter, . member ol
the union and . representative Of un-
iopism In this city, As such he 6rm'
ly believes In short days and big pay.
Eight hours, three dollars and OF Sat-
urdsy afternoon, that is just the size
Of 1t.
He Is willing 10 send . thousand
dollars to the coal miners, to pay $50
per cent more for his wood and two
dollars more ton for his coal, all
that the union should be recognized,
the miners work less hours and re.
cetve larger pay This may be right
but he has no words Of sympathy,
nothing but severe condemnation for
the poor milkman In bis OWN city,
who seeks for more compensation and
to better his condition.
Here 10 the typical life on the milk
farm. The man who delivers the
milk rises about 2 ''elook .. M, feeds
his horse, loads the milk into the
cart, harnesses the horse and though
the rain may be falling in torrents,
the wind blowing . regular blizzard,
the thermometer standing 80 degrees
below zero or the drifts three feet
deep In the roads, be starts for the
city, and makes bis circuit Of delivery.
= failure to be on time brings many
: curse on his head.
He completes his delivering and re-
turns home In time to put up and feed
his horse before dinner.
In the aftersOon the cans are wash.
ed, the feed prepared for the stock
and soon after O'Clock the milking
must be done, then supper, then
nights chores, after which 60 to bed.
He has done about 16 hours hard
work In the day. This is not SIX days
In the week, twenty-stx days to the
month, but IL ID seven to the week,
3o6 to the year, holidays and Sun
days br,Dg no relief to him.
The other farm help must he up by
4 O'Clock, milk the COWS AMI the milk
must be delivered In the city to the
flrst man between 8 and 7 O'Clock. He
returns to breakfast then the regular
farm work is performed. The work
being finished ct 7 O'Clock. Eight
hours and 373 cents for the stone-
cutters, - 20 l6 hours for the milk
man.
He says in substance that 1t costs
less to run milk farm this year than
last. In opposition to this, we pre-
sent the + flowing facts. The cost Of
living and making necessary repairs
on farm and buildings comes higher.
The rate Of wages for both the day
and monthly loborer is greater. Last
year the farm laborers could perform
about five days profitable labor in
week, this season it has rained half
the days 90 the farm lsborer has
not been able to labor more than
four days In the week, and the 10.
creased cost of the feed we must pur-
chase to keep our COWS.
Our grass crop grew In the shade,
was cut In the shine and cured In the
rain. The writer got in just one load
Of fodder that was not wet and it was
six weeks from the time he commen-
ced haying to the time he
finished hts Oat fodder. With fair
weather all this could have been done
In two weeKs. Consequently our hay
II poor stuff The corn crop was
failure. the fodder corn was imma.
ture and at least IS per cent short.
This deficiency in both the quality and
Of our fodder must be sup
piled by the purchase Of meal and
feed at whatever cost it may be and
I will further venture this assertion
based on my own experience that this
year q 20 COW dairy fed the increased
quantity of meal mentioned will fall
short from 80 to 40 quarts Of milk
per day from what 1t w0ulc have pro.
iuced last year on the ordinary ra-
lion.
He nex1 asserts that most Of the
milk dealers buy their milk Of the
farmers at 33 cents quart and have
to 90 with farming
1t all. This is not eso.
The fixed price for farmers milk
has been ut least three cents per
quart. At the present price Of but.
:er the value of the butter tat in q
luart of milk is and g. 10 cents, and the
milk is returned to the farmer. It is
lot reasonable for them to sell their |
milk to the milk men ct less than its |
'reamery value.
or the fifteen milk dealers in the |
,ity, nine either own or rent farms,
ind know from personal experience
;he hardship Of . milkman's life.
II the business bas bean 10 profit
Ible In the past at the old price, Why
,ave 20 many built up routes and con-
inued In business awhile and then
old with the understanding that the
luyer should TAKE what milk they
'rodsee4 q three cents per quart.
.St slsSi G1oHa1 RASdNTT Y
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