ILLINOIS DAIRYMENS ASSOCIATION. 19 



butter steadily decreasing from year to year. I have same territory, the same 

 butter-makers, and the same patrons substantially, but my butter is not up 

 in quality and price as it used to be. I ascribe it to the excessive competition 

 prevailing; i. e. , it is one of its results. I have lost my influence over patrons in 

 securing the best quality of cream. If I make any criticisms of their modes and 



practices, they say to me: 'Mr. , if you don't want my cream, I will let the 



other creamery have it. Do just as you like about it. Take it or leave it.' " 

 But the loss of one or two cents a pound on the net proceeds of a season 

 means five or ten per cent, of its value; or, of the entire season's results, 

 enough difference to make any community in a few years rich or poor, thrifty 

 or unthrifty, according to the circumstances in the case. 



Further, the idea of co-operation implies the doing of equal and exact jus- 

 tice to all included within the co-operative limits. This, an excessive and 

 unprincipled competition greatly interferes with. It can properly be de- 

 manded by every fair and honest patroa of a creamery that every other pat- 

 ron should be as fair and honest as himself. Indeed, this is an essential part 

 of the implied contract. But in th^ case of excessive competition no re- 

 strain' s can be imposed, and no peoaity can be made to follow attempts to 

 violate the principles of equity, except the possible inconvenience of chang- 

 ing from one creamery to another. The straight and honorable patron is 

 powerless; the owner of the creamery is powerless; and the co-operative ele- 

 ment is rendered a nullity. 



Further the co-operative element in the relation of creamery and patrons 

 requires that the price of milk or cream shall vary with the market price of 

 the finished product. Contracts for the future are mere speculation as a 

 rule. If the transaction is large and the turn of the market unfavorable to 

 the creamery, ruin is liable to come to the business and loss and disaster fol- 

 low to all concerned. If the turn of the market should be the other way 

 among the numerous patrons there is sure to be more or less dissatisfaction 

 and a more or less breaking up of the condition of friendly reciprocity which 

 should subsist between creamery and j)atron. Patrons may damage their 

 own interests by exacting too much from the creamery as well as by accept- 

 ing too little, and a greedy grasping after an unreasonable share of the profit 

 on the part of the creamery owner is sure to bring retaUation, disturb cor- 

 diality of feeling, and bring loss to all concerned. 



^ The remedy for most of these evils can only come from intelligent and 

 wise action on the part of the creamery patrons of a given locality. Thev 

 should study to prevent an unseemly and extensive competition. They as 

 the encouraging source, will surely in tie end pay the expense of it. It has 

 been said that no people in the world enjoy paying taxes like Americans 

 provided they are only indirect, sugar-coated with some plausible pretense! 

 It would seem, however, that even American dairymen could see that the 

 maintenance of superfluous creameries, superfluous teams for hauling cream 

 and milk, superfluous men for manufacturing and handling the product is 

 an extra expense of which they will surely bear their full share; if not' at 

 once, they will do so before the outcome is reached. 



Another thing the patrons of creameries may properly take note of is that 

 the expense of manufacturing butter in all well-regulated creameries is 

 nearly the same, and the value of the product does not widely differ When 



