144 THE MARKETING OF WHOLE MILK 



league was incorporated under the laws of New Jersey, 

 and included members from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, 

 Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, 

 representing the ownership of fifty thousand cows.* The 

 growth of the organization, though fairly steady, was slow. 

 During 191 5 there was no active organization because 

 the league was unable to secure enough new names to pay 

 organizers' expenses, but in the summer of 191 6 there was 

 a great revival of interest among the milk producers, and 

 many new members joined the association. The league 

 planned to be the agent, throuh a committee, for the sale 

 of the milk of its members and to organize local branches 

 at any point where there was a condensery, creamery, 

 or shipping station. In September and October, 191 6, the 

 league won a boycott which it conducted against the milk 

 dealers.* By April, 1917, the league numbered 40,420 

 members, organized into 791 local unions and represent- 

 ing the ownership of 493,848 cows.* The present status 

 of the Dairymen's League is discussed elsewhere. 



The Boston Milk Producers* Union was organized 

 about 1886.^ For some years it was said to be fairly suc- 

 cessful in mairitaining the price of milk in face of a decline 

 of prices for other farm products, and consequently milk 

 production increased, causing in turn an increased surplus. 

 About 1897 the surplus question, which had long been a 

 source of contention, began to loom very large. 



In 1 901 the producers' union had promoted uniformity 

 of prices and business-like methods.^ It had even at- 



• Prelim. Rept. of N. Y. State Legislature Joint Committee on Dairy Products, 

 Livestock y Poultry, 1917, pp. 295-339. 



« Ibid. 



• New York Produce Review y American Creamery, May 30, 1917. 



• Rept. of U. S. Industrial Commission, Vol. VI, p. 407. 

 ' Ibid., p. 408. 



