DAIRY MEETING. 57 



ness without studying them out ourselves. It is for that reason 

 that these meetings have been prohfic of so much good, and it is 

 for that reason that we have called here to this meeting Prof. 

 Beach, Prof. Hills, Dr. Smead, Dr. Whitaker and other men 

 who have made a special study on special lines of our work. 

 We expect them to tell us those principles which govern and 

 control our business that we may take them home and immedi- 

 ately begin to profit by what we have learned, and thus increase 

 our income. These are some of the motives which have led us to 

 leave those pleasant homes that have been so feelingly spoken 

 of, — and they are pleasant homes, the farm homes of Maine, 

 the pleasantest of any in this country. These are the mercenary 

 principles which have led us to leave those pleasant homes and 

 partake of your hospitality; and then, beyond all this, there is 

 a principle which should govern every true man today, that great 

 moral principle of leaving for the next generation something 

 better than he has had himself. Our fathers left us better cows, 

 better tilled farms with which to pursue our business than were 

 left them by their fathers. It is a moral obligation that we leave 

 to the next generation better cows, better tilled acres and better 

 products from our dairies. Rev. Edward Everett Hale never 

 pronounced a greater truism than when he said, "The greatest 

 gift of man is today." There are more people today enjoying 

 the gifts that God has bestowed upon us than there ever were 

 before. They are entitled today to better homes and better 

 things than they were yesterday. Progression should follow 

 every man from the cradle to the grave and throughout the 

 rounds of Eternity. It is that spirit, coupled with the spirit 

 of gain which induces us to make our best endeavors in any 

 profession, that should bind us together at this meeting, and 

 make us ready to go forth and use any ideas we are able to take 

 from the meeting in our own business and preach them to those 

 around us who are engaged in the same lines. 



We thank you again for the hospitality extended to us. We 

 will endeavor to deserve it. We will endeavor to show in the 

 next year that we have profited by what we have received here. 

 We will make this meeting a banner meeting of the Maine 

 Dairvmen's Association. 



