The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-03-25
Farmers Refuse To Accept Prices
offered for Milk and Haul
Their Product Home
NO CHANCE FOR COMPROMISE
Action at Bristol is Followed by
Other Producers in Different Parts
of the County and General
Strike Seems to be On

Farmers in Kenosha county had q
chance to test their loyalty to the new
ly organized Milk Producers Union
this morning and reports from different
parts of the county seem to indicate
that the farmers proved loyal to their
union principles and refused to accept
the price for milk offered by the big
companies. Today was the day for the
making of new contracts for the COM
ing six months and the center of the
fight was at the Bowman plant in the
village of Bristol. At this point more
than half hundred Of the best known
members of the UNION had gathered
this morning with their milk, but before
the delivery was made the farmers in
sisted on making the scale to govern
the price for the next six months. The
managers for the Bowman company Of
fered to pay $1.182-3 per hundred
pounds, but the producers, in keeping
with the resolution passed by the union,
demanded that the company pay the
price of $1.31, which is the union scale.
The company's manager refused to
meet this demand of the farmers and
they put the milk back into the wagon
and held meeting at which they de-
cided to sell no milk to the company
until their demand was met. It was
an unusual strike on account of the
fact that every one Of the farmers
stuck to the agreement. Similar scenes
are reported to have occurred at the
big plants of the Bowman and Borden
milk companies in Genoa Junction and
other parts Of the county. It is claim
ed that the farmers have determined
to stick to their demand for the in
creased price even if it becomes neces-
sary for them to feed their milk to the
stock and pocket their losses.
AS soon as the strike took place at
Bristol there was a general rush to
dispose of the milk and some of it was
shipped to Chicago on the first train
while others took the milk to creameries
and offered it for sale at the union rate.
The strike among the producers was
something of a. surprise to the man
ayers for the big milk company as they
had expected to be able to arrange for
delay before the orders of the union
were carried into effect. The fight be-
tween the producers and the big Chi
cago companies is now on in earnest
and it looks as if the farmers were
organized to stick to their demands.
The Kenosha county supply is one of
the biggest factors in the Chicago mar
ket and it is thought that the action
of the producers in this county will
have wide effect on producers in other
counties when the time arrives for the
making of the new contracts. The
union will now be called upon to show
its strength and it is understood that
the leaders in the movement are making
arrangements to find new customers for
the milk which has been thrown on the
market as result of the refusal of the
big companies to meet the union de-
mands as to the price to be paid It
was rather unusual that the big battle
should be started in Kenosha county
and this county will now be made the
battle ground. The managers Of the
big Chicago companies having depots
In this county have not as yet issued
any statement as to what attitude they
will take in regard to the strike.