The sun., 1916-12-13
NEW YORK'S DAIRY
COWS DECREASING
legislature Fears Farmers Are
Going Into More Profit
able Fields.
WARNING BY JUDGE WARD
Council to Wicks Committee
Tells How State Lost Sheep
Industry.

1hers are fewer dairy cows In New
York State than formerly and the
legislature fears dairymen are turning
their activities to more PORTABLE things,
according to . statement made yester-
day by Judge George w. Ward. counsel
n the Wicks legislative committee. dur
ing the examination Of q witness at the
committees inquiry.
The dairy farm assures to the next
generation a valuable food product and
the fertility Of the soil. the Judge said.
and therefore It Is vitality important to
the State that the dairyman IL pro-
tscted SO that ne will not u his at
tsntion TO something hat has more dol
lAss in 1t than the production OF milk.
He insisted tina tho State must him
IN terms other than dollars In the con-
sideration OF this great problem.
Charles H.. c. Beakee. head OF the
Beakes Dairy Company, brought out this
comment by Judge Ward by expressing
the belief that II the farmer could make
more money at something else than pro-
aucing milk he would be better OF II he
gave up his cows.
AEDsh wv
Judge Ward said New York State lost
IT. sheep raising industry thirty years
40. although to-day sheep pay better
b built up in twenty-five years. he con-
tended. yet they can be killed In i've
years. The conservation Of the dairy
industry 10 Of the utmost Importance to
che State. n the Legislature. he prom
ICED. will find somu way to protect the
dairy farm.
While Erik L~agerQuist. superintendent
Of the Alexander Campbell MIX Com
rany Of Brooklyn. was on the stand It
was brought out that egg dealers who
hse money this season by reason of the
egg boycott and the falling of In the de-
nand will be reluctant TO accumulate
big stores Of eggs next spring.
Producers will receive less for their
egs the cold storage supply for next
winters consumption will be less and
will " to pay more for
their eggs. Judge Ward argued from
this that a o boycott Is fAllacious and
Inevitably reacts or the consumer who
starts II.
Gave Away $4,000 Worth Of MIX.
Mr.. Lagerquist testified that his com.
pary W. away last year to charitable
institutions and churches about 5000
worth OF milk. He explained most of
the requests for free milk were made
BY women and It was hard to deny them.
He considered 1t good business. never
theless.
The witness admitted that when the
milk companies were faced with In
creased costs they would rather lower
prices to the farmers for milk than In
crease the price to consumers. When
the, farmers combined this fall and
pushed through their demand for a
higher price. he said. the cost was put
up to the consumer.
The superintendent said there isn't n
single milk dealer who makes n cent
BY selling milk in December. but the
profits during the summer enable them
to cover their winter losses and make
something besides.
Judge Ward said the Compbell com.
pany's cost OF distributing milk was
$40, 1000 in excess Of the preceding year
He suggested that II the State should
regulate the milk distribution by givine
franchises to milk companies for various
districts the Campbell concern would be
saved that amount.
New scheme Ii Feasible.
lie asked what Mr.. Lagerquis,
thought OF such a scheme and the wit
ness finally admitted he didn't see why
II couldn't be done. The superintendent
said that AZ the milk business is coins
on now three or four companies will
Inevitably control the whole city supply
and then the people will demand State
regulation. He was also OF the opinion
that the State shout regulate the
farmers.
President Beakes Of the Beakes Dalr,
Company. which does a business OF
$4,000 a month. said bad debts re
suited in a loss OF $1,000 to his con
Germ last year.
what is YOU real reason for refus.
ing TO obey the State law with regard
60 placing a bond with the State Agri.
cultural Department" asked Judge
Ward.
II believe the law to be unconstitu'
tional." was the reply.
The bond is to guarantee the dairy
farmer who sells milk from loss.
Mr.. Baakes threw some light on tn,
practice OF certain drivers OF mill
wagons TO take cream from the top o.
bottled milk they deliver, put 1t In Other
bottles and sell II on their own hook
He knew Of cases where drivers made
500 or $25 a week In this way. he said
but his company keeps after them a,
fast as cases Of disappearing cream ar
reported.
Competition In Buying MIX.
Luther L. Campbell of the Glove
Farms Dairy Company said milk com
panies buy as cheaply as they can ant
sell for all they can get. He insisted
there was competition in buying. blu
Judge Ward couldn't see where thu
competition came In In view OF the fac
. that the prices paid for milk by the dis
tributers averages about the same.
Counsel for the committee announced
that the investigation In this city thu
Ear warrants the conclusions that New
York. has. first. the greatest marke
facilities Of any city In the world. neithe
London. Beplin, Paris nor Pekin beinI
In any way compared TO It In this re
spect; second. It has the greatest ant
most varied o supply In the world
third. relative to the cost Of labor
products are supplied to Its residents a
less cost than In any other great city
1t Is understood the Wicks committe
does o look with favor on Commits
sioner John ]. Dillon's scheme for tn
establishment of q Wholesale termina
market under State regulation.
The committee will continue Its hear
ings his morning.