The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-10-25
CONTEST FOR CREAM.
The So.CslIed Trust Side of the Matter
as Set Forht by a Member Thereof.
MINNEAPOLIS Journal

Minneapolis Journal:
Minnesota is the scene of a lively
battleyyno in progress between the
neighborhood creamery on the one
hand and the big, centrally located
butter making plant on the other.
Within the past few weeks articles
have appeared in the various twin
city papers detailing the fight being
made on the creamery trust by the
dairy interests. According to these
articles the creamery trust sought to
cut the ground from beneath the feet
of the local creamery operators by
making ironclad contracts with far
mers for the purchase of their cream.
This plan tended, of course, to deprive
the creamery of its raw material, and
when it was driven out OF business the
tactics of the trust were to reduce the
price of cream inasmuch as it was
then in position to dictate.
AS matter of fact, there does not
appear to be a creamery trust operat-
ing in Minnesota, and diligent inquiry
fails to reveal any such institution un-
less it be the Minneapolis Cold Storage
company, of which Frank G. McMul-
len is vice president and manager
This company has recently inaugurated
new plan for buying cream direct
from the dairy farmers all over the
state and manufacturing it into butter
at big plant in Minneapolis, Mr..
McMullen does not deny that his plan
makes him a direct competitor of the
neighborhood creamery, but he insists
that his method is much better thing
for the farmer. He explains it in this
way:
For the past few years there has
been great deal of agitation on the
part of the various interests which
profit from the creamery industry to
multiply the creameries. The result
has been that creameries have sprung
up so numerously that competition
has been fierce, the district contribut-
ing to each has been greatly restricted
and the output of each creamery has
been restricted.in a corresponding de-
gree. 1t naturally followed that profits
were reduced and the individual
creameries could not afford to employ
the more expensive class of skilled but
ter makers. Our company had been
buying the Minnesota creamery butter
and exporting it in probably larger
quantities than any other Minnesota
company. When the creameries began
to run down, owing to the causes
which 1 have named, the character of
the product naturally fell off and we
began to receive complaints from our
consignees. In order to secure thor
oughly first class grade of butter we
were forced to go into the butter max
ing business on our own account.
We secured large supply of separ-
ators and placed them in the hands of
such dairy farmers as were willing to
sell us their cream. We make no
ironclad contracts with the farmers,
but simply agree to take their cream
at not less than they receive for it at
the creamery, We supply them with
standard Babcock testers and they can
check our tests closely. If at any time
they can get more for their cream
elsewhere they are perfectly at liberty
to do so, The cream is shipped to us,
and inasmuch as we have built up a
large clientele we can afford to put in
a thoroughly equipped plant, employ
the most skillful butter makers and
pay. higher prices for cream. One i'm
mediate result of this has been to re-
habilitate Minnesota butter grades. At
the. same.time the farmers are receiv-
ing--more--.. money. :. =. IT, will readily be
seen..that. this. is..as.good thing for the
farmer. :. If the. creamery. suffers. by
competition. with progressive. methods
while.the farmer gets more money. for
his product. 1 do not see who suffers
by it unless it is the creamery supply
people. In fact, I have the best of
reason for believing that the creamery
supply people are. back of all this talk
about.the.." cruel creamery trust.
Certain references have been..made
to.the attitude. of the. state dairy and
food toward our plan,
and.it has. also been stated that the
State.Dairymen's association was up in
arms over the. matter. The facts are
thatsW... W..P. Mcconnell, state. dairy
commissioner, has,. distinctly informed
me- before...witnesses that so far as
the commission was concerned it had
made-.no statements. regarding the
matter. :. In..regard to- the. State. Dairy
man s.association, Is have. only, to say
that the reference to the coming st.
Cloud. convention asa gathering. of
"dairymen' $50 misleading, ..and has
been. SO. repeatedly. made. that. the mo-
tive for the repetition becomes plainly
apparent The St. Cloud meeting is
nothing more nor less than conven.
tion of buttermakers employed by
these same neighborhood creameries
whose existence may be threatened by
our plan. Inasmuch as their butter,
not to say their bread, depends on
the continuation of these creameries,
it is not surprising that they should
be opposed to our plan of buying cream
direct from the farmers.
FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.