The Dairy Wars: Small Farmers Fight for Survival

The milk ordinance again! The city council has not yet repealed the dairy ordinance to which the farmers made such strenuous objection. We all know the methods by which the beef trust has become supreme. Under the plea of sanitation and cleanliness, they fought for legislation governing the handling and shipping of meat. Now this same beef trust which has taken the meat off the poor man's table is endeavoring to corner the butter and dairy industry. They are employing two methods. First, enormous sums have been spent in an effort to secure legislation permitting the marketing of oleomargarine as butter, tax free. The second method is to impose federal inspection on dairies and creameries, thus trading the small, independent creameries out of existence. If we are fooled into giving up our independent creameries to the beef trust, by the cry of 'sanitation,' we shall soon see butter selling at prohibitive figures. The National Dairy Union and the local granges have taken up the fight for more sanitary conditions, and their efforts are counting. For example, the local grange (Finley No. 414) signed up 95% of the cows in the valley for the tuberculin test. Kennewick council will do well to repeal the ordinance and avoid any part in playing into the hands of the beef trust.