The Republican journal., 1921-02-03
Maine Packers to Mark lime

There has been much speculation az to
the corn packing in ustry in Maine DIR
ing the year 1921. Information received
from one of the heads of one of the
largest packing companies in Maine. de-
clares that the policy of all the packers
Will be one of constructive conservatism.
and Maine packers are living I'D to this
plan in every particular. Continuing. he
declared, that until the pre- ent conees-
ton OF food stuffs is relieved and goods
Degln to move, until the present confu-
sion OF economic entanglements is batter
ca down, until the western packers TAX p
the initiative and announce their plans
not one step will be taken by packers in
Maine in preparation for next wears
pack. 'o"'
maine Gamers were present at the an
nual meeting of the National Gamers
Association, held in Atlantic itv. N
j., the past week, where were present
representatives of all of the leading mack
ers, manufacturers of canning machinery
merchandise, brokers and wholesale gro
GERS from all parts of the United States
lhls great convention means much to the
people of Maine, it is asserted, because
OF all canned goods packed, corn ranks
second IN volume, and Maine occupies
prominent place among the several States
mat produce this vegetable For several
years the pack of Maine corn has been in
ex ess OF the demands of CONSUMPTION
Large stocks have been piling up and the
country has fallen into severe financial
depression. Holders of Maine corn are
pressed tor money. They have wages to
pay and financial obligations tc meet and
must convert their corn into cash. The
public is determined that food prices
must come down. The jobber and the
packer are meeting this demand and are
taking their losses whenever thew can
sell. we have the anomaly of Maine corn
offered In the retail trade for less than it
cost the packers to produce it at the fac
tory, and yet the stocks do not move.
Manufacturers who would gladly sell
their stocks at loss for thes of get
ting fresh start for the coming wear
are helpless, bound hand and foot
What has happened to Maine corn has
happened to every other food stuff and
business is staggering painfully from the
financial knockout dealt it during the
closing months of 1920.
1t is also declared that the cost o, cam
ming corn in Maine is higher than in anv
other State. Fancy Maine corn has COM
manded mall premium over other
packs because of superior quality. When
Maine corn loses that superior quality it
is no better than any other and brings no
better price.
Minnesota and New York State have
developed a corn which is accepted by
discriminating buyers as equivalent in
every respect to. our own. In each of
these States corn was bought by the
packer during the past year for little
over half the price paid the Maine farm
ers. The finished product sold on the
market for the same price as fancy Maine
corn and Maine was also handicapped as
a distributor by unfavoI able freight
rates.
With these conditions confronting
those directly interested in the sweet
corn industry in Maine, farmers and
packers alike must remember that Maine
can hold its place in highly competi-
tive industry only by adherlng absolutely
to its standard of quality, Never before
has CO operation and confidence been so
as now. If these principles are
accepted and carried out in TACT, then
and only then may we expect a whole
some development of business in Maine
during the coming year.