ig6 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



every instance, over every other state, territory or nation that exhibited 

 there) — during spring, summer and fall, people would come to our space 

 in the Agricultural building from the eastern part of this country and 

 some of them were so much astonished as to be almost angry, and they 

 would exclaim, "Why, how does this come? What does this mean? 

 We have never regarded Missouri as a great Agricultural country." One 

 man said to me: "This will do a great thing for Missouri. Why no- 

 body thinks of Missouri like this back in our country. We have always 

 regarded Missouri as a border state. We really back in our country 

 when I lirst talked about coming out to the World's Fair" — now this 

 sounds fishy, but it happened — "when I first talked about coming to the 

 World's Fair, my people told rne : 'You had better not go down there to 

 Missouri. Some of those Missourians will kill you before you ever get 

 back,' and I confess to you that I was silly enough to have fears on that 

 subject. But I have come and seen your' display and I see as fine men 

 and women here as I see in any part of the world; and this World's l-'air 

 will be a great advertisement for Missouri, will cause a great flood of 

 immigration to come into Missouri." 1 said: "Well, Missouri is here, 

 they can come if they want to. But," I said, "let me tell you something 

 about the characteristics of a Missourian. You will never find one of 

 them that will beg you to come and settle among them, ^'ou are wel- 

 come if you come and you are welcome to stay if you want to, and if you 

 don't want to stay, you are just as welcome to go away as you were to 

 come." He said: "Why are they that kind of people?" I replied, "I 

 can explain it to you." "Missourians spring from a race of pioneers that 

 came over into this country in an early day, married, as my father and 

 mother did, as mere girls and boys, and very frequently journeyed over 

 into the wilderness here on horseback bringing their worldly possessions 

 along with them. They located on a good strip of timber, by a good 

 spring, built them a cabin and began life and lived happy and contented 

 and raised a large family. They have always known that they had a 

 good thing, they have always been satisfied with their surroundings and 

 you never see one of them on a housetop, blowing a horn to attract some- 

 body's attention to get liim to come and settle here by the side of them ; 

 but still, if he comes, he is welcome." T further said: "These people that 

 you find in Missouri come from such stock as that, and while we have 

 the best people that the sun shines on, wliile we have the most hospitable 

 people in the world, thev won't beg you to abide with them, but you are 

 welcome if you want to come. And T say to you now, as a Missourian, 

 if vou want to chancre vour home, T tell von to come to Missouri and 



