The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-06

and economic means of distributions, to educate the consuming public as to the comparative value and the com parative cheapness of milk, and to see that the consumer gets the milk at a price consistent with the cost of pro duction and reasonable profit.
 'The principle on which it is pro- posed to operate these associations rests upon no untried and untested theory.
 '"The Dairymen's League, meeting few days ago in Albany. adopted the most progressive measure bearing on this subject which was ever inaugu-, rated in this state. It prepared g mo- tification to the members of the lea que that it was in a position to market their milk under existing contracts with the producers and desiena1eo the New York State Department of Foods and Markets as exclusive agent for the sale of the milk.
 Under this arrangement the 1ndf- vidual producer delegates his author ity for the sale of his milk to the association of which he is member. To concentrate still further the ser- vice the association makes the de- partment the exclusive agent for the sale of the milk. Heretofore 13,0O0 unorganized farmers undertook to sell milk individually to half ;t dozen strongly organized milk dealers. Un' der the present arrangement our 13,- 900 farmers are prepared to. speak through one agent.
 'sThe delegation of this service to a state department is, to my mind. or vastly greater importance and signtn- canoe than the employment of an in dividua1 or of corporate business agency. The reason is that the de- partment has the backing of the Att torney-General and of the police powers of the state to enforce, its req sonable rulings and to protect it's pa irons, be they great or small, who buy milk for distribution
 we have no disposition to disturb the existing conditions if 1t can be avoided We believe in using agen- cies that now exist. rather than fl destroying them and to creating others. Any radical disturbance means waste! and waste has no place in any modern system of distribution. we are willing to distribute milk through the present agencies, but they must not be our masters. We are willing to work with them hand in hand and indeed to see them fully re- warded for the time and capital neces- sary for the distTibution of milk, but they must not tyrannize over us- There must be no more two cent milk to the producers and twelve cent milk to the consumers. They must not drive out the independent distri- butter and keep new men out of the business. We will be glad to have the coop eration of the large dealers in otr efforts to effect an economic and ef- feient distribution of the product If they approach the subject broadly and disinterestedly, as believe some of them will, their experience and capital will be of great use to us in our work. As business men they must, and be- liever they do, realize that It would be wise to co-operate with us.
 'The farmers need them, but they are not essential They need the far mers for. they are helpless without milk. By cooperating with us they will make tue distribution of milk a pleasant, safe and staple business. If the profits resulting ere not SO large as some have been making, the prof its will be secure and they will be re- Iieved from at least some of the bur- dens and the anxieties of the business as at present constituted.
 "If on the other hand the large dis tributers should refuse to recognize our organizations and refuse to pay a little higher price for milk we shall be able, if our producers stand to- gether, to get along without them If we cannot. sell to the large dealers the department will soon begin to run advertising in the city papers for the sale of the milk through the small dis tributers. "
 l We ought to have 5000 small deal- CTS distributing milk in the city of New York. With the state, through the department. protecting the small dealer in his right to sell milk and deliver it, believe that there will be plenty of men to take up this work. If the farmers stand together as they are pledging themselves to do all over the state and furnish pasteurized milk to the department, we shall have milk in the city &nd the dealer cannot lay the blame for his failure to supply milk to his customers to the producer. With milk in the city, consumers will find a way to get it.
 | "Our complete plan provides for Ia
 milk depot in the city of New York where small customers can be SUD-
 piled and also an adjacent creamery
 where overr1pe milk can be worked
 up if any surplus remain on. hand The 1 large demand in a city like this for
 fresh sweet butter and fresh cheese
 and buttermilk should make a cream cry profitable investment from the | start.
 Many influences hace come to-
 gether in the present time to crystal
 lize public opinion on the subject o1
 the distribution of milk. The time is [; ripe for the adoption of the right kind
 of system and for producers to ex- ercise strong and wise influence in ! the work. If we were to lose the Il opportunity to do so at the present
 time we could not create another op. 1 portunity eqHal to the present in if. teen years. "As individuals the farmers are
 helpless in facing this problem. They
 can handle 1t successfully only through strong organization, loyal membership
 and devoted leadership.
 'The one important thing for then to do is to refuse to sell milk to deal.
 CTS for delivery after September 3( land to notify those dealers to appl, to the department for prices.
 ! Tt has been the aim If this depart.
 ment to labor for the benefit cf bott the producer and the consumer. ana