Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-01-16
A NEIGHeoRLY PULL TO-
GETHER

A NElGH6ORLY PULL 40
GETHER
A little later and it is proposed
to have some concerted action look
ing to the cultivation of commercial
neighborliness among the producers
and consumers of Maine. This is
not q purpose to injure producers
outside our State. The people of
Maine, being what they are, ever
will be consumers Of the products
Of many others than those living
within the borders Of the State.
This is an effort to bring about
better understanding among our
selves. There was a town in an
other State where some of the best
hosiery was manufactured but none
Of it was sold there until the people
walked up to the fact that there was
something about the performance
that was not only senseless but silly.
There may be a reason why Maine
sends out of the State about the
same quantity Of eggs that are
brought in; there may be freight
reasons why Aroostook buys most of
her eggs from the West and the egg
producers Of York County ship
theirs to Boston. There doesn't
seem to be good reason why Aroos-
took should not have fresher eggs
from her own products.
There have been ample illustra-
tions of the advantages people may
find In talking up and getting
back Of their own products. Are
we incapable OF applying this ex-
perience to our own conditions?
Ought we not to know here in Maine
what is being produced here? And
having learned, find reason to be
proud of those products?
Only the other day a Maine man
was telling about finding in store
in the State of New York a ski-boot
lie had been looking for, but was
somewhat surprised to learn that it
was made down here in Maine. He
had seen none in the Maine stores.
How anyone considering what the
Californians have done in the way
Of getting their fruits to the CON
sumner can doubt that similar ef-
fort here in our good State with pro-
ducts unsurpassed may not be to
the advantage of all of US, is, to say
the least, perplexing.
How many enterprising dealers in
fruit are there who, if they might
be assured Of a supply Of Maine ap-
Piles, properly graded and packed.
would not wish to have them in
stock? Not many surely, especially
II their customers or even a small
number Of their customers called for
them? And this applies equally
well to other products. The butter
of a great western concern that has
standardized its product, so that the
consumer knows what to expect and
assumes that the conditions under
which 1t is made are what they
should be, commands a better price
side by side with that of the Maine
farmer, unless the latter shall have
built UP an especial demand.
BY wisely co-operated effort our
butter may be standardized and the
buyer be assured of uniform
quality produced under wholesome
conditions. Does anyone suppose
that II this shall be done and the
public apprized of the fact the de-
mand would not at least equal that
of the western product? Our
farmers are individualists, they
should learn to be co-operators.
Turn out good dependable
product, be sure the consumers ap-
preciate its goodness, establish dis
tributing conditions which shall
BRING that product to the consumer
with every guarantee of satisfaction
comparable with that of like
product from any place, and does
anyone believe the consumers will
not be glad to know how they may
take advantage Of the opportunities
so afforded?
In doing all this the producers
must Cooperate with distributors
and consumers. When the right
sort Of appeal is made neither one
Of the parties interested is seeking
to exploit the other, If so, there are
ways Of discouraging such a selfish
and short-sighted policy. The ways
of doing things nowadays require
scme confidence between the parties
concerned. The day when the ap-
ple-grower might find gain in
'deaconing" his apples has gone q
glimmering: now the advantage lies
in having his mark on those apples
a guaranty Of their excellence. And
this is just as true of other products,
These observations are all com
mon-place enough. but how many
have been thinking about what may
\ DO done with them? Ought we not
to take at least week for thinking
over this situation. seeing what sort
OF cooperation may be secured
awakening a demand for home
products and devising methods for
keeping It awake?
HxsA - 81 4 M