ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. j^j 



In any convention like this, at the end of a decade, it is fitting to in- 

 quire what real improvement, if any, has been miade in the dairy and 

 creamery industry in this state, and in the United States, during the past 

 ten years. 



In the light of practical experience and intelligent observation it is 

 important that we should inquire into the present condition, in order 

 that we may compare the presen t with the condition existing ten years 

 ago. If we find that improvement has been made we should note well 

 th'e nature and extent of that improvement and find out whether that 

 influen'ce which has brought progress and development may not be ex- 

 tended andS maide more fruitful. 



But not only does the lamp of experience .reveal our present condi- 

 tion and enable us to make a comparison with that of ten years ago, but 

 it points out the mistakes of th e past and signals! the way along ithe 

 path which leads to real' and permanent development. 



B'efore instituting a compari&on between the existing condition of 

 the dairy and creamery industry, a;nd that of ten years ago, we assume 

 first, that the term imiprovement is a comprehensive term which includes 

 not m-erely an increase in the gro ss production of dairy products, in the 

 sitate and country at large, attended with a corresponding increase in 

 the labor and capital employed in the introduction and es'tablisihment of 

 fhe industry over large areas' where it was before unbroken, but in a 

 truer and no less important sense it contemplates a higher average 

 quality in the gross output of dairy products together with a corres- 

 pondiing, reduction in the cost of production. What chiefly concerns us 

 in this inquiry is not whether there are or are not tens of thousands 

 more men, using hundreds of thousands more cows, producing millions 

 of poiunds of dairy products in excess of the production a decade ago; 

 but what does concern us is whether or not the gross output of our flac- 

 tories is of a higher average quality, and whether it has been produced at 

 a lower average cost per pound. 



The wideness of the margin between the cost of production and the 

 selling price of our products is a matter full of interest to all of us. 



