22 Thirty-Fifth Annum. Report of the 



the business organizations that we have. They are the most 

 successful business men that we have in our city today. Our city 

 is being- run by people who have been successful on the farms 

 and have come here to educate their children. In our city offices 

 we have an overseer of the poor and a water commissioner, both 

 farmers' sons, who are some of the most successful men that we 

 have here. All through the administration we have farmers 

 and the farmers are a great help in running our city affairs. 



Now, today, I wish to say to you that I, myself, came very 

 near being a farmer. The first work I ever did was on a farm 

 and the reason that I did not stay on the farm was that I could 

 not make the stuiT I planted grow. I made up my mind I could not 

 be a successful farmer so I accepted a position in the store 

 where I have been thirty-five years. 



I heard some person say that this organization was thirty- 

 five years old. so the Dairymen's Association and the business 

 of the mayor of this city are of the same age. 



I did not come here to make a long speech or to take up 

 your time and I could not make a speech if I tried, but all I 

 need to say is that you are welcome to this city and I hope 

 your stay amongst us will be one of pleasure. Every door in 

 this city today is open to you and any of you farmers who get 

 left tonight at your hotel, I am sure of one door that will be open 

 to you, and that is 26 Looniis street. 



(Applause.) 



President Bruce : — We will now listen to a response by Hon. 

 V. I. Spear of Randolph. 



1^. V. I. Spear said : 



Mr, Mayor, ladies and gentlemen : — It is a source of gratifi- 

 cation always on entering a neighbor's home or entering any 

 place to know that our coming there gives pleasure and to 

 receive from our entertainer an expression of that welcome. 



We have come to Montpelier so many times in the past for 

 one thing and another and have always received that cordial 

 greeting and that generous treatment that it is hardly necessary 

 for anybod}' to say that any association in Vermont is welcome 

 at its capital. We know it. At the same time it is fitting to 

 say that we appreciate this feeling and this courtesy and this 

 kindness that has always been manifested to the people of the 

 State by the citizens of Montpelier. 



The Vermont Dairymen's y'Vssociation at its 35th meeting 

 has a right to look back with some satisfaction and pride at the 

 record it has made since its inception. Very few of those at- 

 tending the meeting today can look back, I suppose, to its be- 

 ginning, but we do know that for many years the dairymen of 



