Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-21

namely. that q possible TeGucIlo1 OF
the delivery charges in the city is
about 20 be made. The challenge
came after a fat denial OF price cut-
ting by Mr.. Adams. He claimed that
trade was not turned from the house
delivery concerns until the difference
in price exceeded 3 cents per quart
This claim Is questioned by the y.
Z. II. P. \. officials, who seem to
think that the shift-over begins soon
after the margin exceeds . cents per
quart. Mr.. Adams claimed that they
had never reduced their prices until
price reductions of the other dis
tributers so narrowed the margin
between house delivery milk and
cash-and-carry milk that trade
commenced 10 turn away from his
stores. This. of course, increased
the surplus left at Bellows Falls.
and when the surplus reached a GER
tain per centage he always reduced
prices until the demand at his stores
brought down the surplus. He went
on TO say that while the corner
stores did not wish 10 take on the
delivery business they could do SO
il driven TO it, Furthermore they can
dominate the Boston retail market
within q year on Il cent margin.
NJ
l believe l. means q / cent margin
above the price of milk delivered in
Boston. II this is so II is some Diff
ferent from the Il cent margin now
charged by the distributors. And
why isn't it q pretty good idea TO
put some kind OF prod into the
distributors to become more efficient
and less costly. The farmer has
been calmly told that he may not
expect a profit on his product I'M
less he produces more efficiently
than the average. All right then.
let the distributor of farm products
take a dose of. the same medicine.
The whole controversy seems 10
have arisen over difference or
opinion among the distributors. Why
is II, then. that the dairymen OF
New England allow themselves TO
be loaded down with Il part or all
OF the expenses of an elimination
contest among the distributors? The
farmer has country plants enough
TO take care of all milk not needed
for buid milk in the city. The Bel
lows Falls cooperative plant is clean,
up to date ana efficient. so are many
others in Vermont. Then there IS
our own Turner Center system, than
which there is none better.
THE points which stood out most
clearly to n Maine man at this con
ference were: First. Vermont has
built up and maintained large d.
Try industry by manufacturing but
ter and cheese. Today the annual
production Of dairy products
amounts to S40.0O0.OOo. OF the
quantities handled through milk sta
,nD1ar,-a,.iac HhaaCn and ltlIf -
ter factories only 2j.59 percent went
to Boston as guild milk, but even
at that this constituted 49, percent
of Boston's guild supply.
Second. any difference between
the price that can be paid farmers
for milk for manufacturing and
what is paid for fluid milk will at
tract the manufactured milk TO the
fluid milk market
Third. it looks as though the
chain stores had actually found Il
means of reducing retail cost OF
distribution.
Fourth, the farmer owned plants
can cut prices on each other ii they
want to. 1t would hc uubusineSsliko
to pool fedcrate or consolidate
country supplies into one selling
agency.
Or. Gilbert, the massachusetts
commissioner of agriculture. said
Get together" and have selling
agency This would give every dis
tributor only what milk he wanted
at the same price, for the same
grade. in the same city. If the
farmers would put this plan into
execution it would be up to the dis
! tributors TO thresh out the city costs
of distribution among Themselves,
ana the farmer would not have &c
hold the bag. Here is Il big job OF
craftsmanship to show the distrihu-
tors ana members OF the farmer
owned plants Just how they arc be-
ing played against each other.
Can the details of such a plan
be sold to at least 40 percent of the
dairymcn of New England? 1t is
some job. but able men We're APP
pointed on the committee to work
out such Il plan. Here is the com
mittce: Dr. Geo. i. Little. SChaEh-
tiCokc. y. y. president, New Eng
land Milk Producers Association
Richard Pattec of Boston. managing
director. New England Milk Pro
ducers' Association; Stoddard Bates
Derby. VI. Vermont Federation OF
Creameries; l.. J.. Bradford, Au-
burn, Me. president and general
manager. Turner Center System; y.
c. Divoll. Rockingham, Vi. Bellows
Falls Creamery: T. T. Conner. Men
nicker. y. H.. local dairy Coopcra-
tive system; John S. Mordocl, Prov
idence. l.. J., producers; Frank
Washburn, Augusta, Me, commits
soner. Maine Department of Agri-
culture; i. S. brigham, Montpelier
Vt. commissioner, Vermont Depart
ment of Agriculture; J.. y. Carlisle
/ Concord, \. H.. chief, New Hamp-
shire Bureau Of Markets..