The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1912-03-29
Figures Not Correct. .
Net profit

Figures Not Correct.
But investigation has shown that
even these figures are incorrect. Ask
ed about the item OF ~ hours labor
in churning 80 pounds of butter, the
ranchers who do chur laughed it to
scorn. Twenty minutes" they say,
is ample" This cuts this item down
to less than cents And the main
| hgure, that received by the rancher
tor his butter, good ranch butter (for
there is plenty such) is stated, on in
quiry among both the ranchers and
the grocers as being thirty cents,
instead of Is cents; which with the
trifling little item that butter wraps
can be bought at the rate of $3.50 for
1oO, i'll small quantities or % of
cent each, brings the total proceeds
for so pounds of butter up to 5000
and the total cost down to ...... COZ
leaving net profit of ........ 2.o8
Creamery figures, profit ..... 81
| AiA1NiNANS Z.Ul
Another triaing difference in favor
of the farmer, but these trhes don't
count when one is figuring on the
side of the creamery.
However, this showing. whether
correct or otherwise, does not touch
the real cause of dissatisfaction. Dis
putes or contentious along this line
only serve to obscure the real issue.
Does the Rancher Get Square Deal7
! The real point at issue is whether
or not the farmer gets square deal.
| This is the nub of the whole mat
ter. Does he get square deal from
the merchant Does he get square
deal from the creamery? Does COM
bination exist whose object is to
force the dairymen to take their cream
to the creamery?
| In support of the last named con-
tention is instanced the sudden drop in
the wholesale price of butter, about
five weeks ago, or Whereabouts, to 22H
cents, forcing the price of ranch butter
to 20 cents, at which time, it is said,
the announcement was made that the
management Of one of the local cream
cries stated his intention to force
ranch butter so low-and keep it there
that the dairymen must either bring
his cream to the creamery or go out
of business. In effect this move prov
ed so much of boomerang that it
was promptly dropped and the price
of butter went up again, as every
housewife in this vicinity knows.
Then there is the undoubted fact
that several of our grocers, finding
themselves overstocked with ranch
butter, and without other outlet than
the local demand, have endeavored to
some extent to influence the dairymen
to patronize the creameries; and this
the more so because as everyone
knows, much of the ranch butter
brought in to town is not good. One
groceryman states his loss on ranch
butter as at least ten per cent, that
at least that amount must be thrown
out as unsaleable. But the fullest in
vestigation has failed to show any
sign of the existence of any combina-
ton or agreement, of any nature. be-
yond the facts above stated; and it is
believed this portion of the matter
may be dropped.
Up to the Creameries.
This leaves squarely defined issue
between the dairymen and the cream
cries; and, summing up the results of
number Of interviews, the conten-
ton of the dairyman is as follows:
That, two and three years ago. when
the existence of the Farmers Coop
erative Creamery-the Lucerne-fur-
nished competitive conditions, the
price of butter was kept up around the
40 cent figure. At that time and up
to the time of change of ownership
of the Lucerne, all the dairymen claim
to have received high tests" for but
ter fat. in many cases from the same
cattle. kept and fed under the same
conditions, whose cream now receives
low tests. That the former price for
hauling cream from say the Dixie dis
trict, was cents per gallon when.
owing to competition. neither of the
drivers for the creameries could secure
full loads. That tests of the cream
were then made at the ranch, and the
farmer was given a check against the
subsequent report accompanying the
monthly cream check.
Paid to Keep Cows.
That. finally. at that time, 1t paid