DAIRY ME;ETING. 121 



the city's trade. An important factor in Augusta's prosperity- 

 are her great banking institutions. The two national banks, two 

 trust companies and two savings banks have resources, per last 

 statements, of nearly eighteen and one-third million dollars, a 

 showing of which few cities of our size can boast. 



We are especially favored in transportation by water and rail. 

 The electric cars that pass our doors make the longest direct run 

 of any in New England, 56 miles. The entire Lewiston, Augus- 

 ta and Waterville Electric Railway system, 145 miles in length, 

 gives ample passenger service, and freight and express service 

 twice a day. 



Augusta is centrally located in this great State. Nothing can 

 promote our commercial welfare more than prosperous agricul- 

 ture. Business depends upon crops. He who makes two blades 

 of grass to grow where but one grew before not only helps the 

 man wh© gets the grass but promotes commerce, manufacturing 

 and transportation. He also makes two freight trains to go 

 where but one went before. When I first took an active part in 

 board of trade work I was impressed with the importance of 

 bringing farmers into the organization. Our State Board of 

 Trade has ever made agriculture a prominent feature of its 

 work, and I believe more farmers should be with us. We are 

 to witness in the near future a wonderful development of Maine 

 agriculture. Aroostook is the pioneer ; other sections are fol- 

 lowing. Kennebec Valley has heard the call. From tide water 

 to our great northern wood Maine is coming into her own. The 

 Maine Dairymen's Association is entitled to great credit for 

 these results. I believe the people of Maine fail to fully appre- 

 ciate the value of this organization, or to grasp the tremendous 

 possibilities of the near future. Perhaps while intent on the 

 great work before them, they have been too modest in making 

 known its value to those not directly interested in their particu- 

 lar lines of work. The man with the cow is learning, the deal- 

 <^r is quick to approve, but I wonder whether the consumer fully 

 realizes the importance of the work. All have to thank this 

 association for better dairy products on the table. I distinctly 

 remember the way butter was made 100 years ago. I helped 

 churn forty years ago and the process had not changed any for 

 the previous sixty. Now all has changed. The process has be- 

 come standardized, like all other great manufacturing processes, 



