Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-05-10
With the Milk Producers
Says Senator Msansy
Al Legislative Hearing Regard
ing Milk Conflict.
Many Maine Milk Producers Were
Present al Boston.

Boston, May 9.-The conflict be
tween the milk contractors of Boston
and the Boston Cooperative Milk Pro
ducers Association over the price o
milk was actively renewed today wheI
the producers held a mass meeting al
Faneuil hall in the forenoon and in the
tive committee.
The contractors we're severely con-
demned by Sec. ]. Lewis Ellsworth OF
the State Board of Agriculture, Sem
ator John r. Meaney and Representa-
tive Samuel V. Crane both of Black
stone; Prof. J. W. Sanborn of Gilman
ton. n. H.: j. b. Marceau. q producer
of Princeton; General Chas. w. Wood
of Worcester; Delacey Corkum Of Bill
lerica, and a number of other leading
dairymen.
Senator Meaney. who introduced the
measure for an investigation into the
situation in the Legislature and who
is a member of the committee appoint
ed for that purpose, said
You are facing trust whose arbi-
trary methods are not to be compared
in the same breath with any trust that
has ever been publicly attacked"
He said that public opinion was with
the producers. who had already won
the fight. Secretary Ellsworth point
ed out that while the farmers were
selling their milk at little over three
cents quart and losing money there
by, the contractors were making a
profit of nearly five cents quart
while the restaurants were selling
milk for between 20 and 40 cents a
quart.
IF the poor contractors are not
making enough money" he said. '1et
them increase the price slightly. The
consumers would not object If the
price was raised a little. Milk is the
cheapest article Of food and contains
more real value than any other food
stuff for the price,"
General Charles w. Wood declared
that tine contractors ARE robbing the
farmers on one hand and cheating tho
consumers on the other" He also took
occasion to criticize the legislators,
some of whom, he said. forgot that
they were representing the people and
he said the constituents would hold
she representatives and senator's re-
sponsble for the outcome of this
struggle.
Geo W. Albee Of Concord. N. H.. and
j. s. Marion of Princeton declared that
the root OF the trouble was the matter
sof transportation s.. ~''~, -Fi@'ss'
Prof. Sanborn. who was introduced as
The dean of milk producers in New Eng
land, urged the formers to withhold their
milk and convert it into other dairy and
farm products and said that if they
would do so at the end of year the
contractors would be bankrupt and the
producers would have made more mon
ey. He introduced a resolution to that
effect, which was unanimously adopted.
That there is widespread interest in
the struggle WAS evidenced by the pres
ence of large producers from New York,
Connecticut, Vermont New Haven and
Maine.
President Stanley II. Abbott of the
Producers Association presided and
during tie meeting a telegram OF en-
enlargement was read from N. j. Bach
elder of Concord. N. H., master of the
National Grange ard former Governor
of New Hampshire.
When the hearing before the executive
committee opened this afternoon the
largest committee room in the state
House was crowded, most of those pres
ent being milk producers. The first Wit
ness heard was Prof. J. w. Sanborn Oh
Gilmanton n. H., who introduced HIM
self by saying:
AT the present time am the largest
farmer in New England. situated 10
miles away from railroad statioh'
EMPLOY q lot of men and know a thing
or two about making the balance sheet
meet at the end of The year
He then proceeded to give many hSures
the cost of maintaining cows
ut will probably be said. he contin-
nod during tho course of these hear
ings that it costs more to produce mix
in winter than 1t does in summer. Inae
Is not true After the first or July the
milk flow falls off. The amount given
by the cows should be very near winter
cost. The decrease of the milk flow
meape q decrease in revenue. l would
rather today rest my success on my win
Ter milk than upon my summer milk.
There is not inst ground for the contrac-
tors claim that we should lose one cent
a quart on summer milk
Prof. Sanborn said that the total cost
of keeping COW one year on his farm
was s121.92. while at the summer price the
annual milk yield of one cow would give
the farmer sl0OH and the annual manure
weld s1s, making an annual deficit on
each COW of about s..
Both Prof Sanborn and General Charles
w. Wood of Worcester declared that the
strongest hold the contractors had was
that they could secure much lower rate
for the transportation of milk than the
producers were able to obtain. Others
speakers were Frank p. Todd of Rowley
and John 3. Marion Of Princeton.
The committee will hold another hearing