Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-01-28
BUTTER MAKER AND
MANAGER
True Spirit of Cooperation Must
Prevai1-By j. j, Farrell,
Minnesota.

I am asked to say few words in
relation to the creamery manager and
the buttermaker.
Dairying is one Of the greatest, if
not the greatest, industries in Ameri-
ca, when we consider all the products
of the dairy, of which buttermaking
is the greatest.
First, I will draw a comparison of
the things that are rural, as the local
or cooperative creamery, whichever
the case may be, is located mostly IN
our rural districts, towns and villages,
and the value of their annual output
of butter varies from $4,000 to $780,
900 and $4,000
Such a business not only needs a
manager, but ability, as well. We will
first look into the affairs of our towns
and villages whose annual disburse-
ments vary from $1,000 to 100000 for
their maintenance, including public
improvements and beautifying the sur
roundings.
We will look at the management
of these towns and villages, which
usually consist of a mayor Or presi-
dent, clerk or secretary, councilmen
or trustees, however they may be des-
ignated, all Of whom are elected by
the people to serve the people to the
best of their ability, and if this ability
is lacking or their services are negli-
gent, they are called to an accounting
at their spring meeting and election.
In many cases the unworthy are cast
aside, and in some cases the worthy
are also cast aside; but the communi-
ty pays the penalty, whether good or
bad.
The creamery, whether Independent,
cooperative or a central plant, as an
organization, is much the same as a
commonwealth in form. The local
creameries' disbursements are small
while their net earnings are large and
profitable to their patrons and COM
munity.
Any organization that handles from
$40 900 to $4,000 and in a number of
cases $4,000 to 100000 of butter
product annually, should have a man
'ager. whether he be a buttermaker,
dairyman or merchant. He should be
fully qualified for the position, and to
that end he must have a keen insight
into the business in all its branches.
It is unnecessary for me to go into
detail in this short time. 1t is enough
to say, he should be educated in the
science of butter making, and should
have broad knowledge of dairy farm
ing in all it's branches.
) But whom do we find in charge of
the management of these creameries,
them are entirely unfit to be called
managers. Some of them are select
ed because they own a 10, 20 Or So
dollar share in a creamery; some, be-
cause they happen to have the greater
number of friends in the organization;
and some because, well, just because
we have to have one. Neither of these
types of managers are really neces-
sary, as the creamery with a good but
'termaker, honest, capable, and good
business head, with no undesirable
manager to harass him, will, in most
cases, be a winner.
l have said few things regarding
the manager, I want to tell you a few
things about the buttermaker, as we
also have a variety of them. If l
were to stop making butter, and were
to hire to a buttermaker, I would not
necessarily look around for one hav-
ing many years Of experience, but for
one we'll qualified; should he have the
experience, so much the better
I will state here some Of the quail
fications he should possess. He should
have liberal education, thorough
knowledge of dairying in all it's de-
tails, including food products, and
some knowledge of the science of
breeding dairy cattle. This, together
with the knowledge of up-to-date but
termaking and a well-balanced head,
with broad and liberal views, and
smile that won't come off, even though
he is in the midst of many and trying
disputes with the patrons, is the kind
Of a man I would have no fear to leave