134 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



BUSINESS MEETING OF MAINE DAIRYMEN'S 



ASSOCIATION. 



The annual business meeting of the Maine Dairymen's Asso- 

 ciation was opened at 9.00 A. M. on Wednesday, December 6, 

 1916, by the president, Herbert M. Tucker, who gave the 

 annual address, as follows : 



ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 



Gentlemen : On November 29, 1898, the first meeting of 

 the Maine Dairymen's Association was held at Winthrop. 

 Hon. B. Walker McKeen, then Secretary of the Board of Agri- 

 culture, presided at that meeting. The following officers were 

 elected : President, Rutillus Alden, Winthrop ; vice-president, 

 W. C. Whitman, Turner ; secretary, L. W. Dyer, Cumberland 

 Center ; treasurer, F. S. Adams, Bowdoinham ; trustee, W. K. 

 Hamlin, South Water ford. On adjournment, it was decided 

 to meet in Portland, December 7, and at this second meeting, 

 constitution and by-laws were adopted and the organization 

 completed. As we, today, look back over the time that has 

 elapsed since that first meeting, we cannot help a feeling of 

 pride in what has been accomplished by, or with the assistance 

 of, this association. Time will not permit a detailed account of 

 all that we have done. Suffice it to say that the Maine Dairy- 

 men's Association has been ever on the alert to help the dairy 

 farmer in every way possible. 



The year just past has been a history maker for the dairy 

 interests of New England. The various methods of shipping 

 milk and cream led to very unequal rates, which were con- 

 stantly growing worse, until there was a general protest from 

 shippers all over the eastern states. This led to a hearing 

 before the Interstate Commerce Commission. You will remem- 

 ber that this association, a year ago, before it had any knowl- 

 edge of what other associations or other states were going to 

 do, voted to send a man to fight for the interests of the Maine 



