Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-11-01
Take Steps Toward Freeing
Themselves From Contractors
LAWSON MAKES AN OFFER
Will Back Farmers In Any Fight to
Eliminate Northumberland
Assoc alton to Be Formed to AS
sumo Charge of the Sale of Milk

Worcester Mass, Oct 30.-Four hun
dred milk producers from all sections of
Massachusetts. principally Worcester
county, came to this city with deter
mination to free themselves from the
grip of the Boston milk contractors.
Charles w. Wood called the meeting
to order. He brought messages of en-
couragement from Governor Guild.
from business men in Boston. and from
the Massachusetts railroad commits
sion.
A proposition of Thomas w. Lawson
was embodied in statement read TO
the meeting by his secretary. In pare,
the statement was:
"Mr. Lawson has been Informed of
the manner in which the Boston milk
contractors have throtted the milk pro-
ducers, the farmers Of this state; how
this combine has practically annihi-
lated the independent creamery bust
ness and brought to the verge of ruin
many farms. which. in the natural or
der of events. should be increasingly
prosperous
"Mr. Lawson agrees, if such be the
will of the milk producers III session
here to personally lease and guaran-
tee the rental of as many cars as the
milk producers who wish to ship milk
Independently may choose to fill. In il
word. Mr. Lawson will back the farm
ers to the limit in any fight which the
farmer makes to eliminate the contrac-
tor and his eXtortion.'
John Albrce. discussing the offer. ad-
vised the farmers to consider the prop
ositiOn well before accepting it, as there
was no certainty that they would be
any better off under Il contract with
Lawson than they were in dealing with
the contractors. He said he did not ia
vor the offer and recommended that
the farmers cooperate and establish
an independent milk depot in Boston
Burton w. Potter denounced what
he termed the combination of cOntrac-
tors. Another speaker who severely
criticised the contractors was Jonas
Bemis. one of the leaders who is prom
inent in the fight. He said that the
present was the time to act. c. ID.
Richardson. master of the State
Grange. spoke in Il similar strain.
The course which the farmers will
follow was determined by the unani-
nous adoption of this vote: "A COM
mittee of II be appointed by the chair
to prepare an agreement and bylaws
for the formation of Il cooperative as
IA IN Aha g
the sale of agricultural products. and
report such agreement and bylaws to
an adjourned meeting"
To make this committee representa-
tive of the whole field, Chairman Wood
will postpone the appointment until he
has received from each district signed
nomination for membership on it,
The committee will also consider the
Lawson offer.
Pending the formation of the pro-
posed association the farmers will keep
on sending their milk to the Boston con
tractors and at the end of the month
send in their bills for 3S cents a can i'm
the middle zone. but will sign no more
contracts. Further. the farmers will
offer AT once TO submit to special state
board of arbitration the question of
how much the contractors shall nav.
until the cooperative association shall
he ready to assume charge of the sale
OF milk. 1t is generally expected that
the contractors will reject this offer.
The convention adjourned subject to
the call of the chair.
Victim CT Terrorists
ST pptprSbur1 Oct 90 Cono,.ai