Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-09-04
When All Lift Together.

We nave gained that much, anyhow
The young man who said this, spoke
the word with good, victorious rims
In his voice. he had just come bach
from a trip with a couple of fellow
dairymen to the local factory where
nearly all the milk of the neighborhood
is made up and paid for according tc
amount and test.
"Tell Us about It," we urged and this
is the story in short.
"Last fall when our trouble came or
with the milk dealers, the farmers ol
our town, like all the rest around here,
Joined the league. When the matter
came to be settled We found ourselves
with this local concern nearest and
most convenient to Us. So we agreed
to send our milk to it for six months.
In the meantime we made up our minds
to keep our eyes open and see what
would happen.
"a good manv OF US were not satisfied
with our test. I don't really know as
there was any good reason for this only
you know how it is when you are not
really present to see the testing done,
and maybe the checks are not quite
what they ought to be, and you sort OF
wonder about it. The men appointed
a number of committees for one thing
and another, and among them one to 60
and see the people about testing, the
barn score and so on, for the members
OF the branch league did not think the
barn score was given the credit it should
have had. 1t happened that was on
the committee to talk things over with
the firm.
"This is what we have gained: We
have decided to hire man to come In
and test our milk, independent of the
factory, once in so often. We give him
samples and he does the testing to see
how it will compare with that done by
the firm. The superintendent was
perfectly fair about it. he said we
might do the testing right in the factory
and use their machines, etc., for that
purpose IL we wanted to. should be
in favor of comparing them with
standard machines first, I think, to be
sure everything was all right. 1t doesn't
seem as IL the firm would have done
this if they we're not sure they had been
doing good square business; but that
is what we have gained, and we call 1t
quite step. If the result comes out
good, we will 60 ahead with a great
deal better spirit"
Now, that Is the way to 90 at things,
in a manly, businesslike way. If such
methods bad prevailed good while
ago We probably never would have had
much trouble. There never ought to be
the slightest friction between men who
are in the milk business in any manner.
We are all dependent, the one upon the
other. What is the one mans best in
terest should be considered the thing to
do, for that would help everybody.
That is why the dairymen of different
parts of the country are getting together
for united action. The New England
Milk Producers Association was formed
with two hundred members at start
off. The purpose of this association is
to get the full market value OF milk
for the members, to improve production,
to improve dairy conditions generally,
and. what seems to me best of all, to
bring about a better understanding be-
tween producers and consumers. In
some parts of New York local organiza-
tions are being formed similar to that
Just referred to, and everywhere one OF
the big thoughts is to bring all men who
produce, handle, or consume milk,
closer together in spirit of harmony.
There has been in the past great
deal of working at cross purposes, which
ia the costliest kind of business. II we
can just get down on good, kindly,
cooperative basis, and / use the word
in the very best sense, we will have
taken a step in advance that will be the
greatest victory ever known by the
dairy interests of this country.-E. l..
VINCENT, in Hoard's Dairymen.