Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-04-05

IN March Commissioner O. -Agr!cul-
ture Roberts Of Maine and the A-oos-
took county delegation in the Legs
.ato.e appealed 70 Senator Frederick
Hale and Congressman Ira 6. Hersey
20 look into The potato situation IN
Maine. where the potato industry was
said TO be facing the mos; serious
conditions Il It's history. Senator
Hale and Congressman Hersey imme-
diately took This matter Up with the
secretary Of agriculture. Mr.. Eous-
ton, and requested that he sead TO
Maine Professor William S,uar, of
the bureau Of plant industry and Z.
e. Moore Of the bureau ot markets,
20 inquire into the Situation and re-
port Upon the conditions. with rec
commentators as % relief meas Erss.
4 any could be suggested.
Prof stuart has just fled his -epor,
with Tse Secretary OF Agriculture q
copy OF which was seat to Senator
Hale, Who mas given Il o.. for p.1,l-
cation n the Maine papers. /: WI.
oe seen b? this report. WHICH follows
.aat Prof Moore says taa- he only
-enec; he can see for the Maine pc
tao growers is the enactment. % d
tariff law which vii! AFFORD the Maine
grower sufficient protection 20 enable
him 70 groy potatoes on com pa
able economies basis with the potato
growers Of Canada. This recommec-
cation Of a go. eminent ofcia! made
% the present administration VIII be
pleasant reading for those who are
responsible for the present tariff con-
ditions and who have not favored al
ferding protection Of this kind 10 an.
one.
In addition Prof Moore recon-
mends an adjustment of railroad
rates between Aroostook points and
Boston and New York So that the
cesstuNy compete with other shipping
centers.
Both Senator Hale and Congress-
man Hersey have been awaiting these
reports OF the men sen: 70 investigate
Maine conditions and are now pre-
pairing 70 offer such Legislation as
MAJ be possible to find relief for the
-Aroostocn county farmers and other
Maine potato growers. tn report Of
Prof. Stuart. which viii prove ofinter-
es, TO ali potato growers Of Maine fol-
lows:
Washington. D. c.. Mar. 20 1919.
The Maine Potato Situation
As result Of several Gays' lnves-
legation Of the Maine potato situa-
ton through personal visitation Of
several points in Maine. Boston,
Mass and New York City. the Under
signed wishes TO submit the following
report Of his trip.
In order TO thoroughly investigate
i, the factors which have brought about
an unsatisfa Glory situation in the po-
ta:o industry Of Maine il was deemed
necessary. b" the two members OF
the committee selected 20 study the
matter. to consider the problem from
both the production and marketing
standpoint. II was therefore planned
20 secure what information vas pos
sibie concerning the fertilizer situa-
ton. the volume Of the crop 20 be
moved from Maine ard other compel
tive points to Eastern markets. and
madam potatoes likely 10 De mar
keted in competition with Maine po-
tatoes Believing that these last FAC
tors were essential % an intelligent
discussion with the Maine potato
growers Of their problems. arrange
ments were made 20 spend MONDAY.
March 10 in Boston. Our FIRST inter
view in Boston was with DE- H J.
Wheeler Of the American Agricultural
Chemical company. whom We found
to be much interested in the situation
but from whom We were unable 70 CD
tain authoritative information re-
garding the possibility OF reduction
in the cost of fertilizers. Dr. Wheel
er. however. made an appointment Tor
US with Mr.. Benjamin Mood of the
Lowell Fertilizer COMPANY, Mr..
Moody discussed the fertilizer situa-
ton with US at some length and sub
nitted figures TO prove that the FER
ti,izer manufacturers were not max
ing an undue profit or in fact a rea-
sonable profit on their investment az
nresen, prices. He further stated
tina. while they realized that they
were PRACTICAL. certain OF of'T
obliged to accept loss on all unsold
goods of their present holdings. he
did not feel that they could in any
Justice to themselves or 20 those TO
wfaom they had already sold make
any reduction this season. We next
called on Messrs. Clark and Merrill
of the Boston Office of the Bureau OF
NarIe,S from whom information was
secured relative TO the Canadian I'M
ports. They estimated that from 20
to % per cent Of the New England
demands were being supplied with
Canadian potatoes. Several brokers
were then called upon for the purpose
Of getting some idea as TO the quaint
" Of Canadian potatoes that might
be expected to be offered for sale in
New England and New York markets.
Mr.. Higgins thought there might be
1000 carloads from New Brunswick
and from 400 to 500 from Prince Ed
ward Island but he further added that
If the quantity were estimated on the
basis of the total crop produced and
the amount that had been marketed
It would involve daily movement Of
1000 cars to get rid of the crop.
The concensus Of opinion of the
brokers seemed TO be that the guam
tity of potatoes likely to be received
from Canada would be sufficient to
very materially affect the prices in all
the New England markets. including
New York and probably Philadelphia.
rrhev furthermore stated that on ac-