ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
51 
p in tin cans as “hardware,” are tricks which only imperial governments, (actingin 
ie interests of aristocracy), in their dealings with foreign competitors can play. I 
abmit that it is asking too much of our American farmers that, after they have run 
ie gaunlet of all the domestic bears that throng our home boards of trade they should 
e compelled to wrestle, single-handed, with all the aristocratic and imperial tigers 
lat infest the commercial markets of foreign countries. We are aware of the fact 
lat the combined attack of the imperial governments and capitalists of Europe, on 
ie prices of the products of the soil, have depressed their market value until their 
wn agriculturalists have been brought to the verge of ruin, and that a very large 
umber of the better class of their farmers have emigrated to this country in order to 
scape the ruin that is involved in the competition between American farmers and 
luropean aristocrats, while the poorer classes, like the Irish peasantry, are groaning 
nder evils which the government seem powerless to remove. And here it is proper 
) enquire : What special interests the American farmers have in furnishing the 
tboring classes of Europe with cheap food, when they know that an abundant sup- 
ly of cheap food will enable the aristocratic classes to extort from their laboring poor 
le largest possible amount of work for the least possible amount of wages? Then, 
gain, as the export price of the surplus fixes the value of the entire product of the 
)il, I suggest—and for the purpose of calling attention to the subject I put this sug- 
estion in the form of a statement—that American farmers, rather than submit the 
alue of their products to the dictation of imperial and aristocratic governments, 
ould afford to contribute a sum which, if judiciously expended, would be sufficient to 
ay the expense of transporting such a number of artizans as would be required to 
insurne the surplus products of the soil, for those artizens, when paid the American 
rice for their labor, could well afford to pay a fair price for their supplies, and then 
American farmers would be freed from the greed of imperial power. If our American 
iongress were half as much alive to the interests of their constituents as the imperial 
overnments are to the claims of their aristocracy, they would be on the alert to de- 
ise measures for building up American industries until the number of American ar- 
Lzans employed would be sufficient to consume the entire product of the soil. As we 
annot expect Congress to make any such grand undertaking in the interests of Amer¬ 
en industries, we leave the whole matter of devising means for furnishing their 
iboring and fighting classes with cheap food without destroying their own agricul- 
ural interests, to be solved by the imperial governments and aristocracy of Europe, 
aid here we would remark that our only object in referring to our export trade is to 
nforce more clearly what remains to be done to give permancy to our system of asso¬ 
rted dairying. From what has been said I think all will admit that the principal 
hing to be done is to manufacture cheese that is adapted to the tastes and wants of 
he American people, so that our entire product may be consumed at home. Say 
vhat we will about cheap lands and improved style of agricultural machinery, we all 
now that the dairy industry requires skilled and, therefore, expensive labor, and that 
- is the height of folly to bring this class of labor in competition with the pauper 
tbor of Europe, and beside this our annual cheese product is hardly more than three 
undred and fifty millions of pounds. Were this entire amount consumed at home it 
muld give but seven pounds, or one hundred and twelve ounces, per year, or two 
unces per week, to each inhabitant, and this quantity would hardly be sufficient as a 
elish, saying nothing about the nutritious value of cheese as an article of food. Then 
gain’ there should be a large increase in the quantity of cheese produced in this 
ountry. Consider for a moment that our annual butter product amounts to about 
,500,000,000 pounds, and that it requires from twenty-five to thirty pounds of milk, 
n an average, to produce a pound of butter, and that if we utilized that skimmed 
lilk for making a good, palatable and nourishing cheese; then our cheese product 
vould be quadrupled and we should not only have enough for a relish for our own 
>eople but a liberal quantity for the suffering poor of Europe. We are aware that it 
mild require more skill on the part of those engaged in cheese-making than we can 
low command in order to accomplish this object. And this reminds us of another 
opic for discussion before this convention, to-wit: What the state of Illinois should 
Lo to promote the dairy industry, where the subject for training our young men for 
his purpose will be considered. 
Then, again, in order to give permanency to associated dairying great care should 
>e exercised in the manufacturing, storing and distribution of our butter. While it is 
rue that our best creamery butter takes a very high rank, and commands the highest 
aarket price, still all must admit that there seems to be a want of uniformity, either 
n the quality or quantity produced, (of both butter and cheese), and this is manifest- 
d in the want of uniformity in the dividends made, and it must be admitted that 
rant of uniformity in the dividends begets suspicion and distrust on the part of the 
•atrons. Then, again, if the business of associated dairying is to become permanent 
nd successful it is of the utmost importance that those engaged in it shall be men of 
trict integrity, as well as of pecuniary responsibility. The position which the owner 
nd operator of a factory that is conducted on the associated dairy system occupies is 
