96 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



are devoting their lives and talents to the upbuilding and uplifting 

 of their fellow men; but above all, standing on the very pinnacle, 

 representing the highest type of American and thus necessarily of 

 world's citizenship — the honest, hard-working. God-fearing Mis- 

 souri farmers. 



So in addressing an audience like this, I feel like dropping all 

 formality and simply saying, "Hello, boys! Howdy, girls!" It 

 seems to bring us closer together, as it were, raises me up to the 

 level of the audience and enables us to talk face to face; for I want 

 to assure you, my friends, that I am going to talk and am not going 

 to make a speech. I shall not do so for fear that I might be caught 

 in the predicament of a friend of mine who was a member of his 

 local school board and was in the habit of occasionally making the 

 children a talk. Being fearful of fire, he usually talked on the sub- 

 ject of fire drills, and always asked this question, "Now, children, 

 what would you do if I were to tell you that the house was on fire?" 

 The children were taught to give a stock answer in concert. On 

 one occasion, however, my friend wished to talk to them on another 

 matter, and thus addressed them : "Now, children, what would 

 you do if I were to tell you that I am going to make a speech?" 

 The children answered in unison, "We would quietly rise, form in 

 line and leave the house as quickly as possible." 



We are engaged in a great work in this State, and though the 

 struggle has been long and at times discouraging, the march of 

 progress has begun at last and we are beginning to get results. 

 One of the indications of the changed sentiment in regard to the 

 importance of the farmers to the community was clearly illustrated 

 today. Across the street, as we came up from the depot of the 

 "Katy" railroad, we saw suspended over Broadway a banner on 

 which we read the words, "Welcome, Mr. Farmer," and on all sides 

 we were met with smiles and greetings until we really began to 

 feel that we were of some importance in the world. 



Most of you can remember when only a few years ago if a 

 crowd of farmers were seen straggling along through a town, on 

 all sides we would hear the cry, "See the hayseeds," or "Hello, 

 clodhopper ; got your chores done yet ?" and other such alleged witty 

 remarks. But I want to say right here that I am afraid that 

 certain men whom I will not name are masquerading as farmers, 

 when in fact they are not farmers but agriculturists. Now, the 

 trite definition of farmer and agriculturist is as good now as it was 

 fifty years ago. "A farmer," it is said, "is a man who works his 

 farm, while an agriculturist is a man who works the farmer." So 



