Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-18
HEARING ON
PROPOSED TWO
PAY'TS MONTH
BY CREAmER|ES

of the present session before the COM
rnittee on agriculture was the hearing
Wednesday afternoon on the measure
TO compel creameries to pay their
cream and milk checks twice a month
instead of once a month as his been
the custom, Hon. Cyrus y. Blanchard
Of Wilton led the case for the propo-
nents and Judge Turner Boswell Of
Scion for the opponents.
There appeared for the bill in addi-
ton TO Mr.. Blanchard. Messrs. Halpen
Of Dexter. Crawford of Dexter. c. r.
Waugh Of Sangerville, State Master
Ste.son Of the Grange, Frank s. Ad-
ans, State dairy instructor. and Rep.
Fay Of Dexter, who introduced the
bill.
Judge Boswell for the opponents
called upon =. l.. Bradford Of Auburn,
general manager and treasurer Of the
Turner Center Creamery; Elmer Z.
Harris Of the Skowhegan Jersey
Creamery, and others. c. r. Henry.
Maine representative Of D. Whiting
CO. of Boston, creamery proprietors.
also spoke in opposition TO the meas
ure.
Proponents Arguments
The The proponents Of the bill ar
gued that in Withholding payments
over a period of four weeks or longer
as in many cases, the creameries were
| virtually borrowing Of the farmers
without paving interest while the far
| mers in turn were forced to borrow at
| interest to make up their deficits, sell
! off good stock to obtain funds, buy on
,ryb vi ut n
WAYS as result of delayed payments.
t Mr.. Bradford was the strong witness
of the opposition. He said the Turner
! Center Creamery, so far as he was
| concerned. would not care if the law
was passed. but that it would take
! from the farmer the sum resulting
! from the additional expense Of making
hi-monthly tests and calculations. He
said he was the hired man OF the
| farmer. and worked in their interests
| and if the law would serve them he
| was willing for it to be enacted.
Feeling Is Keen
Up to the moment Of his appearance
the hearing had been charged with a
| strong current Of feeling and 1ues-
tons and answers were sharp and
Quick; but Mr. Bradford appeared to
be endowed with generous supply OF
good nature and time and again threw
. the packed attendance at the hearing
into hearty laughter by his pithy but
| anicable remarks.
| He said the results Of the passage OF
such a law might not be felt. though
some farmers might reckon that the
| sum of their two payments was per-
! hans s. when 1t was formerly S1s.ot0
! in short, that the creameries are mid
| dlemen for the farmers and though
| they conduct their business in such a
wav as to DO for the farmers what
| they could not do for themselves, they
would naturally have to deduct from
| payments made to the farmers the ad-
| oitional costs of doing business He
said the first years business was
| about $4,000 and the last years bus
.ness was about s2,2so,000 and that
| though the business had absorbed
1nsny, creameries throughout the
| State. not a small creamery had been
! absorbed except upon the request Of
| its patrons and managers and not
through desire for acquisition by
the managers of his creamery. He
I
! business is more or less CO. operative
and added expenses Of it resulting
from the proposed legislation would
| fall upon the producer.
| Elmer e. Harris
Elmer E Harris Of Skowhegan ask
ed how many members OF the COM
rnittee were farmers who sold cream
| ana finding a majority of such ad-
dressed them on the subject Of the or
| ganization and management OF cream
/ cries. He endeavored to show that the
present method of payment is In har-
| mony with the nature Of the business
and adequate as a system under ex-
listing condition.
Major E. +. Philbrook addressed the
committee in behalf Of the proposed
appropriation OF sac. 900 for exter.nina-
ton Of insects and pests explaining
the progress already made and that
the parasite method Of determination
! had proved Efficient