Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-01
The Opportunity of the Grans.

Merle J. Hartman, State Lecturer
of Readfield in his talk on the op-
portunity of the Grange. Wednesday
evening said:
81 am going to name three things
that it seems to me the grange
should take an active interest in at
the present time. First. advertising
our town, our business and our
state. Second the political situation,
and third, cooperative marketing.
This Boost Maine Campaign that
IS spreading all over the state
should remind the Grange that we
do not advertize our business as We
should. The old saying 1T Pays To
Advertise" is just as true today as
ever, and the sooner that we as
Changers realize this, the better off
we will be. Look at the Sunday
papers everywhere containing so to
20 pages every Sunday. and large
part of them are advertisements,
show us that in other lines of bust
ness it must pay to advertize, and
why not ours?
When I mention the political situ-
atom some will at once say, THE
grange should not mix up in poll
politics. But when We realize that
politics means nothing more than
The business of Government we
must certainly admit that every good
citizen should be interested in af-
fairs of State. We have only to re-
fer to the Declaration of Purposes of
the National Grange to set our minds
at rest upon that subject. Our
schools, highways, state and county
officials and the enforcement Of laws
and subjects which we should take
more active interest in than we do.
There have been a good many sue
cessful cooperative buying associa-
tons formed in agricultural COM
munities. but few successful cooper
ative selling or marketing associa-
tions. AS a rule farmer can raise
enough, but of what use is it to raise
it. if it cannot be sold profitably?
We as farmers have given too little
thought to this matter and have been
content to ship our produce to Bos-
ton, receiving our pay after express
and commission have been deducted.
And then too many times the pur-
chaser lives right here in Maine. and
pays the express back on the same
commodity. How much better off
both the producer and consumer
would be if they could get together
and save that express both ways.
Many bushels Of peas are raised in
Maine every year, shipped to Bos-
summer resorts. And the same
thing is true Of poultry, eggs, but
ter and other farm products"
Profitable Dairyiug for Maine In Sight
There are three or more important
factors that enter into the business
Of dairying if it is to be profitable"
declared l.. e. McIntire, breeder of
Holstein cattle, East Waterford.
First, we must have dairymen,
real live men who are willing to learn
the science of dairying, for it is a
science for the purpose Of making a
living. and q. little something more
out Of this line Of work.
Second, We must have herds Of
dairy COWS of all dairy breeds that
will come UP to a high standard Of
production. This combined with
proper equipment and correct methods
in care and feed will eliminate much
loss.
Third, the volume of business is
one Of the important factors, and en-
ters largely into the cost Of produc-
ton. Maine unfortunately has many
small, widely scattered, dairy herds,
W hANIt MIAMI ~ CAPCiot'S " PANNuSN
and market the product. The old law
of the survival of the flttest is work.
ing over time In all farm operations,
especially in dairying, and will, in
my Judgment, be the determining fac
tor on which a profitable dairy indus
try for Maine will be based.
"There is another important elc-
ment that enters into the dairy in
dustry of New England. We have
about reached the limit of price for
our dairy products. II we force the
price too high we invite competition
from other states or foreign countries,
or drive people to use substitutes.
This always ends in demoralized
market, which may take months or
years of great effort to build up
again, with great financial loss to the
dairy business. If these factors and
conditions are true. and ! think they
are, there is only one thing to do, and
that is to meet and overcome them.
1--WE must always keep watch of
market conditions, especially supply
and demand as that Is a law which in
the end we always have to obey. This
is an outline of profitable dairyins
in Maine as see H."
Potato Inspections
In his talk on Potato Inspections"
L.