VERMONT DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 51 



millions, that of Vermont was nearly six millions; that shows that we 

 fairly beat any other section in the East according to our territory. 



The Oleomargarine bill attracted a little attention a couple of years 

 ago. As my room at the hotel was pretty well filled with samples of 

 Oleomargarine of all kinds, I probably ought to know more about 

 that than I do about butter. 



I have seen conflicting statements in the papers about the working of 

 that law. I had from Mr. Knight, Secretary of the National Dairy 

 Association, the report of the first fiscal year up to June 30 last, 

 which, I think, was published generally in the State; I had a fresh one 

 from him, the report for the first four months of this fiscal year from 

 July 1 to November 1. The report for the last fiscal year showed a 

 reduction in the production of oleomargarine in the country of 44 per 

 cent. Mr. Knight estimates it from the first four months of the year 

 that there will be a further reduction which will amount to 70 per cent, 

 from what it was last year before the law was passed. 



Now of forestry! Every farmer in Vermont, of course, is interested 

 in that, and every dairyman is a farmer, and the sugar maker of course 

 is. Now, I did not come here, as you all know, to make a speech, but I 

 came for another and much better reason. I had a friend in Washing- 

 ton, and have one, I hope, who is a noted hunter and fisherman in the 

 Canadian woods. It is the custom there in the wild region, you know, 

 to take a guide, and I volunteered to this hunter to act as his guide on 

 his first trip to Vermont, and so came up with him to my place. I had a 

 little conspiracy with Mr. Aitken, as guides are apt to play little pranks 

 occasionally upon their patrons, that we would see what he was made 

 of, so we sent him across the mountain from Rutland to Woodstock 

 yesterday, and we found he was no tender-foot, as you will find. I 

 am glad to say there is no man in Washington who professionally and 

 personally stands higher than the one who will address you to-night. 

 I know what President Roosevelt thinks of him as a friend and that 

 he is without an equal in the country in his professional knowledge. He 

 has sent him almost around the world to our new possessions, and 

 sends him now. He is to leave you at midnight to go to the Pacific 

 coast. I take great pleasure in introducing to you Mr. Giflford Pinchot, 

 Chief of the Forestry Bureau at Washington. I am sorry that I cannot 

 stay to hear him. but I am obliged to go away at once without that 

 pleasure. 



Hon. Gifford Pinchot of Washington, D. C, said: I could not have 

 been introduced to a Vermont audience or to any other audience in a 

 way that would have touched me more than what the Senator has been 

 kind enough to say. I want to say to you, who I know are his friends, 

 how very deeply I feel the honor and pleasure, and the constant satis- 

 faction it is to know that he has been willing to call me his friend, 

 and particularly to have him do it before a Vermont audience. 



There are a good many reasons why I am glad to be here to-night. 

 Senator Proctor sent me over the mountain with Mr. Aitken, which 

 gave me a keen appreciation of the beauty of your scenery and of the 



