The morning call., 1892-03-22
DAIRYMEN ARE FIRM.
No Present Solution Of the Butter
Controversy.
The Commission Merchants Say the Question
Will Adjust Itself-New Creamsries
Being Built.

FROM interviews with leading commission
merchants and the local agent of the Dairy
mems Association a representative Of THE
GALL yesterday gathered the following in
formation, showing that what is commonly
known as 1.-The butter war" is at present as
lar from being settled as ever. The whole
matter is only few weeks old, but it is
steadily assuming the position Of a conflict
on principle, and such conflicts are usually
long and stubborn.
The Dairymen's Association has an Office
on Davis street, near Sacramento, and the
agent promptly assured the reporter that
the association has gone into the fight to
stay. In the course Of conversation he said !:
ne break was caused on the 4th inst,
when The commission men tried to obtain
possession OF Il trade that was leaving them
and going to the Dairymen's Association.
1t was trade they had controlled for years.
ana the dalrymen were getting the best of it.
AT equal prices, more particularly in the
northwest trade, at Portland and at Puget
Souhu points, We were obtaining the bust
ness OF large dealers In preference to our
competitors. The dealers recognized that
we were In better position to serve their
cream on account OF the large iiueS of goods
from which we could make selections. The
consequence was that at even money we
were getting the business.
The commission men were so incensed
at this that on the day named, without any
cause Whatever and without any stocks
on hand that would justify them in such a
course, they made cut Of AZ cents pound
on butter over the northwest territory. OF
course the Dairymen's Onion had 10 meet
that cut in order TO retain the business.
Inere Is really no war, because the COM
mission merchants have now discovered that
they made great mistake.
DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.
The commission men are known TO have
been making boasts that they would para
I'VE the butter industry Of the State by
importing Eastern butter There is nothing
new IN this; they have been doing il for
years, particularly last year. when they
imported l,3O0,O00 pounds Of butter IN
excess OF what they did in 1890. And still
they stand up ami ask the dairymen of the
facts.
"A Seattle trade paper has had several ref
erences to this matter. 1t says that the but
ter question in California at pres snt is at
tracing great deal of discussion, ana that
the Dairymen's Union may in time control
the entire dairy business of the State. Cali
fornla Is capable of producing butter suffi-
elent To supply the Coast, but the old
fashioned method Of churning little butter
and taxing 1t 10 the market must be aban-
doned, creameries must he erected, there
must be uniform grade and there must be
sixteen ounces to the pound. packed the
same way as the product of the Elgin, Iowa,
and Wisconsin creameries, or tie days of
The California Institutions are numbered.
over one hundred carloads Of Eastern
creamery butter were shipped to Washing
ten and oregon last year. Our own cream
cries should have produced every pound OF
this and kept the money at home"
COMMISSION MEMS VIEWS.
{. +. Whitney said to a reporter yester-
day: There is really no fight with the
Dairymen's Union. Whatever trouble
there is has been forced ON the com missiOn
people. We are all trying 10 do business.
The price OF butter ever since last October
has been much less than it was a year ago,
with about 10 per cent less product. The
supply aud demand regulate the price OF
an article like butter. The fact Is that the
Dairymen's Union has made more butter
than 1t could dispose of. The members
had to cut prices in order 10 sell. L viii say
at once that the price of butter to-day is
less than II ought To BE-, in justice to the
producer, from the fact that so much of the
product was piled up in one house without
any trade"
c. q. Brigham of the firm of Brigham Il
Hoppe said: The fact is that there is no
war, properly speaking. at the present time,
but 10 my knowledge We are receiving all
the butter we can sell 10 advantage, and
have no friction with anybody. Don't think
the Dairymen's Union has enhanced the
price OF butter plcayune, but do think
the daTymen would have received more
money for their butter had Ii been con-
signed to merchants. At the present time
prices are between and 3 cents pound
lever than at the corresponding period Of
previous years. These rnmOrs Of war in
the butter trade have probably arisen from
the Dairymen's Union claiming TO desire to
handle all the butter In the market for the
benefit OF the dairymen. So far from ben
citing the dairymen, the union has been
great detriment tO them"
Ii was learned that the union is now build
ing creameries at Tomales. at Two Rocks
near Petaluma and at Cayuga. As soon as
possible creaneries will be established at
other points also