Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-24
WHAT OUR NEICHBORS SAY,
Why Farmers Can Not Join with Labor
Unions for Shorter Hours.
(From the Landmark.)

Inc Vermont Union Signal advises
the close cooperation 'of the farmers of
Vermont with labor unions. 1t is true
that the capacity of wage-earners such
as constitute the various unions to pur-
chase agricultural and dairy products
varies according to the amount of wages
received. Apart from grange organiza-
tons, whose object is the betterment of
farmers and farming conditions, we fail
10 see in what practical way any alli-
ance between farmers and labor unions
could be formed. 1t is next to impossible
FOR farmers in any one section to alone
advance prices of their products. In fact
the farmers is the only producer in the
land who has little or no share in fix
ing the prices of his products. These are
generally settled upon according to the
law of supply and demand at CONNER
cial centres, and the foreign as well as
the home demand has to be taken into
consideration. From the very nature of
the case farmers form a class by them
selves. They cannot demand with sue
cess higher rates than prevail In the
markets, except in few instances In
which they supply private customers
with better article of production, like
butter for instance, than is found in
open market And we have noticed that
by some sort of telepathy or a wireless
Geographic system the rise of a cent or
two on a pound of butter or a dozen
eggs in Boston Is Immediately made
known IN all the country towns. A fall
in price, however. Of these commodities
is not heard of in the country for some
| time afterwards! The average farmer
knows pretty we'll what he is about when
disposing of his products, and a strike
for higher wages by any labor union
means loss to the local producer as long
as it lasts, because men out of work can
not afford to buy as freely as when they
are earning wages.
JUDGE MUNsoNs FOURTH CLASS
LICENSES.
(From the Brattleboro Phoenix.)
II Judge Munson reads the liquor law
alright, in his Interpretation for the
grand jury in Rutland county, every
wholesaler in the State will be knock
questioning of the judges opinion that
the fourth class or wholesale licenses
cannot sell in any other place than that
described in his license. and that the
loensee cannot solicit orders from q
consumer in town that voted fol
license and deliver liquor to the consum
ers. The point in the judges statement
which will provoke argument is that BY
the fourth class license the Legislature
intended to provide for authorized sale:
| by Wholesale dealers within the State II
supply of the authorized retail trade
licenses for sales directly to the con
sumner"
The fourth class license costs 81 900 {
year. and it can be seen that with thu
business limited to sales to the retail
dealers who are also buying from larg'
concerns outside the State, the 1ed 70
the wholesaler is extremely limited
Some wholesalers in the State, recogniz
ing that the question now under discus
sion might be raised. took out In addition
to a wholesale license a second elias
license for selling liquors not to be DRUM
on the premises.
The United States government in Is
suing its licenses to retail and wholesal
dealers, makes the distinction that
license for retail business provides for
sale of less than five gallons, while
I wholesale license is for n sale Of not les
, than five gallons.
The Rutland Herald, the father o
licenae in the State, evidently believe
l that Judge Munson's Interpretation
sound doctrine on all points, and tina
the enforcement of the law on the line