Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-01-13
What Win They DoF

In some quarters it seems to be q goo
deal of question what the dairy farmer
of the country are going to do within tn
next few months. We hear 1t said ire
quently that because of the high cost o
producing milk and the unsatisfactor.
conditions prevailing in the great mill
distributing centers, dsirymen will sci
off their cows and take up other forms o
farm work, thus still farther complicat
ing bad situation. Reference is mad
to some who have already sold thei
herds. These isolated COWS are pointet
TO as being proof of the sweeping state
ment that we are going TO see q nation
wide movement away from dairy farm
ing.
While am not prepared to give ex
preston to the prevalent intentions o
the dairymen of the country as whole
I do know that in the part Of the coun
try in which live, the southern centra
portion of the state of New York, there
is no such exodus as Is recorded and pre-
d cted by some alleged prophets. The
farmers of this section, which is largely
a milk producing territory, are steadily
going on with their business. A few
may have sold their COWS, but this is moi
for the purpose of getting out OF the
business, but to enable them to get bet
ter cows as soon as this can reasonably
be done. Others who have sold some OF
their cows have only the same thought
o mind, to dispose of the cows that are
least profitable, for the sake OF filling
their places with better COWS in the fu
ture. There has been no falling of te
speak of in the great volume OF milk pro
duced in this area, and unless an
greatly mistaken there will be none fol
some time.
In the near future we will have some
new light, however, on the dairy situa
ton in the territory surrounding the city
of Binghsmton, II the Price, fixing Com
mission recently appointed by the gov
ernor, acting in conjunction with the
local authorities, does the work conf
IDENTIFY expected of it. This commission
has already organized and Is setting
about its business with vigor that
promises good results. One thing has
already been brought out as throwing
light on the high cost of milk In this
city. Milk is now retailing at IA cents 8
quart. To distribute this milk sixty diff
terent wagons traverse the streets every
day. In the central part OF the city we
are told that ten wagons 20 over the
same ground daily. And this is in
place of some seventy thousand people,
II looks reasonable that this work might
be done by q far less number of men
with a lowering of cost that would re-
duce the price 70 the consumers. The
farmers who supply the milk used here
receive about nine cents quart for theil
product. That means that the dealers
who receive, bottle, and distribute the
milk get five cents quart. For certified
milk and milk of . high grade two ol
three cents more are received.
From statements often made OF late II
would appear that some folks are actu
ally getting afraid of the dairy farmer
Is this because the farmer Is slowly find
ing out that he has been doing losing
business and Is determined now that ht
ought to have at least cost for his milh
and living per cent more9 Why shoult
this be such a disturbing thing? Is ]
not lust what men in every other branch
of business have always been doing
Why not the farmer? And there Is moth
ing 10 this to make anybody afraid. Th'
farmer never yet has used his power tt
harm any body. He will not now. The
farmer knows the need of the worlt
for his products. He has done bis bes
to meet that need, and he will keep righ
on doing all In his power to furnish mill
and butter, even though he may not al
ways receive living price for them, bu
be cannot be blamed il be consistently
works in all reasonable and Legitimate
ways TO secure for himself and his fellow
workers the returns he shonld have IL
Justice to those>who are depending upol
him. Seems to me this is only right snt
fair.-E. L. Vincent in Hoard's Dairy
man