Evening journal., 1916-10-09
MILK CONSUMERS
PAY HIGHER. RATE.
Retailers Demand 9 and 10
Cents a Quart
Today
NO REGULARITY
AS TO PRICE

Following the recent boost Of milk
by the Delmarvia Milk Producers AS
ISOLATION to cents a quart wholesale,
and the possibility OF its going to 51s'
cents by November /, several of the
retail milkmen supplying Whining
ton families have advanced their price
from cents, where It had stood for
some time previous to the agitation. to
9 cents a quart, and in a few instances
to 10 cents. No concerted action on
the part OF the retailers has been
taken, however. and the price Of milk
to the consumers today in Whining
ton is what each individual dealer has
a mind to make It.
At a meeting OF the Retail Milk
Dealers Association Saturday night,
at which the Wilmington dealers we're
well represented. the recent boost in
price on the part OF the wholesalers
was discussed in all its phases, and
while no definite action was taken, IL
was the sense OF the meeting that milk
should be raised to cents a pint and
3 cents a quart.
Some OF the dealers present an
nounced that they had already in
creased the price to their customers,
while others declared that they would
change their prices this week. An
other meeting will be held next Sat
urday at Eden Hall when the situa-
ton will be considered in the light
OF events that may transpire this
week.
Not all the retailers have increased
the price OF milk, Il is said Some
are still selling II at the old price.
A number of the larger dealers In
the city are said to be strongly con-
sidering maintaining the old price de-
spite he boost on the part of the
wholesalers, who. It is said. have
threatened to increase the price to
six cents wholesale II the retailers
do not demand 10 cents a quart from
the consumers. Until some concerted
action is taken by the retailers the
milk business in Wilmington will be
a serious problem 10 all those en-
g .ged in It.
In Chester County. Pa, where there
are many large dairies supplying milk
for Wilmington, Chester and Phila-
delphia consumption the farmers or
ganized the Chester County Milk Pro-
ducers' Association, Saturday, with
500 members, and voted to make the
price OF milk wholesale 5 ID cents
a quart net after November I. The
price now received. IT, g the aver
age for the last twe3 months. Is
3 1-2 cents a quart net. The or
ganization OF this body and the Del
marvia Milk Producers Association
recently will be followed by the or
ganization into solid unions OF all
dairymen shipping milk to Philadel
phia and Wilmington. II was pre-
dicted in some quarters that consum-
ers IN Philadelphia will be paying as
high as IL cents a quart for milk
next winter. The dairymen are ready
to defend their boost in the price by
figures showing that the production
Of milk is now a losing proposition.
II is said that organizations Of dairy
men will he formed in every county in
eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey.
Maryland and Delaware. and that all
these local and county associations
will shortly be merged into the Inter
state Milk Producers Association.
Il will be the executive or price
committee OF the Interstate Associa-
ton. composed OF delegates from each
county body, which will really TX the
price to be demanded for milk at the
shipping point The committees
method OF arriving at this price will
be TO hear the statements Of every
dairy farmer in HIS county meeting
Some COUNTIES may demand even more
than FIVE and a half cents, some less.
All OF the demands will be considered
by the executive committee. which
will strike an average and the aver
age will be the price OF milk to the
distributor.
A separate investigation OF the
milk problem may be made soon by
Governor Brumbaugh OF Pennsylvania.
Tentative plans for the proposed in
curry by the Governor we're prepared
by Clarence Scar Hates. the econo-
mist. They call for an investigation
OF the cost Of production on the farm
/ transportation TO creamery or dairy
distribution costs and the regulation
OF demand and supply. Governor
Brumbaugh will be requested to name
State committee TO carry on the ac-
tual investigation and 10 invite tho
i Governors Of New Jersey, Delaware
and Maryland to each appoint a com
mittee Of three 10 become an integral
part OF the PENNSYLVANIA committee.