Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-31
C. OF C. DIRECTORS
DECIDE POTATO week
IS NOT NECESSARY
Belief That Potato Situation in
Maine Will Be Taken Care of
Without Unusual Measures,
Expressed at Meeting of c.
of c. Executives on Monday

Inc local Chamber Of Commerce
81 a directors meeting held Nom
daN afternoon ut the Community
''nb. decided that it would not he
advisable at this time to inaugur-
ate Potato Week." The sucpes-
tlon was made a short time AGO hv
Z. NJ. White, chief of the division of
markets, that the Chamber of Com
merce and representatives. Of tho far
mers in this localitN get together n
decide about this plan with view
70 encouraging the public to buy
''eif potatoes now, the plan to be
worked out so that the potatoes
should be handled through the usual
avenues Of distribution, but in such
4 way that the farmer might resolve
q slight advance on the present
Wholesale price and the consumer,
might have the advantage of a Slight
reduction on the retail price.
IN TINS way, the people would 10
prevailed uNon to lay in their sun
ply of potatoes now, thus utilizing
what potatoes there are in kcnno-
bee county and then procuring the
balance from some county like
| too small to allow for tie farmers
TO sell without taking a big loss.
me primary reason for this idea OF
MI. Whites was to relieve the far
mers in those counties whore the
price was low.
1T developed at the meeting, how
ever, that since the plan was inau-
Sufated, IN fact within the past
week, prices in 4troostook have taken
u DIG jump and that the situation
there is such that there is at the
present time no need Of relief of
inns sort. Harry Ice Of this city.
VINO was present at the meeting.
stated that he had tricd to get ouo
| '''lohS from tho AroOStoOk farmers
but that except for few who need
ed the money Immediately, they were
not ready to sell but We're holding
th"m. He felt that the rise in prjc
es was due to this fact and that
probably there would be a slump la
ter when they begin to sell, but that
he did not feel it advisable to try
rototo week now because "if Won
had the week it would be hard to
get the potatoes"
There We're present at the meet
ing: Frank TAYLOR of Winthrop; F..
NJ. Lcnfest of Manchester, and coun-
ty agent G. \. Day. representing the
farmers and tho Farm Bureau, Har-
ry Lee representing the Wholesalers,
Ernest Hewitt and George Merrill
representing the grocers. g. VI. White
of the division of markets and the
directors Of tho Chamber of Com
merco. All seemed to feel that the
situation had been taken care of or
would shortly he relieved without the
declaration Of potato week and that
no action nccd he taken at this time
They will. however bring up the
question at tho ncXt meeting for the
purpose Of increasing the consump-
ton of these vegetables.
"Potato Week" ExrIai !
A little misunderstanding seems to
have arisen concerning the proposed
"Potato Week" as outlined to the
Augusta Chamber Of Commerce by
the State of Maine Department OF
Agriculture. While the idea origi-
mated with the farmers of Aroostook
county as n means of finding
Maine market for their potatoes. the
hoard of directors Of this orga nza
ton never for one moment considered
carrying out the project as a purely
Aroostook county proposition. As.
was clearly stated by Charles A.
White of the department, both to the
board and to the Farm Bureau. Ken
nebec county should come first and
no potatoes would be imported from
Aroostook until the local supply had
had its full pportIlnity in the Angus
ia market. not only on equal terms
but exclusively and that no Aroos-
took potatoes should be brought in
until the local supply was exhausted.
or until the farmers of this section
we're unable to fill existing orders.
The real idea back of the PROPOSE
ion was to get the people Of Augusta
p use more potatoes. which would go
! long ways in making a better mar
het in Maine for Maine-grown pota-
tocs. Experience hass hown that
he consumer uses more potatoes
hen he buys in smaller lots This is
IItH uuc " Tie tdct .tildt inc ilDtSe-
ife gets out of potatoes time and
gain and is Obliged to forcgo using
&em until she has time to stock up
or larder again.
From first to last the Chamber of
commerce aimed to protect the local
farmer, who is recognized as having
first claim on tie local market That
ic why meetirp 1yac arrop~nd no
tween the board and committee of
representative farmers appointed by
the Kennebec County Farm Bureau