SWINE breeders' ASSOCIATION. 575 



swine, and by skillful mating to produce the desired type of the most 

 popular porker on the block, and by showing our skill in marketing the 

 product in the markets of the world, we are advancing step by step, and 

 In the face of our advancements still greater demands of skill are being 

 made upon our progressive movements in the future. To be American 

 is to be independent. Freedom of thought, of action and of opinion we 

 admire. With these thoroughly American prerogatives comes the indis- 

 putable right of opinion. If we admire any one thing in the character 

 of a man more than any other it is that vigor of brain which enables 

 him to think for himself, freely and fairly, and to conscientiously hold 

 himself open to conviction; and, being convinced, to have that stalwart- 

 ness of true manhood to adapt and follow those convictions. So, much 

 greater success attends such a course in whatever line of life it may 

 occur. The happiness and satisfaction as a result is greater when com- 

 pared; and while this is true, to be constantly changing is considered 

 as a rolling stone, and is not to be admired or should not be encouraged. 

 A man should have well-studied reasons for modifying a cqurse once 

 adopted before abandoning the pursuit. One might readily determine 

 that a change is advisable in his course of procedure, and it is a fact that 

 circumstances sometimes alter cases and some have experienced mis- 

 fortune in seeking for more enlightenment. But such should not be con- 

 demned, as they have learned the lesson from actual experience. A 

 sufficient cause for breeding a certain class of stock is that it is their 

 fancy for certain breeds, and with others it must have a money consid- 

 eration or value; but all realize the one potent fact that money does 

 make the mare go, even in the selection of breeding stock, as we have 

 seen the breeder spending his money freely because of the popularity 

 of the strain of blood represented in the sale. This being the case, then 

 we must reason that certain lines of blood make money. Why? Because 

 they have become popular and make the breeder money. It seems poor 

 reasoning, but it is true, that a certain strain of blood is sought after 

 because it does sell and is popular as a strain of blood. But it is also 

 a fact that some of the so-called popular strains of blood are based on 

 fictitious prices and should be investigated as to the individual worth 

 of the so-called popular blood lines. This being the fact, breeders should 

 be very careful in selecting their breeding stock. And yet they should 

 not be so slow as to be abandoned in activity and drop behind the lines 

 of progressive breeders. Good and sufficient reasons are absolutely neces- 

 sary in a monejf consideration, in all cases where the selection of breed- 

 ing stock is called for, as the judgment and reputation of the breeder 

 depend largely on the real merit of his breeding stock. 



It is not my intention to speak in any uncomplimentary terms of any 

 breed or breeders. But it is embarrassing to a young breeder, or even 

 the older ones, to learn from experience that he has paid a fictitious price 

 for an individual that really has but little real merit. My main object 



