tl 
Dairymen’s League Officers Indicted 
It Will Prove a Disguised Blessing 
LEA(;UE OFFICEllS INDICTEI).—The loiiff- 
I'l-oinised and iiuich-tlireatened le^al attack on the 
Dairyinen's League has tinally materialized. La.st 
week a grand jury in tlie City of New York tiled 
indictments against seven members of tlie Dairy¬ 
men's League, alleging con.spiracy in restraint of 
trade under the Donnelly law. Seven years ago 
c.fter the O’Malley investigation, another grand jury 
tiled indictments against nine milk dealers under the 
same law Lu’ tlie same reason. Those indictments 
yet stand, hut the dealers have never been hronglit 
to trial. It will he interesting to know which of 
these oases the District Attorney will tirst prosecute. 
CHAOTIC CONDITIONS.—The incident at lea.st 
serves to show the absurd and chaotic condition of 
agricultural, legal and commercial affairs in the 
State of New Y'ork. For a cinarter of a century the 
State has encouraged co-operative organizations 
among farmers. It had adoided laws for the pur¬ 
pose, made approiiriations for its encouragement, 
.•mil has employed oHicials to help in the promotion 
of such organizations. It has such officials at the 
present time. Of recent years other State.s, and the 
Federal government, have undertaken similar work 
and are spending money to the same end. Now in 
the State of New York, after the farmers have ac- 
(opted the State teaching, and adopted means effec¬ 
tively to n.se the (>rganizatlons. as implied in the 
law.s, farmers are told that the acts are illegal and 
tlu'.v must he punished for crime, and their organiza¬ 
tion dissolved. Nothing could he more inconsistmit 
on the part of the State, and nothing can excn.se the 
Legislature from correcting such a state of aff'airs 
: nd harmonizing the conflicting laws. If co-opera¬ 
tion of producers is to he iiei-mitted and encouraged 
hy the State, then there should he no criminal laws 
in conflict with these legal privileges, and if the 
State proposes to prevent collective bargaining and 
((i-oi)erative effort, then it should come out snnarely 
and oi)eidy and let ns have the issue settled definite¬ 
ly one way or the other. . The State can no longer 
pl:iy both sides in this game. 
IN('()NSISTENT .ACTION.—.Vnother evidence of 
the absurdity of the indictments is found in the fact • 
that since the jilh'ged .acts complained of were com¬ 
mitted. State and Federal otlicials have formed a 
commission and fixed prices for milk on their own 
account. After conducting an iminiry during the 
month of December this Federal commission admit¬ 
ted that the price tisked by the i)rodncer.s' represen¬ 
tatives was too low and they have not only author¬ 
ized an ima-eased price to the producers, hut also an 
increased price foi' the distributors of milk in the 
city. No man and no set of men can sell milk with¬ 
out n.aming a i>rice that they are willing to accept, 
and if it is unlawful for an as.soci.ation of farmers to 
name the piace at which the.v are willing to sell milk, 
then it must, in principle, at least, he a crime for 
other intere.sts to do the same thing, and no unin¬ 
formed man will seriously dispute that such things 
ai'e done every hour of evc'ry business day in the 
year. We will, of course, he referred to the customs 
of trade, to law. and to constitutional prohibitions. 
Certainly. Customs of trade, law and constitutions 
hav' all been made by men who make a huslness and 
a profit in the distribution of farm food and other 
forms of wealth. Tlu'.v have not been made in the 
interests of producers, nor in justice to producers. 
'I'lu'se custom la\^■s and constitutions are man-made. 
'Phere is nothing sacred in them. They have been 
inspired by cunning and greed .and enacted, con¬ 
sciously or unconsciously, by men of selli.sh motives. 
It is our business to reiteal them or to revise them 
on the laws of eipiity and justice. And we are going 
to do it. This legal complication should i)rove, and 
we predict will prove, .a hlessing in disguise. It has^ 
been ahettial and Inspirial and enconragial by the 
milk dealers and distributors. It is inlemhal to 
break up the Dairymen's League and to discourage 
and dishearten its memhershiit. It will do nothing 
of the kind. It will hind the dairy f.arniers closer to 
each other than ever before. It will naturally he a ' 
distraction and anno.vance and an exi)ense, hut the 
organization will make ui» for all this in a new loy- 
jilty and a new determination of dairymen to work 
out their own problem of milk distribution. It will 
make the League stronger. 
DEFECTS IN CIIAUTEll.—^The truth is the 
Dairymen’s League is not organized in a form to 
best serve the jiurposes of a dairy organization. It 
was probably the best that could have been done at 
the time it was originally organized. It may have 
been well enough adapU*<l to the initial work of or¬ 
ganization, hut even if this proptisition he admitteil. 
tlu‘ present form is not adapted to the present needs 
of the organization. In the tirst place, the League is 
ar/jc RURAL NEW-YORKER 
formed on a stock company capitalistic business form 
uiiihu’ the laws of the State of New .Jersey. In its 
form and its charter it is no different from the big 
stock company euteri)rises that have been chartered 
under the Niov .Tersey laws. It has none of the eo- 
openitive features in it. It lia.s been subject to the 
same form of control as other stock comi)any cor¬ 
porations. It is centered from the head and works 
fI om the to]) downward and from the center outward. 
This is the autocratic capitalistic business form. In 
practice it has, of course, some co-oi)erative features. 
Co-operatiou works from the bottom upward and from 
the outer circles inward and ui)w:ird. The local units 
take care of their own local affairs, and delegate to 
the center iind the to]) those functions and services 
that can he best performed through one agency, and 
that service in the present instance is the marketing 
and sale of milk. 
LOCAL OKOANIZ.VTION NEEDED.—The per¬ 
fection of locjtl organization for the dairymen is a 
necessity that is forcing it.self ui)on the membership 
every day. Dealers and representatives and hoards 
of health make and enforce regulations and inspec¬ 
tions to grade milk and to test the fat content of 
milk. The price of milk dei)ends ui)on this grading 
and testing, and to that extent the agents of the 
hoards of health and of the dealers control the price. 
If any one dealer, in any one [)lace. .score and test 
correctly, other dealers and other j)roducers suffer 
in comparison. In any event producers as a whole 
suffer the losses in the system. The need is for 
local organizjitions under a definite plan and au¬ 
thority by which the producers can control these 
scores and tests foi' themselves. The i)erfection of 
local organizations will al.so hasten the control of 
shii>i)ing stations and pasteurizing idants and cream¬ 
eries by the pnxlucers them.selves. and this control 
of local facilities and care of suri)lu.ses is a uece.s.sity 
to the economic and ellicieut distribution of milk. 
Strong, well-defined local organizations are al.so nec¬ 
essary to eipialize prices in time of a surplu.s, and to 
take care of all of the memh{>rs on an eipial basis, 
and this treatment of all alike is ahsolutel.v' essential 
to the permanent siicce.ss of the organization. 
THE FLTIM.VTE I’FRI’OSE.—The common jiur- 
pose of the League is to effect a profitable market 
for milk, and to see that the farmer gets his money 
for it after it is sold. Its succe.ss will build up the 
industry in the State ami ultimately increase pro¬ 
duction. and with the increased volume, other things 
being eipial, will probably tend to decrease the cost 
of production. Hut to reach these re.sults it must 
first decrease the cost of distribution. We can 
never build up a big dairy industry by allowing 
dealers to make the price of milk to con.sumers .so 
high tluit consumi)tiou in noi'iiial times will he re¬ 
stricted or decreased. The interest of the farmers 
is in a cheap distributing .system, and the lowest 
possible cost to the consumer as an encouragement 
to increased consumi)tion after the farmer has re¬ 
ceived a fair cost for i)roduction and a reasonable 
profit. Me must sell enough milk in both cans and 
hottU's dii'oct to the grocery stores to demonstrate 
the economy in this system of distribution and to 
standardize the cost. M’Ikmi we do this and .secure 
an honest definition of gnides and fat standards the 
milk lu'ohh'iu will lx* well on the wa.v to solution. 
LAM’S ARE ACAIN.'^T t'()-()I’ERATIVE M'ORK. 
—It is true tluit our organization laws are not well 
adaiited for the development of co-ojienitive cor¬ 
porations. Our cor])orate laws have been enacted 
for the benefit of caiiital and for selfish money-mak¬ 
ing business imrpose.s. M'hen men start co-operative 
enterprises for the most part the.v turn to the form.s 
of organizafion that are in existence and that have 
been succe.ssful as organizations of capital which 
lend themselves to easy control and to tlx* periietua- 
tion of individual control, and the ri'al co-operative 
principles are sidetracked. The present situation, 
however, absolutely demands a revision and a clari¬ 
fication of our old complicated and chaotic s.vstem of 
agricultural laws. Tlie work of revision should be 
undertaken at once h.v the present Legislature, and 
some one with vision enough to comi»reheud co¬ 
operative needs should he called in to iirepare a 
comiireheusive and workable statute under Avhich 
co-operative coriiorations can he organized and op¬ 
erated free from the suspicion or jiossihility of vio¬ 
lating techuieal anti-trust or consiiiracy laws. 
Where are the Commissions? 
If the conditions in the produce trade in the City 
of New Y'ork do not .spur the numerous Cit.v, State 
and Federal food commissions to some heliiful, jirac- 
tical action, nothing in the world can he expected to 
do .<o. The amount of food that has been ruthle.ssly 
sacrificed in and around the harbors of New Y'ork. 
the first week or ten days of .Tanuary, exceedeil the 
tonnage that conservations, commissions and food 
ri'gulators could save in a liletime. If a farmer had 
no better facilities for conducting his business than 
the railroads and jiroduce dealers of the City of 
New' York have for the handling of food, the whoU* 
State and nation would he out in a proiuigauda to 
lecture and educate him. The commissions and com¬ 
mittees and deputy regulators are (►lentiful and nu¬ 
merous. They occupy fine dflices and control priuce- 
l.\' apiiropriations. Almost every da.v we hear of 
new apiiointments, hut the food (piestioii in New 
Y'ork grows wor.se and w'or.se. 
The extra shiiHuonts at the holiday season were 
anticipated in the public press. It is an annual re¬ 
currence. hut the regulators and committees tended 
strictly to their office duties and during the holida.\ s 
l)erishahle foods .spoiled on the docks and in the 
warehouses of .New' Y'ork and .lersey City for want 
of facilities to move them. 
The cold weather at the hegiiiniug of the year was 
predicted and no advance measures were taken to 
move food i»romptly on its arrival, nor has any .such 
mea.sure beep developed since. Tons and carloads of 
food in conseiiuence have frozen and wasted, and 
millions of dollars worth have gone to the dump.'<, 
and producers who sent it here have suffeied pro¬ 
portionate io.sses. In the meantime the cit.v is short 
of food. Poor peojile are hungering and rioting for 
it. Df cour.se, the destruction will have an effect 
on future prices, and the shortage will result in 
higher lu-ices to the cit.v consumer, who is already 
comiilaining of excessive cost.s. 
M'aste .serves no one. It is a lo.ss to all. and these 
losses can only he averted h.v system and propt'i- 
facilities for distribution. The administrators con- 
lined themselves to jietty reguljitions of retailers. 
1 he.^ did not tackle the real iirohlem of distrihurion. 
because the speculators and powerful distributors 
are op[)o.sed to any interference with the .system that 
the.v' them.selves have adopted and which the.v' find 
convenient and profitable. This is in accordance 
with the present policy of the State, and so long as 
it is i)ursued the exjx'iise of food administration is 
only added to the burden on the cost of living. 
A Patrons’ League; The School Law 
The opposition to 
New York State in 
the new township school law in 
countr.v districts is emiihatic and 
with even 
i.v entirelv. 
almost general. The farmer advocates of the law !ir<' 
in a small minorit.v. The comiilaints involve not onlv 
the expense, but individual family and neighborhoo'd 
consideration.s. The protests against the law are s.. 
pronounced a.s to threaten a social if not a ixditieal 
revolution. No comiiromi.se is possible. The law must 
be repealed. Farmers will never be .satisfied 
a revision of it. They want it out of the wa 
Local (Iranges and local branches of tin* Dairvmen's 
League have already held meetings, and made deiminds 
repeal of the law, but it is unfortunate that 
a I these etlorts have not focus.sed in one definite uniform 
plan or organization to expre.ss the protest of the people 
against the law and the conditions that it has created 
Many reipiests have come to us for forms of organi¬ 
zation. The form is not reall.v important; hut there 
would be strength in simiile uniformity. For the imr- 
pose of this uniformity and to supiily the needs of 
those who have adopted no form we submit the meniber- 
ship plixlge printed below. After a number have signed, 
a meeting should be called, and officers elected. A 
delegate should also be elected to a countv convention 
to be organized later by all the delegates of the county. 
It would also be well to provide an expense fund 
through a moderate membershii) fee to cover the cost of 
postage and travel. The comity conventions can then 
send delegates to Albany and in various wavs make it 
clear to the members of the Legislature that‘this schooi 
law must be reiiealed. To emphasize this iiniforniitv of 
action, we suggest ami urge that a meeting he ‘held 
m every rural school district of the State ou the first 
Saturday of February, namely February 2; and that 
the delegates meet in county convention oii the following 
Saturday. February 0. At the county convention a State 
committee can be formed to speak and act for the sclmo! 
patrons of the State at Albany. The form of niembei- 
ship ina.y be clipped and used or blanks will be sent on 
application, though the precise form is not imixirtant. 
M''hen the Ihitrons’ I.eagues are formed in school dis¬ 
tricts, the names and addresses of the officers and of 
the county delegates should be mailed to League Hun^au. 
Rural New-Yorker, to crystallize the effort in juiblicitv. 
Legislatures are influenced by numbers and we shouhi 
have a record of the number of leagues ami the mem¬ 
bership of each. M'herever l(x*al Granges, Dairvmen’s 
League or other local organizations exist the work can be 
luirsued eflectivel.v through the existing organizations. 
The Legislature is now in session and tlie work 
should be taken up at ont*e and vigorouslv. Are .vou 
interested enough to start a Hatron.s’ League in voiir 
school district‘f 
PATRONS’ LEAGUE 
TO KKPK.Xr, 
THE TOM'N.'HIIP vSCHOOL LAW 
M'e the undersigned patrons of School District Num¬ 
ber.in the town of.couutv 
of.State of New York hereby bind 
ouixselves in an organization to be known as the Patrons’ 
League, the purpo.se of which shall he to use our united 
intliience to reiieal the Township School Law, known as 
Ghajiter .‘12.S of the laws of 1017. 
M'e in-omise to attend local meetings as often as jios- 
sihle; to formally organize the Patrons’ League; ti> 
help elect delegates to a county league to be organized 
for the .same purpose; and to make a voluntary contri¬ 
bution to help pay expense of postage and travel. 
X.VMKS Ol' MKMIIKRS ; 
