LIVE STOCK BBEEDEKS' ASSOCIATION. 233 



what you shall do or what your policy shall be. They are dependent upon 

 you and not you upon them. You may support them bountifully and en- 

 courage them to better exertions or you may crusli the life out of them, 

 and nobody but you will answer for it, because you hold the power you 

 do, because you occupy the position you do. And I may add as a logical 

 sequence, that whatever the efficiency or the laclv of it in any agency cal- 

 culated to uplift and promote agriculture, it is upon our agricultural 

 organizations that shall rest the final verdict. 



Among other things I believe that the agricultural organizations will 

 see to it that the colleges and experiment stations, which are their special 

 charge, shall receive adequate support, not only because it is their lieculiar 

 duty, but because it will pay. And when both our colleges and organiza- 

 tions shall more fully understand the natural dependence of one and the 

 duty of the other, then we shall get on faster with agricultural develop- 

 ment. 



It is poor business policy to permit other people and other competing 

 countries to know more of our resources and agricultural methods than 

 we know ourselves, and yet that is exactly what we are doing. At the 

 present time duly commissioned agents of four foreign governments, to 

 wit: Germany, Belgium, Japan and Brazil, are traveling through our 

 States studying live stock conditions. These experts applied to and were 

 given letters of introduction from the Department of Live Stock of the 

 Universal Exposition to stockmen in Indiana and other States, and when 

 they shall have completed their investigations and made their repoi'ts, 

 their governments and people will know more about our conditions than we 

 ourselves. I hold this to be a bad policy — for us — and that it is poor 

 economy to neglect or delay the closest study possible of the industrial 

 conditions of this and other countries. 



There is a future for live stock interests not yet dreamed of< and their 

 future is very largely in the hands of your Association and will be what 

 the live stock people make them. It is for you to say what sliall be done, 

 and how, and when. The future of 3'our college and station is largely in 

 your hands. You have made a splendid beginning; you have given to 

 your agricultural college a splendid new building. Will you take the next 

 step? I am confident you will not stop with a great building. Special 

 appropriations for special purposes — that is the next step — the great prin- 

 ciple that will bring about rapid and increased development in agriculture. 



The activity of your college and experiment station and the usefulness 

 of your State fair depends upon funds entirely. If there is available for 

 the great work which these agencies may accomplish only what can be 

 spared out of the appropriations from the general government and the gate 

 receipts at the annual fair, the development will be slow indeed, but if 

 the agricultural associations represented at this meeting see the need of 

 spreading out upon the broader plain of aggressive development and see 

 to it that means are provided, your college and station and State fair can 



