The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-03-06
LOSSTO THECREAMERIES
COMMISSION PAID FOR SELLING
OF BUTTER.
w. w. Wall, Secretary Of the Dairy
Department, Offers Some Elk
ceIient Suggestions.

| 1T seems strange thing that the
creameries of Minnesota should be
compelled to pay commissioners of about
million dollars annually for selling
their product to eastern consumers
said w. w. Wall, secretary of the
state dairy and food department 1T
is a tremendous tax, and ways and
means should be adopted by dairymen
and creamery managers to eliminate
it. That million dollars would sound
good in the pockets of our farmers and
might just as well be there, Judging
! from conditions prevailing in the coun-
ties of Freedom and Steele, where the
best creameries find ready market
for their butter at top prices f. o. b. at
their stations, and no commission is
paid.
"Of course quality is what brings
cash buyers to their doors, and that is
what every creamery and every dairy
farmer must strive for if they would
eliminate the million paid in commits
siOns.
| L
for the dairy farmers of Minnesota
to perform. for their own benefit and
! from purely selfish standpoint, than
to furnish perfectly sweet and SAN
itary raw product to their local cream
cries that their finished product may
command the highest price at their
own shipping stations, and that with
out commissions. When one thinks of
the high standard in the markets of
Minnesota butter it almost seems a
parody to think of it costing our
creameries a million dollars annually
to place it in the hands of the buying
public.
'In 1906 the total running expenses
about twice the amount paid by them
for commissions for the sale of their
product. The remedy lies with the
dairy farmer and creamery managers,
for if the farmer will deliver pure
sweet milk or cream to the creamery
and the managers hire only first-class
buttermakers they will find buyers at
their plant willing to pay the highest
market price for their product with
out charging for commission. There
lis great room for education along the
lines Indicated, and when creamery
patrons do their part faithfully and
intelligently and cooperate creamery
management is conducted as closely
to proper methods as those used by
the central plants then new era will
dawn and the farmer will be the chief
beneficiary.
''Some creamery managers, with a
false idea of economy, will hire a
cheap buttermaker, cheap at least in
amount of salary received and the
chance is he will lose them ten times
his salary in low overrun. That kind
of economy spells ruin. Some Mime
sofa creameries, according to reports
from Washington, ID. c., have shown
monthly losses of hundreds of dollars
from this cause. What business on
earth could stand such a drain ex-
cept a cooperative creamery and live?
These are not pleasant facts to relate,
but they must be told that correction
Iof the fault may follow.
GA great work is being done for the
advancement of the cause of diversi-
fled farming in Minnesota, and the
whole heart of the dairy and food
commission is the cause; but the tink-
ing cymbals of eloquence in laudation
of the dairy farmer and buttermaker
will be worse than wasted if there is
not aroused a quickening sense of
their duty in the contest for better
conditions and better products
"They deserve much praise for what
has already been accomplished in Min
nesota; but this is more their imme-
date cause-one of financial self Fin
terest-and that million dollars divided
among them is certainly worth the
effort for better raw and finished dairy
T; products. That million dollars paid
| to the commission men of Chicago and
New York amounts to almost one
twentieth of S6,OOO,OOO pounds of but
| ter sold in 1906. Think of it and then
act"