Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1910-05-19
WAR TO THE KNIFE.
Mix Aged IL Hours Called Good by
Boston Contractors.


4 Boston Contractors.
No very decisive engagements have
taken place in the milk war within a
week but neither has peace been de-
clared. There have been locally, so far as
known, no desertiOns from the ranks of
the embatiled farmers, while new recruits
continue 10 enlist in the cause.
A letter to b. A. Manchester from Stan
/ ley II. Abbott, president OF the Boston
Cooperative Producers association, stated
f that @. X. Miller, manager OF the local
/ White Cross MIX plant, had consulted
/ Mr.. Abbott with regard to the price his
company ought to pay the Randolph pro-
ducers for their milk and his figures
which be showed to Mr.. Abbott did not
appear to the latter to be just right. Mr..
Miller expressed q willingness to consult
with Mr.. Manchester and the other Off
GERS OF the local branch of the Co-opera-
tive association, and wished the former to
/ go to Boston to meet him.
In his reply Mr.. Manchester wrote that
it would not be convenient for him to go
to Boston nov and be could see no ad-
vantage likely to accrue from the trip. He
added that Mr.. Miller on April 20 had
chance to keep all OF his patrons; for they
met on that date and asked him TO pay
them a schedule Of prices for milk averag-
ing s1.60 per hundred. He preferred,
however, to have a committee submit q
schedule, which averaged f1.55 per hum
dred and was accepted by only II OF those
present. Now he considered Il up to the
farmers 10 stand firm for a winter price
all summer; for six months deals have
gone out OF fashion,
Mr.. Manchester's view OF the present
state OF affairs follows:
Statement from B. A. Manchester.
The contractors have so far been great
ly favored by cool weather but that will
moderate before long and milk yanked
over railroads five or six hundred miles
will sour in q summer temperature just as
usual, especially when II is almost old
enough to vote.
More and more OF the farmers are hold
Ing their milk back from avenues that
lead to Boston contractors and all OF
them would II they had to draw 1t them
selves; as they would not like to come
out openly against their fellows. A
farmer who allows a can Of his milk to be
sent into Boston is simply standing in
own interests.
Some farmers have bought a fve-cent
account book and, keeping tabs from
Jan. to Dec. 81 on debit and credit
sides, have found out that the debtor =
the eontractors-come out ahead.
Edward Rye has been experimenting
by carrying his milk alternate days to
the Cooperative creamery and the White
-.
period had realized s3 more in money
from the w bite Cross, bat had 1900 worth
OF hogs which the skim milk from the
creamery had enabled him TO raise.
Hood a Sons still get a few cans o.
milk which are drawn over Warren noun
tain, six cans from Chelsea and about the
same humber from South RoyaltoB. The
Chelsea milk is from personal friend OF
Mr.. Hood.
There are few men scattered around
the country who will call out, "Well.
how is the milk strike coming on ? Hope
you will win and think you will IL you
only hold together" And those same
men put every pound Of their milk into
the contractors hands.
Today we have to pay almost as much
cash for a carload OF any kind OF feed as
We did six years ago when hay sold from
IS to sI2 ton. Now hay is worth a cent
pound. Moreover, milch cows have
doubled in value and It costs SO per cent
more to live, but the contractors pay no
better price for milk now than they did
six years ago although II costs just twice
as much to produce it. There is a short
age OF milch cows in the United States,
too, the number being $4,000 less to-
day than six years ago.
The Massachusetts,, New Hampshire
and Vermont Oranges are waking mp to
the situation and taking a decided stand
with the farmers In their strike, but some
OF the past masters are more in sympathy
with the contractors, over whose troubles
they deeply mourn.
Producers who are still letting their
milk 60 into the hands OF the Boston
dealers must have been patted on the
back longer than the rest Of us or they
are in their third childhood; for they are
refusing to take advantage OF the first /
good opportunity they have bad to better
their condition. B. A. MANCHESTER.