102 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



cause of this I am disposed to be charitable toward some, for the con- 

 clusion they have arrived at, and my mission tonight is to reassure the 

 Dairyman, and impress those who are not dairymen, with the dignity 

 and the importance of the man's profession who is ''Only A Dairy- 

 man," and if I am talking to a man tonight who is prejudiced, my 

 effort will be the same as the little girl whose grandmother visited her 

 home for the first time, and she said to her — "So you are my Grand- 

 mother, are you?" The woman said, "Yes, I am your grandmother on 

 your father's side," and the little girl said, "You'll soon find out you're 

 on the wrong side." 



I would send this message to a legion of my Missouri friends, who 

 are wearing out their land by drawing on its fertility and putting noth- 

 ing back; you are on the wrong side. I am glad that sentiment has 

 changed, and it is not so common any more to hear, he's "Only a Dairy- 

 man," and it is continually getting more frequent to hear of a man as 

 *'Only a Dairyman." There are many reasons why this question 

 should be thoroughly analyzed, and I know of none paramount to your 

 anxiety to help your boys to decide on their vocation. In the Black 

 Hills, as well as in some sections of the west, the strongest secret organi- 

 zation numerically seems to be the Knights of Pythias, so when a young 

 man begins to think of identifying himself with an organization of this 

 kind, he naturally thinks of this, because of its popularity. In some 

 sections the Odd Fellows seem to predominate ; in othere, the Red 

 Men are strong, and in these different localities it is easier to interest 

 a man in the Society that is the most popular. In some localities you 

 find the strongest religious denominations Methodist, in others Presby- 

 terian, in others Christian, and so on. In some communities you will 

 find nearly everybody a professor of religion, and a member of some 

 church, and there is no doubt the popularity of it has much to do with 

 causing an investigation that ultimately leads to action. The endorse- 

 ment of any proposition, by men of standing and influence, carries with 

 it great weight. Some years ago when a Christian preacher was elected 

 President of the United States the revival of interest in the Christian 

 Church was apparent all over the country. Later when a Methodist 

 was made president there is no doubt the Methodist faith grew in 

 favor and many were added to the church. The same thing is true of 

 politics. You are too well acquainted with the politician's tactics to 

 even need a reference. A newspaper reporter once told me during a 

 campaign that his instructions were to report every meeting of the 

 same political faith, and whose cause they were championing, as hav- 

 ing been attended by thousands, and full of enthusiasm, and those of the 

 opponent's party with a very small attendance and no interest. What 



