ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN S ASSOCIATION. 25 



I would not be a faithful chronicler of the ''doings and 

 acts ®f the board," if I failed to speak of its ups and downs 

 in life ; of the latter of which, however, it has fortunately 

 had but few. The first year of its existence was but little 

 more than an experiment. The following years showed 

 that it was firmly established, and had become an institution 

 of the land, and a refuge for all dairymen and factorymen 

 who would seek its shelter, for its portals were ever wide 

 open to the oppressed of both these branches of business. 



In the year 1876 or 1877 a strong effort was made by 

 several of the Chicago dealers to break down the board, 

 but they signally failed. Dr. Tefft, the honored president, 

 counseled the factorymen not to yield to the importunate 

 demands to send goods on commission, but rather club 

 together and start one of their number out as a salesman, 

 with instructions to visit St. Louis and other cities, and sell 

 their products there. But before the plan could be put into 

 effect, St. Louis came to its, and we solved the problem of 

 what to do with the cheese with little difficulty. Chicago 

 dealers refrained from visiting the board for about three 

 months, but, like the prodigal, they came back, even willing 

 to be forgiven for their sins of omission. Since then they 

 have been very peaceable, make very good members, and 

 visit the board punctually every week. During the period 

 referred to, while the dealers failed to visit the board, the 

 factorymen were sorely tried, as were their pocket-books 

 and the patience of their patrons, but not the cheese they 

 made. 



The organization of the board has proven beneficial in 

 more ways than one. It has been the means of bringing 

 the factorymen and dealers into a closer relation ; through 

 it factorymen have become acquainted with the prominent 

 dealers in the leading cities ; and, when the custom prevailed, 

 during the early period of the board, of selling goods largely 

 by sample, factorymen had opportunities of examining their 

 neighbors' products and comparing them with their own, 

 without being considered inquisitive or trying to steal the 

 trade. And I would say that these comparisons have been 

 highly beneficial ; for I well remember one factoryman who 

 complained that he could not get as much for his cheese as 

 his neighbor, and he imploringly appealed to the president 

 for advice. Nor did he appeal in vain ; for the president 



