RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1113 
The Case of Perkins vs. Brown 
Last Winter Senator Elon R. Brown and Mr. 
Oeorge W. Perkins worked togetJier hand in hand 
to impose the iniquitous provisions of the ^Yicks 
bill on the farmei’s of New York State. They both 
admit this. 
In their pleas for that measure they both earned 
for themselves the distrust and disapproval of the 
producers of the State. They increased the sus¬ 
picion by the subsequent legislation enacted into 
law this year through their joint influence. Having 
forced the last food control bill through against 
farm opposition, they are now fighting a verbal duel 
in the press and on the .stump. Each of them is now 
trying to convict the other of insincerity and duplic¬ 
ity. Each charges the other as the friend of food 
-speculators and commission dealers. Each proves 
his case. Each professes to be the exclusive friend 
and champion of the farmer. Neither the abuse of 
each other by the opposing champions nor the flood 
of affectionate regard for the man with the hoe 
moves the stern farmer. He cannot square the 
words of either of them with his actions and his 
record. The farmer did not want any of their legis¬ 
lation this year. He did not need it, and said so, 
because we had laws enough to do what was to be 
done. Slight amendments and appropriations to eu- 
foi-ee them w*re all that was needed. Their laws 
have been forced on the farmer against his will. 
He feels that there was some motive other than love 
for him that impelled these two now warring gentle¬ 
men to force this burden of laws on him against his 
will. He has a pretty clear idea of what that motive 
was, and he does not want any more of the laws or 
of the men. 
The trouble with Senator Brown and Hr. Perkins 
is that they do not understand farm sentiment. They 
know nothing of farm ideals. They are not willing 
to recognize farm intelligence, and yet this farm sen¬ 
timent, farm ideals and farm intelligence are the 
things that are making trouble for both of them. In 
this time of national trial, if any one man concerned 
in this controversy had shown an honest, sincere 
purj>ose without personal advantage to increase the 
food supply, to conserve it, and distribute it etS- 
<-i(o\rly, he would have such a staunch farm suppoi't 
that no .selfish interest could stand against him for 
a day. 
What keeps the case ,so long in suspense is that 
it is a factional political row over a serious public 
problem. The motive is personal, selfish, sordid, and 
factional, as well as partisan. The interests of 
country producer and city consumer are forgotten 
in a selfish attemiit to gain personal and lairtisan 
political advantage. The past might have bt'cn dif¬ 
ferent, but the man who expects the farmer of to¬ 
day to warm up to that sort of thing is, in our 
judgment, donuned to disappointment. Legislatures 
may be influenced to pass objectionable bills and in¬ 
duced to confirm nominations to administer them, 
but to-day such political successes only confirm the 
distrust they try to dispel, and hasten the day of 
their own ultimate and certain defeat. 
Notes on the Milk Situation 
THE DEALER.S’ ADVANTAGE.—Notwithstand¬ 
ing that farmers are producing milk at a loss and 
the increased price charged city consumers is three 
limes the advance to producers as the record for the 
past year, dealers take advantage of pr<>ducers in 
many sections and make returns which are in viola¬ 
tion of the contract for the term expiring on Oc¬ 
tober first. Many producers know that the return.s 
are not right, but they do not know just in what the 
violation consists. The contract is based on B milk 
testing three per cent fat, and 3% cents per hundred 
for every one-tenth of one per cent extra fat content. 
Grade A milk is 15 cents per hundred pounds more 
on the base price, and C milk is 10 per cent less than 
B milk on base ])rice. Tlie C milk, however, cannot 
be sold for drinking purposes under the New York 
City Board of Health rules. 
DISHONEST PRACTICE.—This system of grad¬ 
ing makes it easy for the dealer, when so inclined, 
to take advantage of the producers in figuring the 
returns for the milk/' One of the most fn'quent vio¬ 
lations is to grade the dairy as C milk and deduct 
10 cents per hundred from the B price. This alleged 
C milk is then mixed with the B milk, and all sold 
as grade B. In such cases the dealer either violates 
the law or cheats the farmer. Some of them offer 
you the lame excuse that C milk when pasteurized 
becomes B milk. This fiction has been offered so 
long in excuse for the fraudulent practice that .some 
dealers have convinced themselves that it is true. 
Of course, the contention is pure fabrication. Grade 
C milk conies from dairies that score less than .55 
]>oints% and never d('es or can become anything other 
than C grade. Tr can bo legally used only for rflanu- 
facturing purposes, .and the dealer who sells it for 
family use,either alone or mixed witli other grades, 
is liable to prosecution. 
-V LE.VK.—Reports also come from producers in¬ 
dicating that (lealers neglect to include the extra 
allowance for milk testing more than thrt'e iier cent 
of fat. For example, if milk should test four per 
cent fat the contract price would be 35 cents a hun¬ 
dred pounds more than the price for three per cent 
milk. These little losses on a hundred pounds of 
milk cost the producers of the State large sums of 
money monthly. 
WORK FOR THE LEAGTT-l.—The Dairymen's 
League should perfect its organization to .save these 
losses to the membership. The local organizations 
.should bo perfected; and some one man should be 
charged with the duty of .seeing that these viola¬ 
tions do not occur. The League makes the con¬ 
tracts, and it .should provide the machinery to en¬ 
force them. The cost would be trifling in compari- 
vSon to the saving. 
STOPPING A FRAUD.—In the meantime, Gom- 
missioner Dillon has conferred with the Commi.s- 
sioner of the Board of Health, and has found a way 
to stop the practice of buying milk as 0 grade and 
.selling it as B grade, provided prodxicers will report 
the cases when they occur. The price of B milk 
te.stiug three per cent fat for September is if2.55 per 
hundred in the first zone and .$2.45 in the second 
zone; add to this 314 cents for over one-tenth of one 
per cent of fat. If your dealer pays less or mixes 
B and C milk, .simply report the facts to the De¬ 
partment of Foods and Markets, 204 Franklin 
street. New York. If you wish it, the information 
may be confidential as far as you are concerned. 
We can at least stop this little swindle. Let us do it. 
State and Federal Potato Buying 
The dealers and speculators in foods certainly de- 
.serve a medal for the perfection—for their oavu 
benefit—of the pre.sent .system of food distribution. 
The State and Federal governments ha\ e for years 
encouraged farmers to co-operate for the purpose of 
.selling farm produce. iMen have been employed to 
help perfect the organizations. Potato growers all 
over the country have formed associations to assem¬ 
ble, grade, .sell and ship potatoes. The Federal and 
State governments are now buying potatoes to feed 
the National Guard and the army. ’The potatoes are 
bought from dealers who receive them in the city, 
handle and re-ship them. The farm a.'^sociations 
could just as well receive these orders and ship di¬ 
rect. This would save handling in the city and 
dealers’ profit.^. The DeiKirtment of Foods and 
Markets has offered its servijes to the agents of the 
Government to negotiate these sales direct from the 
growers’ associations, and to facilitate the deliveries. 
This is a ca.se where the Government could set a 
good example and demonstrate the advantage of 
direct buying from producers. If growers would 
ask their Congressmen and Senators to intex’est 
themselves in this proposition, their influence would 
help the prospect of making the sales. 
Retail Prices of Coal 
Every mail brings letters from farmers who ask 
about the prospects for coal prices. The local deal¬ 
ers tell them that coal is sure to be higher, and they 
would better buy now. The.se same farmers have 
heard that the Government is to control retail 
prices, and they want to know what is to happen. 
The Govex-nment has a fuel administrator who is 
to organize the trade in coal and other fuel. Each 
State is to have a representative who will appoint 
other repi’esentatives in each county and city with 
moi-e than 2,500 population. There will bo county 
and State committees. The members are to find the 
amount of coal in the State available for use, and 
the amount needed this Wintei’. These committees 
ai’e to find what they call a reasonable retail margin 
and a reasonable dealers’ profit. This margin of 
profit, added to the cost at the mine which has been 
named by the Pi'esident, the transportation charge, 
and the jobbers’ commission, will make the price to 
the consumei’. The fuel administration is to make 
jmblle the prices charged and the transportation 
chai’ges and commissions. The local committee are 
to figxxre out the local needs of coal, and if necessary 
apportion the supply. On September 7th the fuel 
commission made this statement: 
A very large proportion of the coal supply available 
for the coming Winter is under contract. ’These con¬ 
tracts, which are allowed to stand for the present, Avero 
made prior to the President’s proclamation and very 
largely limit the amount which may be placed on sale 
at retail prices based on the President’s ordei*. It is 
absolutely essential, howevei’, that'a suflicient amount of 
coal be put on the market at once at the.-^o price.s to 
meet the iit'eds of domesti*' consuimcs. 
Thus the noAv prices wull only bo available on tlio 
supplies of coal contracted since the passage of the 
food and fuel bill. AVe pointed out a number of 
times Avhile this bill Avas before Congress, that the 
long and useless delay in jmsSsiug it Avould enable 
the si)eculators to make contracts for both fuel and 
food, so that Avhen the bill finally did pass most of 
the available supply would be tied up just at the 
time Avhen the retaii prices ought to be fixed. While 
the present conti-acts last it is impos.sible to tell 
Avhat the Government Avill do about fixing retail 
charges, and with cold Aveather coming it seems 
doubtful if thei’o Avill be much relief this Fall. 
War Statements from Mr. Hoover 
In his address to the .agi'icultural editox’s at Chi¬ 
cago Mr. Herbert C. Hoovtu-, the National Food Ad- 
ministx-atox*, made soxne strong statements about tin? 
Avar and its coxisequences—its effect upoxi American 
farming. 
BETTER DAYS AHEAD.—Amoxig other things 
Mr. IIooA'er said: 
During the pa.st 25 or 30 years, we have had an 
undue migration from the farms to the towns. That 
migration has been founded on the basic economic fact 
that agriculture has been less profitable than industry. 
In fact, a large part of our agricultural production has 
been based oix sweated laboi*. There have been other 
C()ntril)uting causes; the depletion of virgin soil and 
lack of knoAvlcdge and expei-ieucc in its i-e-fertilization. 
Even if this icor had not come, we were in a few years 
due for an cconomiG rerolution; for our productive ca¬ 
pacity in foodstuffs has fallen behind our productive ca¬ 
pacity in industry. The war has precipitated this ques¬ 
tion upon us; for Avith the rexluced consuming power 
of the woidd’s population, due to the destruction of prop¬ 
erty and life, we shall have after the war less demand 
Aipon industry, and industry will have become less 
profitable; but, on account of the destruction of animals 
and exhaustion of soil in Europe, there will be no di¬ 
minution in the demand for food. Therefore, if I inter¬ 
pret the siyns correctly, the former is coming into his 
day and it is the duty of all of us to support him, 
Tiie R. N.-Y. has expressed the same vieAV many 
tixnes. It will depend vex\v largely xxpon the kind 
of “snpi)ort” the fjirmer is to I’eceive. Our countx’y 
people should get togetlxei* and organize to caiA! for 
their oavix busine.ss interest.s. If Ave Avait for otliex's 
to organize axxd “support’’ ixs Ave shall be forced to 
pay HO much for their .services that there Avill be 
nothing left. 
VALUE OF “EFFICIENCY.”—Mr. Hoover puts 
the case A'ery clearly in the folloAviug: 
We are fighting a race of people given to efficiency 
and organization, disciplined for 50 yeai-s in develop¬ 
ment and preparation for an hour of world domination. 
If our loo.se demoex'acy, if our ideals of individual lib¬ 
erty and action, cannot be co-ordinated in such a man¬ 
ner that we may defend ourselves, our independenct! Avill 
surely not survive for another 25 years. 
The Germans liave not only estimated our disinte¬ 
gration, but they have caloulated xxpon us as a people in¬ 
capable of ox-gauizatiou._ They have put 10,000,000 into 
the field from a population of 05,000,000, and they haA C 
supplied tliem with food supplies from an area not much 
larger than the State of Texas, and they have main¬ 
tained their civil popnlatioxi in health and devotion dux’- 
ing the same time. They have been able to do this by 
their willingness to discipline on one side and their im¬ 
position of authority by the rigor of law on the othoi*. 
Every Gerunin larmer to-day plants exactly the seed 
and exactly the field in Avhich he is directed. On har¬ 
vest, at the instrxictcxl xxioment, he hands ovei* his pro- 
dxicts at prices fixed for him and receives back his food¬ 
stuffs on tickets Avhicb arc allowed to him from day to 
day. 
The Amexficaxi farmers would xiot and could not 
:it pre.sent submit to this form of dhscipline. This Is 
but a hint of Avliat might happen to them in case the 
present w.ar Is Avon by Germany, ox* any compi’omise 
is Avorked out. 
THE IkSSUE AT STAKE.—There are still people 
Avlxo fail to see the great issxxe at stake in this war. 
Wliy should a great peaceful nation like ours take a 
hand in a fight Avhich soexns far away to most of us? 
As to thLs Mr. Hoover said: 
I will make one fiuixl observation. I have spent the 
last tAvo and a half years in the midst of this war. I 
havx; had the fortunate position of intimate daily asso¬ 
ciation with armie.s, with governments, with the tyran¬ 
ny, misery and the backwash of battle. I have wit¬ 
nessed the operations of the social system and the as¬ 
piration of the ruling classes in Germany in their daily 
results and their ultimate rntentiou. It is no loose 
statement that tve face a race of people under a gov¬ 
ernment intent upon mastery of the world. The war 
seems far away to most of our people. But as surely 
as wc were fighting for freedom m 1716 we are fighting 
for our national existence and our national faith, this 
day and month, 1917, . .. The foot is that this is 
our war as much as their war, and unless we can keep 
the women and children of our allies fed, the Western 
line will surely be thrown to our Atlantie seaboard and 
it may be thrown in an infinitely more dangerous quar¬ 
ter, in the ransom of Canada as penalty for England's 
defeat. The other premise is one equally strong in my 
mind and is one of simple duty to humanity; that Ave 
should, out of our abundance and our Avaste, do our 
part in a world suffering Avith us to maintain an ideal 
and a faith which must be the foundation of the Avorld’.s 
hope in civilization. 
That is a fail* statement of the matter, and oxir 
people are surely coming to realize it. They sire 
ready to do their duty at home and at the front, but, 
like axiy free people, they must be treated fairly and 
Avithoxit favox’itism. 
