o 



96 .BOARD OF AORICULTUKE. 



Indiana is a glorious State, glorious on account of the achievements 

 of her sons. 



First in education; first in reforms, and must be first at the St. Louis 

 Exposition. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 



JOHX AV. HOLTZMAN, MAYOR. 



Mr. President and Members of the Farmers' State- Congress of Indi- 

 ana — I feel honored in being permitted to extend to you a most cordial 

 welcome to the greatest convention city of this country. 



We are all justly proud of the Hoosier capital, because it is one of 

 the most beautiful and progressive cities in the world, and last, but not 

 least, because it is our capital city. The people of Indianapolis are proud 

 of her citizenship and proud of the citizenship of our State, and they al- 

 ways stand ready to extend the glad hand of welcome to all those who 

 honor us by coming within Ker gates. 



You are to be congratulated upon the formation of this association. 

 It shows the proper spirit and the proper desire to keep abreast of the 

 times. It has only been in the last few years that the farmers of this 

 country have made any general or concerted effort to improve their con- 

 dition. I remember the time very well when we would go to town once 

 a week to get our mail, and sometimes, when very busy, only once in two 

 weeks, and unless some neighbor brought our mail we had to go \Vithout 

 it until some member of the household would get time to go to tlie 

 postoffice. 



What a wonderful change has taken place! Today you have a free rural 

 delivery, and instead of reading news a week or two old, you have it 

 brought to you every day and served to you just as fresh as it is to your 

 brother in the city, and I predict that in a short time every farmhouse 

 will have a telephone, so that you can talk to the city or your neighbors, 

 while taking the much-needed rest from the arduous labors of the day. 



You are also to be congratulated upon the fact that you are awakening 

 and more fully realize than ever before that you are one of the great 

 factors in our body politic, and one that must be reckoned with by the 

 great political parties in the future. And also that you are beginning 

 to look out for your own interests while helping others. I do not want 

 to advocate selfishness, but self-preservation is the first law of nature. 

 and if you do not take care of your own interests, there will be no one 

 to take care of them for j-ou. 



It is well for you to get together in meetings of this kind and to ex- 

 change viewp on ninttfrs rflnting 1o your nfFnirs. Tf broadens your views 



