DAIRY MEETING. 165 



Up to a very short time ago the farmer gloried in the pros- 

 perity of the city and was wiUing to toil on without receiving 

 sufficient to maintain him except in a very ordinary way. In 

 the past he has depended upon others instead of relying upon 

 himself. He has stood in the markets and asked "How much 

 will you take? How much will you give?" Thousands who 

 never sow or reap have become wealthy from what the farmer 

 produces. He has bought his fertilizer on November payment, 

 paying 24 per cent interest for the use of the money and in 

 this way annually sends out of the State nearly 300,000 dollars 

 to enrich other states, wdiile the banks of his own State have 

 not sufficient funds to finance even the business men of the city. 



It is useless to point out undesirable conditions without sug- 

 gesting a remedy. This remedy could have been applied years 

 ago but the farmers of Maine have not until recently realized 

 what others have accomplished along the lines of progress. I 

 feel that I cannot too urgently impress upon the farmers of the 

 State the importance of the movement started by the Agricul- 

 tural Department one year ago. In the years to come when the 

 history of the Farmers' Union of Alaine is written due credit 

 will be given the present Commissioner for his effort to better 

 farm conditions by opening the way for the farmer to become a 

 business man. 



At this time perhaps it might be well to outline the objects 

 and purposes of the Farmers' Union of Maine and its relations 

 to the seventeen or eighteen auxiliaries, or rather their relations 

 to the "Farmers' Union." 



The plan at the start was to first lay the foundation at the 

 farm, to place the farmer in control at the loading station, to 

 have him control the business methods of the "Farmers" Union" 

 ana also the salesman in the citv. 



In accordance with this plan local organizations were formed 

 in most of the important producing centers and these organiza- 

 tions were formed under the laws of Maine. Most of these 

 corporations were incorporated with $10,000 capital stock and 

 the shares placed at from $10.00 to $20.00. 



Each organization elected a full corps, including from three 

 to five directors and the business was placed in their hands 

 between the annual meetings. The first cost of organizing 



