Qbe RURAL. NEW-YORKER 
llll 
Replies From Candidates for Governor 
We are giving all who care to do so an opportunity 
to discuss the problems of the farm as an indication 
of their fitness to represent farm interests in the 
affairs of state. These letters must have suggested 
comment by farmers who do not aspire to office, and 
if any of our readers wish to do so we shall be 
pleased to give space to their expressions also. The 
more our plain, practical farmers consider and dis¬ 
cuss these problems, the more progress we will make 
in the affairs of the farm. 
GEORGE F. WARREN 
I do not know to what political party ho belongs, but 
believe he commands the respect and confidence of all 
practical farmers. I have noticed that no other one 
speaker at all the Farmers’ Week gatherings has as 
large audiences. He is himself one of the most suc¬ 
cessful farmers of Central New York. lie also knows 
from personal experience what farming is like under 
the most limited conditions, which gives him wide 
sympathy and understanding of all farming conditions, 
lie has the brain, the culture, the broad education, the 
wide knowledge of world conditions to represent ade¬ 
quately all the people of the Empire State. 
farmer’s wife. 
FROM EUGENE II. PORTER 
1. I am heartily in favor of Points 1, 5, 7, S and 9 
of the referendum. 
2. I approve of a revision of the agricultural law 
for the purpose of making it conform to the present 
standards and requirements of State and nation, and to 
make the same clearer and more definite. 
2. I am not in favor of the election of a Commis¬ 
sioner of Agriculture or a Commissioner of Foods and 
Markets by direct vote. Such a method might easily 
select a Commissioner of Agriculture who had no knowl¬ 
edge whatever of agricultural conditions or who not 
only lacked sympathy with the farmers of this State, 
but would be absolutely ouf of touch with their needs 
and requirements. The duties of a Commissioner of 
Foods and Markets require the knowledge of agricul¬ 
tural conditions, as well as of transportation and mar¬ 
keting in the cities. The Commissioner should likewise 
be a student of economical conditions and thoroughly 
familiar with the laws of economy and their history. 
Few men are qualified for such a position and, if elected 
by the people, there would be a tendency to make him 
a follower of popular movements, even though they run 
counter to economic laws. In my opinion both of these 
offices should be kept, removed from partisan politics 
rather than injected into them. We have already had 
too much polities in connection with the food matters 
of the State. 
f- .1 am strongly in favor of permitting farmers to 
kill, birds or wild animals when necessary to protect 
their property, but not to sell or transport the birds or 
animals killed. 
G. I am strongly in favor of a general improvement 
of the country roads of the State along less expensive 
lines than of the main thoroughfares. I am of the 
opinion that one of the vital necessities of the State is 
a general improvement of the country highways. 
30. I am obliged to answer No. 10 negatively in its 
present form. The present system of distribution is 
one which has grown up for a long period of vears 
Also only a small portion of the products sold in’ New 
York City come from New York State. This State must, 
deal with economic laws and conditions affecting not 
only New York State hut those of the entire United 
States and of the world as well. The State should not 
attempt by any fiat to make any sudden or great change 
in these conditions. Changes must he brought about 
carefully, following economic laws. The State should 
investigate conditions, offering its services, promoting 
better agencies, and regulating when possible, for 
definite results can only be obtained by co-operation and 
along scientific lines. 
31. Question 31, like 30 or 12, presents great prob¬ 
lems. the solution of which is most difficult. The huge 
system of transportation now in existence, established 
by years of growth and experience, may not without 
disaster be suddenly or violently reconstructed, nor may 
proper and adequate terminal markets be at once 
created in our great centers. Rut the major defects and 
evils of our transportation system are now pretty clearly 
understood, both by economists and leaders in business, 
and the urgent need of the establishment of properly 
equipped terminal facilities in our important cities is 
acutely realized by all intelligent: men. Reform in these 
matters will move with steadily increasing speed and 
power as step after step is taken. Already a number 
ot our cities are moving determinedly towards securing 
adequately equipped terminal markets, and the defects 
, 0,ir transportation methods are now being taken up 
by many strong organizations determined upon the 
betterment of conditions. The State must do its part, 
it must jirevent discrimination against the farmer and 
secure free access to all markets. When possible and 
wso if should establish rules and regulations. It must 
not attempt to interfere with economic laws, and it 
” u /* be remembered that all these matters reach far 
o i side the boundaries of the State and that its authority 
and power are limited. 
, Tn t,R * light of past experience municipal control 
enterprises bns failed in most instances to 
commend itself to impartial observers. The probability 
a , n , d economical distribution of milk bv citv 
J n wou d ® eom to be remote. The advisability of 
sffinroa ?pu re of . COIltr °l by city or State should he con- 
diHfriin.fi j f ls .,v° .question but what the cost of the 
cxcesHiv . 10,1 -p'!, 011 K 1,1 .New York and other cities is 
tiie pnn.fl , x hau-stive investigation lias clearly shown 
rcniediiV " ! lns *"? h cost »ud indicated the needed 
sufTifinnfi r< v aus<> * bis work has already been done on 
•im It}t’PT'i scale to yield dependable results, I 
Sl it.. ' la do ”btf<il of the wisdom of establishing a 
cost of 1,11,11 'for the determination of the 
with , lk distribution in New York. We know now 
•lull whnf ?£ in J ate oor root ness where the waste occurs 
ex eWmmii i OS -T ar< V Moreover, the cost of such tin 
to he :r, ta l plant would he very large, as it would have 
rp,' "ducted on a large scale to be of value. 
the i.rr,Ki ln ' "V 11 !'■ ^ate are endeavoring to solve 
the snrJd.r ° f • ta , kniK ot tbe surplus of milk during 
of Hr -1, t a ? d ul eliminating waste at the point 
oi pioduction. Their work in this regard should he 
encouraged by the State. In this connection the dairy¬ 
men may be able themselves to handle the problems of 
distribution in the villages and smaller cities in the 
State. As a rule the problems of distribution in the 
larger cities should be handled by the people of those 
cities themselves. I am absolutely opposed to price¬ 
fixing of milk as un-economic and un-American. It 
must be remembered that the conditions as to increase of 
wages and costs of material in our big cities vitally 
affect the price of milk, and until these are lowered the 
greatest, possible reduction may not be had. 
EUGENE II. PORTER. 
The N. Y. Commissioner of Agriculture 
Resigns 
Charles S. Wilson has resigned as New York State 
Commissioner of Agriculture, the resignation to take 
effect July 1. Commissioner Wilson went into the 
department in 1935 from a teaching position in the 
State Agricultural College under appointment from 
Governor Whitman. Since the organization of the 
Farms and Markets Council, he lias retained the 
position at the pleasure of the council. The young 
professor was without training or experience for the 
position. By nature he was unfitted to cope with 
the sinister influences that always beset the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture. Yet no young man ever 
faced a State service with more apparently alluring 
prospects and promises. None ever faced a job witli 
a more sincere purpose to make good. Winsome in 
person, honest in every fiber, and hopeful in dispo¬ 
sition, he approached his new duties with every 
promise of success. He had been assured that he 
would be given a free hand to organize his forces 
for the best results. The 'assurances would have 
been accepted with mental reservations by a more 
experienced man of the world. The young student 
accepted them at. face value. He was soon disillu¬ 
sioned. When the Farms and Markets Council was 
organized, Charles II. Betts and Charles Wieting 
entered the department and manipulated it polit¬ 
ically. W ith the passing of the Whitman adminis¬ 
tration they assumed full authority. Chaos and 
confusion have been the inevitable results. 
Demands were made for purely political appoint¬ 
ments. Commissioner Wilson refused. He was 
threatened. He hesitated, then consented. Charlie 
Wilson couldn't get mad or fight. Governor Whit¬ 
man, George Glynn and Billy Orr had a free hand 
after the first surrender, and they used it with full 
power and effect. 
Every honest student of the subject in the State 
knows and admits that under the present form of 
organization the Agricultural Department is hope¬ 
less. Created under the pretense that the Agricul¬ 
tural Department was to be taken out of politics, the 
council has been from the first dominated by poli¬ 
tics. In themselves the members of the council are' 
fully up to the average of our citizenship in honesty 
and ability. Left to themselves they would serve 
the interests of agriculture. No doubt they do it as 
well as they can under the circumstances, but they 
are part of a system. They are political factors in 
the hands of a selfish political organization. Not 
one of them could antagonize political policies and 
remain at his post for long. Y T et if the people de¬ 
termined to change the complexion of the council it 
would take six consecutive victories at the polls be¬ 
fore a majority of the council could he changed. 
Their only recourse then would be to throw it into 
another political organization that would be no bet¬ 
ter. While we tolerate this system it matters little 
who is the Commissi oner *of Agriculture. Under the 
present system no really large man could, with any 
self-respect, hold the position six months. Until the 
system is changed it does not make any difference 
who is made Commissioner. 
The New York State Food Problem 
Association 
The recently organized New York State Food 
Problem Committee is already at work. At a recent 
meeting it passed a resolution requesting the Lusk 
Joint Legislative Committee to: 
Investigate the existing condition of the food supply 
originating from the farms of the State of New York, 
including the difficulties of farmers in obtaining adequate 
seed, fertilizer, farm implements, or other supplies 
requisite for the tilling of the soil and the producing of 
crops, also the supply of labor on the farms to aid in 
(heir operation and the harvesting of the crops; also 
the condition of animal products from such farms, the 
transportation of farm products to the markets, the 
market conditions, including the handling of the pro¬ 
ducts by markets, cold storage warehouses, commission 
men, wholesalers, jobbers, speculators, rehandlers and 
retailers, with a view to recommending to the Legisla¬ 
ture of the State of New York at its next session such 
legislation as may be appropriate to remedy the existing 
evils which contribute so largely to the high cost of 
living. 
1 he Lusk Committee has accepted the suggestion 
and is now on the work. It would seem that the 
problem had already been fully investigated, but it 
is important to get the facts before a committee of 
the Legislature itself, and to get initiation for needed 
legislation from them. The committee presents this 
opportunity. 
A Question About Milk Tests 
I should like a little information as to what may he 
done under the following circumstances with our milk 
situation : 
In our small town are two milk concerns one a 
farmers factory, using a vat test, and a milk’ station 
conducted by New York people, using an individual test. 
Each farmer is paid according to his own milk test. 
I p to about the first of May our farmers’ milk about 
here was testing 3.6, 3.8 and 4; since then an abrupt 
ehange, their milk testing 3, 3.1 and 3.2. I draw my 
milk to this latter factory; previous to May 1 my tests 
were 3.6 and 3.8; now 3 or 3.2, and in these cases 
practically the same cows’ milk was delivered ; in some 
eases higher test cows’ milk was delivered since* .May 3 
1 he vat test at the farmers’ factory is 3.6. We should 
like to know why all this difference. Is it possible for 
us to secure a State test, an official test, which would 
be correct. Isn t there someone at Albany or someone 
connected with the Department of Foods and Markets 
who could be secured to look into this matter and test 
the milk, to see that this company pays according to a 
correct test? Is it possible anything can be done about 
this.' VVe should like your advice. e. j. f 
New York. 
Under the agricultural law the buyer of the milk 
is required at the request of the producer to take 
composite samples in duplicate and subject them to 
the same treatment. At the time the test for fat is 
to be made the buyer must give the producer or his 
agent his choice of the two samples. The producer 
may then send this sample within 10 days to the 
head of the Dairy Bureau at Cornell University, 
properly marked for identification and accompanied 
with his full name and address. The department 
head at Cornell will test the milk for fat and send a 
report within 10 days to the producer. The buyer 
is also required to reseal the composite sample from 
which the test was made, and hold it for 10 days for 
the purpose of permitting the Commissioner of Agri¬ 
culture to test it. 
Both the Commissioner of Agriculture and the 
Commissioner of Foods and Markets have authority 
to take samples and test the milk. 
Our suggestion would he that the producers at 
your plant notify the buyer at the plant through the 
secretary of your local branch that you wish him to 
prepare two composite samples for each patron, and 
that you require him to give you a choice of the two 
samples for your own test, leaving him the other 
sample for his test ; or if the local branch does not 
take it up you can make the demand on your own 
account, and in either ease send the sample to Cor¬ 
nell for test and report. The warm weather will not 
affect the composite sample. 
The person testing the milk is required under the 
law to have a license from the Commissioner of 
Agriculture, and a request to him would probably 
result in an investigation by him. He has power to 
revoke the license on evidence of dishonesty or 
inaccuracy. 
These losses in the test, and weight of milk are a 
severe drain on the resources of dairymen. Indi¬ 
viduals may protect themselves in the way indicated, 
above, but the correction of the abuse generally is 
clearly a function for the organization. 
The Tax on Sales 
\ arious associations are at work devising schemes 
for changing the income tax law. The pres¬ 
ent system is not by any means perfect, and we 
do not consider it fair in all details. It would be 
impossible to arrange such a complicated system 
which would be entirely fair from the start. The 
scheme now proposed is to levy 1 per cent tax on all 
sales. The effect of this would be to pass the tax 
right along to the “ultimate consumer,” who is 
usually the farmer or the housekeeper. Thus the 
farmer would, in the end, be made to pay most of 
the taxes levied on goods which lie finally buys. Yet 
when it came to selling farm produce a tax of 3 per 
cent on his sales would not be fair to the farmer, 
since he has no way of passing the tax along to the 
next man. As a rule the farmer must take what 
the buyers offer him, while the price which he must 
pay is decided for him by others. Thus a fanner 
would pay his own tax on what he sold, and pay 
other taxes in the increased price which he must 
pay. 
