The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-03
HE'LL KEEP OUT.
State Dairy Commissioner
Won't Mix i'm Rate Fight.
Something to Be Said on Both
Sides.
HERE ON NEW MISSION
May Prosecute Gu eam Buyers
for Paying Too Much.
Trouble Arising Out of Use of
BabcOck Test.

H. c. Kendall, state dairy commits
Efoner. will keep out of the fight which is
on between the railroads and the big
creamery companies. before the state
board of railroad commissioners. The
railroad companies want to raise the
rates on cream for long distance hauis
TO a figure which would make it doubt
full whether the big creamery compan-
les would be able to operate
"I shall maintain a neutral position
In this case" said Mr.. Kendall this
morning, unless I see that the inter-
ests of the state would suffer If the
case should be decided one way or the
other. At present realize that there is
something to be said on both sides, and
it is very likely that there is some rea-
son back of all this controversy which
does not appear on the surface 1t
would be natural to suppose that the
establishment of numerous small
creameries would tend to make more
business in the small town for the rail-
roads coal and supplies would have
to be hauled in, and butter, which
moves at a much higher rate than
cream, would have to be hauled out
IF / should express any opinion on
the subject, one side or the other
would consider me prejudiced. l have
been accused by the independent
CreamerleS OF Delng partial u the OlS
creameries, and by the big creameries
of being partial to the small ones, and
while 1 shall always strive to do what
Is for the best interests of the state, L
do not feel that it is necessary for me
to antagoniZe one side or the other In
this controversy at the present time.
81 am informed that the Nebraska
board of railroad commissioners met
last Saturday and refused to grant the
order allowing the railroads to in
/, s.,T, t. ~ n -f o
railroads and the small creameries
VIII Prosecute Cream Buyers.
Mr. Kendall was in Topeka today
for the purpose of consulting the at
torney general about bringing suit
against cream buyers for some of the
giving fraudulent results of the Bah
cock test The Babcock test is for
the purpose of determining the per-
centage of butter fat in cream, and
on the result of this test, the cream
is paid for.
The peculiar part of it is that the
fraud in the cases under consideration
consists of giving too high results, and
paving too much for cream. The claim
is made that this method is used by
certain cream buyers for the purpose
of getting all the cream there is to
be had driving other cream buyers
off the market. Mr.. KendallS prose-
cutions will. therefore, be for the pur-
pose of protecting the big creameries
from ruinous competition. which has
for it's object the creation of a mon
opoly, under which the farmers would
have to take whatever price might be
offered
Mr.. Kendall was advised by the attor-
ney general to get his evidence and
prosecute the people who are giving
false results from the Babcock test, and
he will proceed to do this at once.
New Cream Rates VIII Not Go In.
Under the original plan of the rail-
road companies, the new rates on cream
shipments were to be put into effect on
Kansas railroads on September /. The
Rock Island and Frisco railroads which
made the complaint. have notified the
railroad commissioners that no effort
will be made to put the rate into eff
feet until it is duly authorized by rail-
road commissioners. The hearing is set
for September "a.
1t is possible that instead of allow
ing railroads to increase the rate on
cream shipments, the railroad commits
sioners will order a reduction in the
rate for shipping butter. which would
encourage the establishment of indie
pendent creameries, without injuring the
big creamery interests which are al
ready established in the state