Meeting of the Dairymen’s League 
Best Farmers’ Convention in Many Years 
A REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING.—The mee^ 
Ing of the Dairymen’s League in the city of Utica 
on December 4 was in many respects one of the 
best farm conventions that has been held in the 
State for some time. Close to 2000 of the really 
strong, active dairymen of the State were in attend- 
ence, and exhibited a spirit of moderation and toler¬ 
ance, while at the same time free and independent 
In the discussion and handling of their problems. 
THE PRICE OF MILK.—It was said openly and 
freely, and pretty generally, that the price of milk 
for December was not sufficient to cover the cost 
of production. In the majority of cases, the best 
hope is to cover expenses without reward for the 
farmer's time or investment. In such a condition 
the reduction of production is inevitable, and this 
was usually reported. One county alone reported 
the shipment of six carloads of cows in a week to 
be turned into meat On the other hand, the dis¬ 
position was to accept the .situation good-naturedly 
and without oi'ganized protest The uncertainty 
of what the Federal Commission may establish as 
a price for the three months of January, Febniary 
and March, had the usual effect of hope and fear for 
the future. The situation is not without a strong 
element of hope for a reasonable price, for the 
reason that the fact must be beginning to dawn on 
the minds of committee members that a shortage 
of milk Is threatened. The shortage is with us 
already, and the only uncertainty is whether or not 
the committees can be made to see that the only 
effective way to increase production is to give the 
man who produces it enough to pay for the work. 
The farmer hesitates to reduce his herd because he 
realizes that once reduced it takes years to build 
it up again, and it is a serious loss to the industry 
further to reduce the number of cows, yet under 
the present price of feed and labor and other sup¬ 
plies, he cannot continue to buy feed and try to 
get it back out of the strippers. Dry cows bring a 
good price for beef, and the universal report is that 
unless the price of milk is satisfactory more and 
more of the dairy cows are going for beef. With 
this alternative the dairyman is not worrying, 
though his preference is to maintain the industry. 
SOME PLAIN WORDS.—In his recent classic 
address to Congress, President Wilson recognized the 
tendency of discrimination against the farmers of 
the whole country, and justifies the plain words that 
only a few men seem to have had the courage to 
say since the war began. Some bureaucratic minds 
in times like the present characterize any criticism 
of things that are being done as aii act of treason 
or sedition. If they have no other argument these 
gentlemen will tell 3mu that it is unpatriotic. Pres¬ 
ident Wilson has spoken at the right time and in the 
right way, but someone else had to siDeak first to 
bring the abuses to his attention. The President 
has made it clear that it is neither treason nor sedi¬ 
tion to advocate a line of policy for the Government 
that will encourage production of food on the farms 
to help win the war. 
TWO STRONG RESOLUTIONS.—The resolutions 
were one of the features of the convention, and the 
most conspicuous of these was the criticism of the 
appointment of food and market commissioners, and 
the demand for non-political organization to secure 
for the farmers fair representation and fair laws 
in the State. The other most significant resolution 
was the assurance of cooperation with organized 
labor. These two resolution are as follows: 
WHEREAS, the last Legislature of our State failed 
to pass laws favorable to Dairymen’s League interest, 
and that much of the present trouble will have to be 
charged to the members of that body who failed to 
meet farmers’ wishes by not favoring such laws as they 
thought necessary for the future of their work. 
WHEREAS, the creation of the State Food Commis¬ 
sion consisting of three members and the Farm and 
Market Commission consisting of ten members ap¬ 
pointed by Gov. Whitman, not one of whom is interested 
directly in agriculture, is a direct insult to the farmers 
of the State and deserves a marked rebuke. 
THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Dairymen’s 
Ivcague in annual session favor a non-partisan party 
in our State that will place the Legislature and execu¬ 
tive branches of our State Government in favor of giving 
the interests of agriculture due consideration. 
WHEREAS, Representatives of organized labor, rep¬ 
resenting 500,000 members in the 'State, have volunteered 
to cooperate with farm organizations to secure State- 
owned and State controlled terminal markets and milk 
plants as a means of efficient and economic distribution 
of food and milk, and for such other purposes as may 
be of mutual advantage, and 
WHEREAS, A preliminary joint conference has al¬ 
ready been held and a joint committee provided on which 
this organization will be represented, be it 
RESOLVED, That we approve this proposed com¬ 
bination of organized labor and organized farmers for 
mutual benefits and that we assure organized labor of 
our hearty cooperation with them in every proper pur¬ 
pose and worthy measure in which we find a common 
interest. 
IShe RURAL NEW.YORKER 
1425 
FURTHER RESOLUTIONS.—Other resolutions 
requested the publication of an itemized report of 
the receipts and expenditures of the treasurer. An¬ 
other was a demand that producers own their own 
plants and Implements of distribution in order to 
deliver milk to the consumer at the lowest possible 
cost. Still another expressed the willingness of the 
farmer to help the war by greatest possible pro¬ 
duction, but calling attention to the fact that help 
is needed. Still another suggested going to the 
consumer with assiirances of cooperation with them 
in any effort they can make to reduce the cost of 
the distribution of milk. There was still another 
expressing approval of the principles of the Towner 
bill and recommending to the Legislature the wisdom 
of this or similar legislation, with a view to adopting 
an economic system of milk distribution through 
the city stores. The final resolution expresses 
appreciation of the work of the officers and expressed 
entire confidence in every officer and every director 
of the organization, and assured the public that the 
League was not organized to obtain an unfair price, 
but rather to protect its members against an organ¬ 
ized body of milk dealers, who for years have under¬ 
paid the producer and overcharged the consumer. 
THE SPEAKERS.—Mr. Milo D. Gampbell, Presi¬ 
dent of the National M'ilk Federation, was the only 
guest present for an address. His subject was most¬ 
ly patriotic and reached the sympathies of the 
audience. He admitted something of a justification 
of the December prices on the ground of patriotism, 
and Mr. John D. Miller, one of the directors of the 
League, took something of the same position. 
A MONOPLY OF PATRIOTISM.—After Mr. Cam¬ 
bell’s address there was a call from the audience 
for Commissioner Dillon. The call was so spontan¬ 
eous and cordial, for a moment he was obliged to hes-, 
itate for a subject. He then expressed what seemed 
to be the general sentiments of the farmers present, 
that the reduction of the pidce of milk for December 
made it too low to produce milk at a profit, but that 
in the last analysis the result would be a greater 
calamity to the consumer than It even was to the 
produce!*, because the producer could economize on 
feed and resort to other things, while the city house¬ 
wife had to have milk, and the less the supply the 
more she would have to pay for it. As to patriotism, 
the burden of his complaint was that the farmer 
seemed to have a monopoly of it, and he wanted the 
milk dealer to divide up the patriotism and money 
fifty-fifty. It costs more to produce milk in Decem¬ 
ber, he pointed out, than it does to distribute it, 
j’et the commission reduced the price for production 
and made no reduction on the cost of distribution. 
SELLING PROBLEMS.—Two points were raised 
for consideration'of the dairymen by him, and frank¬ 
ly discussed. One of these was the necessity of 
adjusting the plans of the League for the sale of 
milk so that each member would receive the same 
treatment and the same price as every other pro¬ 
ducer in proportion to the grade and quality of the 
milk. He proposed for consideration a tentative plan 
by which this might be brought about, but frankly 
admitted that it could be accomplished in other ways, 
and that the means were not as important as the 
end. This particular suggestion was later laid on 
the table, probably because it was not entirely under¬ 
stood. At all events it was an evident sentiment 
that this problem must be met and worked out satis¬ 
factorily. We cannot justify a condition that favors 
one class of the membership at the expense of an¬ 
other. This is fundamental in good morals and 
good business. 
A MILK DISTRIBUTING I’LAN.—The other sug¬ 
gestion had reference to the new corporation organ¬ 
ized by the League as a milk distributing company 
for cooperative creameries. This too he feared 
would have the eft’ect of discrimination in the mem¬ 
bership. It puts the oflicers of the League into the 
business as milk dealers, especially serving one part 
of the membership while at the same time they are 
officers of the League to serve all the membership. 
They are serving two masters. His thought Avas that 
the League itself should sell all the milk of all its 
members, and to develop the Avholesale distribution 
as close as possible to the consumer by selling the 
milk in cans or bottles at Avholesale to any buyer, 
but particulai-ly to the retail stores in the city. This 
problem was not further discussed. 
REPORTS AND ELECTIONS.— The officers’ re¬ 
port shoAved a membership of 4S00, representing 
561,091 coAvs. The receipts for the year were $237,- 
170 and the total expenditures .$142,106.90, leaving 
a balance of approximately $106,000. The following 
directors Avere elected: 
Louis M. Hardin, Sussex, N. J.; Harry W. Culver, 
Amenia; John S. Pettys, GreeuAvich ; Harry Ball, 
Campbell Hall: Irving C. Barnes. NeAV Paltz; Bruce 
M. Kilpatrick, Delhi; J. D. Beardslee, New Berlin; 
R. D. Coopei*, Little Falls; Frank C. Schryer, Burke; 
J. W. Putnam, Lisbon; C. A. Hoadley, Black River; 
Grant Farrington, Pulaski; F, II. Thomson, Holland 
Patent; Charles W. Coe, Bouckville; II. J. KersluiAV, 
Sherburne; Dr. B. H. Porter, Upper Lisle; Paul 
Smith, New Valley; Milton W. DaAuson, Canisteo; 
George S. Perkins, North Collins; J. D. Miller, Sus¬ 
quehanna ; H. Fleming, Alba; G. W. Slocum, M'ilton, 
Pa. 
The New York School Law 
Taxation Without Representation 
Like most of the other rural sections, we are pecA'cd 
over the new school laAv. It seems to us to be just about 
such a situation as faced the early colonists and insti¬ 
gated a famous tea party—taxation Avithout represen¬ 
tation. 
There is a small incorporated village in the extreme 
southwest corner of the town (in fact only one corner of 
the village is in this town, and half in another county), 
whose inhabitants saw fit to build a new schoolhouse 
and issue bonds for .$20,000. As it happens, the school- 
house stands in the corner of the village that is in this 
town. Therefore, we are paying the .$20,000. Inci¬ 
dentally, three other school districts saw fit to combine 
and build a union schoolhouse. We are paying their 
bonds also. 
In our own district we have been contracting Avith 
the Hamilton High School, and paid $100 for a wagon 
to transport the children to the school. Last year we 
got in debt about $85, through the party who contracted 
to draw the children skipping out and leaving in the 
Spring, when Ave Avere obliged to pay an exorbitant price 
to get them transported for the remainder of the year. 
Of course, the town paid this debt, you say. Not so vou 
would notice it. They simply “took over, seized or ap¬ 
propriated” our $100 wagon to pay the $85 debt. 
Perhaps some may say that the law is fair enough, 
because anyone in the town may send his children to this 
$20,000 schoolhouse if he wishes. But this is not so. 
There is a section of the town nearly 10 miles from this 
school. It is away back on the hills, where the roads are 
poor, and drift badly in Winter, The inhabitants are 
for the most part poor, and their only chance of educat¬ 
ing their children is the little schoolhouse on the corner. 
The .$20,000 school is as inaccessible to them as if it 
were in New York City. Some were born there, and 
have never had a chance to get away, and other have 
bought farms there because they could not afford to pay 
for the luxuries of their more fortunate brothers—in¬ 
cluding $20,000. schoolhouses. Now these people are be¬ 
ing forced to pay their share of this expense, and Avith¬ 
out their consent or any expectation that they will ever 
receive one cent in benefit in return. 
Madison Co., N. Y. j. grant morse. 
An Insult to Rural Communities 
District No. 8, town of Rome, Oneida Co., is decidedly 
opposed to the new school system, and wants the law 
repealed. No flag has been displayed for about six 
weeks on account of broken rope on flag pole. School- 
house, or toilets, have not been cleaned, and boys’ toilet 
is not fit to go into. There is a driven well in school- 
house, but no water available, on account of needed re- 
to pump. But our taxes are nearly twice Avhat 
they weie lust year, and we have a phj'sical training 
teacher, also a visiting school nurse, to see that the 
pupils have proper exercise and are properly cared for, 
J.his is not ment to censure our town board, as thev 
are widely scattered over the town, and are very busv 
men. (I believe^ they all own and Avork farms.) I 
doubt very much if they are any better pleased with the 
new system than the people they are trying to serve are 
in Verona, the adjoining town, taxes are three times 
what they Avere last year, with no better results. J’he 
general agreement is that the new laAV is an insult to 
rural communities, as it deprives them of governing 
their local affaii^. It must be admitted that some dis¬ 
tricts have not done what they should for their schools 
but how does this new law help them, and what does a 
district superintendent of schools draw his salary for’ 
Oneida Co., N. Y. n. g. l>niu:ii.s. ‘ 
(( 
Conservation ” of Grain Sacks 
I Avant to have a talk with you about a little dod"< 
the gram dealers of Baltimore are trying, success 
fully, on poultrymen. They have gradually raised th< 
price of the burlap sacks in which they ship grain fron 
five cents each up to 20 cents, claiming a shortage a: 
rraponsible. Now they have issued a statement tha 
the sacks are not exchangeable, and also that they wil 
not buy them back, as formerly, thus proving that ther( 
IS no shortage. You see, in this way they add 20 centi 
to each two bushels of grain, and we have no way o 
protecting ourselves. I have written to Mr. Hoover, t< 
call his attention to it, and I thought perhaps you wouli 
like to ascertain if this is a country-Avide agreemen 
among dealers in grain. t, 
■ Maryland. 
we Avould 
like to know if it is being worked out elsewhere. In 
most places the dealers seem willing to take the 
sacks. How is it in your market? 
In reply to his letter to Mr. Hoover, our Maryland 
friend received the following note from Mr, George 
.Tackson, second vice-president of the Food Administra¬ 
tion Grain Corporation: 
“I have made an investigation of the question of bur¬ 
lap bags and find that the stock of burlap in this country 
is now short and that the price of burlap bags has ma¬ 
terially advanced in every section. It was formerly the 
custom of dealers to send to the country for shipment 
of wheat second-hand bags, but owing to the high price 
and scarcity of these second-hand bags the practice has 
been discontinued and it is no longer a custom at this 
point. By finding out before the purchase is made what 
price the seller Avill charge for bags you will find by 
making this a .part of your original contract that you 
Avill get bags m this competitive manner much cheaper 
than by buying the grain and letting the shipper charge 
you Avhatever he pleases for the bags.” 
