Norwich bulletin., 1914-09-05

clear as day. Investigations by milk associations: Investigations by health boards: investigations by legislative committees; investi gations by all sorts of bodies. volunteer and official. And they have all brought out one big fact, that the average milk producer, selling his milk for city delivery at the aver age prices offered by city milk hand lers, doesn't often make any profit doesn't always even get his money back. Only when he can peddle it out from his own cart to individual cus- toners at retail prices does he stand any chance of a fair wage for his work and decent profit on his investment.
 Mir. Simpson states the case we'll when he writes:
 The, fact of the matter is that every time an investigation is held it amounts to nothing so far as raising the price of milk to- the producer and the whole aim of these Investigating committees is to get after the farmer and not the dealer and the consumer. They continually urge on the farmer the idea of lowering the cost of pro- duction when the whole trouble stands in the fact continually proven by un- biased facts that the. farmer cannot produce market milk at prices re- ceived."
 tt may. perhaps, seem plausible to some gentleman reflecting on the gen. eral problems of the universe in his study that the keeping of better stock in better way. thus resulting in the production Of better milk, would bring better profits to the dairyman. But that which seems plausible in library and that which proves practicable in a stable are not always and inevitably the same thing. It takes quite a neat little investment to put up first class modern barn, stock it with high grade cows, and maintain both along the lines laid down as strictly sanitary by various health boards If the farmer can't. get his money back for all his annual outlay. and decent wages for his daily work, and fair interest on his investment. and some sort of profit besides. he better turn his fancy milk CTS into beef and his costly barn into a dance hall for tangoing picnickers from the nearest factory village!
 Tn the three oases cited the owners or the fancy cows mixed did not sell their milk to the city middlemen They were able to retail 1t out at fancy prices which brought them a profit. But if the average farmer, everywhere, iiad such stock producing such milk, it Wouid cease to be unusual milk and cease to bring anything but average prices.
 There are always a few people with money to burn who don't care a durn what they pay so long. as they get soLnelnins dinerent and perhaps better than their neighbors
 Very likely there may be prof1t to some few farmers, scattered here and there, one to township or half a dog sn.s.i 70 a county, In keeping stock of Ine ,i, nlgnest grade. spending money ifke; water. on their fodder and care and ry71I .ut Rr- prodiga1 rich. But that doesn't heIn the big majority. Exceptions are such Just because they are not the rule.
 here's always room at the top Of tne tadderr say the wiseacres who go round to schools and talk to the youth. But there isn't room for all the farmers of these United States at inc same time at the top of any ladder that ever was built-orI ever will be!
 
 The exceptional few can aiways take care or themselves and manage to sqmrm to the top of the heap somehow. They don't need elaboration from pro fessionaA Auplifters'', nor warning from practical old hands. They will gem orally make money. whether their cows are blue blooded aristocrats or Just common critters without any more pedigree than a hop-toad,
 But the cases cited seem to indicate that the purchase of fancy COWS and nand. painted milking -stools isn't d certain-stire road to wealth for those or us common farmers who have to sell our milk at ruling market prices 1T his milk business is just one sin. gle phase of the whole big farm prob lem. which involves all farm produc- lions. We farmers are about the only set of. folks who, haven't anything to do with fixing the prices of our own productions. When I want some bran or some gluten meal for Old Brindle l have to pay what the men who make hran, etc. see fit to charge. They fix the price: take or leave 1t. And they fix it..just as high as they think they can squeeze out of mo But when I want to sell Old Brfndle's milk or but ter at the store the buyer fixes the price: and again can take 1t or leave it.. have nothing to say about the prices must pay: I have nothinA to