NINTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VII 329 
Do the central creameries doing business in your vicinity pay the 
same price for cream as elsewhere or do they pay different prices in 
different localities? Different prices in different places. 
Do buyers for central plants in your vicinity grade the cream? Not 
at all except on basis of test. 
Do they reject any cream on account of bad quality? No. 
Are the present rates on cream in your vicinity favorable to the central 
plants at the expense of the local plants? Yes. 
What, in your opinion, will be the result of a continuation of these 
rates? General disaster to the local creameries." 
From such a showing it would seem as though the creameries of Iowa 
were awake to the situation and yet, in the face of this sentiment, no 
organized assistance has been rendered by Iowa in this fight. And if we 
are to judge the future by the past what difference will there be in cream 
conditions of Iowa from that of Kansas? Let me again quote Chief 
Webster: 
"They went down possibly because they had no assistance. If they had 
the same assistance in Kansas that they had in Minnesota they would 
probably have them (the local creamery) in Kansas yet." 
In all this argument about rates and their effect it will have on the 
different systems of creamery management, one basis fact should not be 
overlooked, and that it what is best for the producer. Let me quote Com- 
missioner Prouty: 
"Now, what I would like to do, I don't know now how^ much bearing 
it would have on the case, but what I would like to do is to get at it. 
What is the best method for the farmer to handle his business? What 
secures him the best market for his cream? In what way would the 
producer look at this quesion? It seems to me from the standpoint of 
largest financial returns, which gives the most and which is best in the 
long run the centralizer or the creamery? 
As to prices paid let me say that according to the summary compiled 
by Hon. B. D. White of the dairy division, Washington, from reports re- 
ceived from the creameries themselves it appears that in 1907 the farmers 
in Minnesota were paid by the local creamery an average of 27.99 cents 
for butter fat and the cost of making per pound of fat 2.28 cents; in Wis- 
consin the net price to the farmer was 28.76 cents per pound, cost to 
make, 2.10 cents. In Iowa the farmers were paid 28.20 cents for butter 
fat and it cost 1.85 cents to make a pound of butter. 
The average price in Nebraska is 23.95 cents and certainly there must 
be some good reason why the local creameries of Iowa pay net to the 
farmer 28.20 as against the 23.95 paid to the farmer in Nebraska. It is 
well said that this great difference is not accounted for by any change 
in natural conditions. 
Let me quote you prices paid by the David Cole Creamery Company at 
Ross, Iowa, in comparison with WisiTonsin Co-operative creameries: 
