New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-22

the impression that the milk shortage was caused
bv the refusal of the darymen to ship milk until the
owners of over 200 900 cows had their full demands
accented not as individuals but organization In
control Of the greater part of New Yorks mix sup
ply On this point we invite the public to observe
the attitude of the parties in the proceeding before
Referee Dykman, and to draw their own conclusions
from such observation AS evidence that there is a
conspiracy among the milk dealers of New York,
Commissioner Dillon makes quite point that these
dealers own practically all of the pasteurzng plants
available for this district, and therefore the pro-
ducers must patronize them or forego the New York
market Ii will doubtless impress many as not I'M
usual that all of the milk dealers have equipped
themselves with pasteuizing plants In view of the
regulations of the Board of Health that subject,
though it may come as a shock to some that most,
If not all, of the dealers likewise milk wagons,
horses, milk bottles and other paraphernaa neces-
sary to their business, and what IS still more sinister,
very few people outside of the milk business have
any of these things in quantities sufficient to supply
satisfactorily New York's milk requirements.
Having mentioned the prejudice against the
"rniddernan" without attempting to distinguish be-
tween the middleman who renders a necessary
vice at a fair profit and the middeman who renders
no service exacts exor3tsnt profit, and having
mentioned the milk Trust bogy, we would now
ask consideration of the serious aspects of the
situation.
First is milk distributed as cheaply in New York
as possible, having regard for quality and service?
This involves two main points as far the distrbu-
tor is concerned costs and profits. Ever since
have been in business we have been subject to the
keenest competition, and in spite OF all our efforts
our costs have constantly increased and to greater
extent than the advances in the retail selling price
with the result that there has been gradual reduc-
ton in our profits from this branch Of our business
We will be glad to receive and adopt any reasonable
hat Cuf hut,
suggestions made thus far involve trade agreements
or Understandings with competitors which are
not allowed under existing Anti Trust laws We
have already published profits for the year end
ed June 80, 1916. We briefly repeat this state
ment,-one- quarter of one cent upon each quart
OF milk handled during that year; or put it another
way, return Of about $50 on the gross business
done; or, put it third way, about 5Go on the cash
investment in this branch Of the business In other
words, if our stockholders had had this investment
for example, in Anglo-French bonds, thew could
have avoided the risk which is incident to any COM
mercIai enterprise, and particularly so in the case Of
business which handles perishsble food product,
and still have been better off. We also repeat the
hgures showing what becomes of the difference be-
tween our average selling price per quart and the
price paid the daiymen. These figures have been
certihed to by Haskins & Sells, Certified Public Ac-
countants:
On all the milk purchased by Farm Products
DIVISION from producers during the last fiscal
year and sold to the public either fluid milk
cream or in the form of butter or cheese we
realize an average selling price per quart of
milk of. ................ q mana
COST:
Paid for Milk ..............S o36e
The costs of handling and selling
such milk during said period were
follows:
Factory Expense. .Oi26
Freight ............. OO72
Selling & Delivery Expense .O2OI
General Expense. 49,. .OOO9
.O4O8
Tot Co.