SWINE BKBEDERS' ASSOCIATION. 583 



who are honest and upright in all dealings, and then only after a very 

 rigid examination, thereby proving themselves to be thoroughly compe- 

 ent for the judging of swine. And this, my brother breeders, is the only 

 way Avherein I can see where we as a body of breeders can improve the 

 single judge system. 



The next cautious step to be taken is by the fair association who 

 employs or has the judge in charge. I would urge that only competent, 

 trustworthy and reliable men be employed. 



By all means never employ a man who is hunting the job, for it too 

 often happens that he is either looking for a rake-ofC or has an ax to 

 grind. I would urge that the names of all judges be printed in the pre- 

 mium list, so that each e^fhibitor may know who is to pass on his exhibit, 

 and if he doesn't care to attend, then let him stay at home or go some- 

 where else. 



With the right kind of a judge employed and on the ground, and the 

 animals to be passed on in the ring, we come to the point where the great- 

 est amount of improvement can possibly be made in the single judge sys- 

 tem, viz., by having the Superintendent clear the ring, so to speak, and 

 allow no one to be in the ring where the judging is going on, except the 

 owner of the stock and his assistants, or those who necessarily have 

 charge of the stock being at the time exhibited. When I say to have no 

 one in the ring except those actually needed, I mean to exclude all those 

 who call themselves newspaper men, for they have no more right in the 

 show ring than any other man. The judges could do their work as well, 

 and possibly better, if they were out of the crowd, and were not jostled 

 around so, and thereby could possibly make their report a little more 

 accurate. 



To remind you, brothers, of the necessity of keeping the ring clear, 

 I will call your attention to the surroundings at our last State Fair, when 

 I saw our friend Mugg actually have to climb over the fences and go 

 around the crowds to get to see the hogs he was passing on, and those 

 of you who had the pleasure to attend the stock show at Chicago know 

 the conditions there were as bad if not worse than at our State Fair. 



Another way the system might be improved is for the Superintendent 

 to call out the hogs, and order them up at the proper time, and not have 

 the judge waiting, and he not knowing when they were all out and ready 

 for him to begin passing on them. 



So this, my brother breeders, I believe is the best way to improve the 

 single judge system: Be more careful to whom you issue license, select 

 the best of judges, and after you have them employed give them a chance 

 to see the stock on which they are passing, by keeping the crowd back; 

 have the Superintendent do his full duty; exhibitors not to answer ques- 

 tions till they are asked by the judge, and when so asked to be sure and 

 tell the truth, and when all this is done we will find the single judge 

 system will be greatly improved. 



