328 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
rate for the entire territory involved, or one rate for east of the Missouri 
river and a different one west of the river. Their leading attorney pro- 
fessed at both hearings, that he did not know what they did want, but, 
Judge Hainer of Nebraska said that he didn't know but what it would 
be a good thing to place a Mason and Dixon line around Wisconsin, Min- 
nesota and eastern Iowa, and give that territory a higher rate than the 
balance of the territory where the centralizers controlled the business." 
No doubt in thinking it over, the rich pickings in Minnesota has 
aroused anew the cupidity of the centralizers and hence this move on 
the part of their secretary to obtain information seeking to place Minne- 
sota in the ranks of centralizing states. 
The state of Iowa in 1900 had 914 creameries and in 1908 only 552, the 
falling off largely due to the work of the centralizers in the state. Pres- 
ident Haskell of the Beatrice Cre^ery Company testified that when the 
company he represents started in Chicago, in order to obtain business, 
he shut up ten creameries around Elkader, Iowa. 
Hon. H. R. Wright, Dairy and Food Commissioner of Iowa, sent out a 
circular letter to all the creameries of his state as follows: 
"Dear Sir, — There is pending before the Interstate Commerce Com- 
mission a petition by the rairoads seeking to raise the transportation 
rates on cream shipped to Chicago. This movement is also supported by 
an organization of Wisconsin dairy manufacturers and producers and by 
three associations of Minnesota. 
The undesigned expects to attend the hearing of this case as a witness 
in regard to Iowa conditions, and very much desires to know the ideas 
of the buttermakers and creamery managers on this subject, so that he 
may accurately represent them to the commission. 
Will you kindly answer the following questions and add such other 
information and opinions as you may desire? Please also present this 
matter to your secretary or manager and get his opinion as well as yours 
upon this same sheet. 
The matter of cream rates is of very great importance and you are 
urgsd not to neglect this letter. 
In order to be of value your answer must be at hand by next Sunday, 
as the hearing begins Monday morning next. 
Yours truly, 
H.R. Weight, 
Commissioner." 
To this letter 293 were returned of which 25 did not volunteer any in- 
formation, not having come in contact sufficiently. Seven thought the 
rates were all right as they were, while 243 answered as follows: 
Have present shipping rates on cream been any advantage to your 
creamery business? No. 
Or to milk and cream producers of your community? No. 
Does the shipping of cream to central plants result in the production 
of a better or poorer quality of cream than formerly? Poorer. 
