Report of Missouri Farmers* Week. 



87 



they ought not to know that they make trouble, but we know that 

 you are here for business, and that you are going to have a good 

 time and a profitable time, and go home and make better farmers. 

 Columbia is the greatest town in Missouri; in fact, we have 

 long since given it up that it is the best town in the world. It has 

 everything worth having — and lots of things not worth having; 

 we have everything here. We have everything that you want and 

 lots that you ought not to have, and we want you to take what is 

 best and enjoy yourselves while in our city. Columbia, with its 

 big poultry show, with its beautiful homes, with its well-improved 

 streets; Columbia with its slippery streets and slippery people; 

 Columbia, with its magnificient railroad terminals, bids you a 

 hearty welcome. 



AN ADDRESS OF WELCOME ON BEHALF OF THE COLUM- 

 BIA COMMERCIAL CLUB. 



(Hon. N. T. Gentry.) 



It is true, as stated by our presiding officer, that I graduated 

 from the College of Agriculture of the Missouri 

 University in 1884, but I did not practice farm- 

 ing. However, I married a Missouri farmer, 

 and have ever since had great admiration and 

 sympathy for farmers. 



It is a pleasure for the Columbia Com- 

 "W^T^L mercial Club to say "Welcome, farmers of Mis- 

 jW J^^^ souri." The organization to which I belong and 

 ^^tBtK/li^k which I now represent is composed mostly of 

 educators, manufacturers, business and pro- 

 fessional men; but we also have some members 

 who are farmers. I am glad to say that the citizens of this little 

 city and many of the farmers of this county are realizing that they 

 are friends and dependent on one another, and the success of one 

 will result in benefit to the other. 



We welcome you because you are from Missouri. Some of 

 you are Missourians by choice and others by birth. And I am 

 sure that the adopted citizens of Missouri ought to be as proud of 

 their adoption as we native Missourians are proud of our nativity. 



N. T. Gentry. 



