338 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



uted around over this institution, and I certainly feel more than a 

 passing interest on their account. 



The program says that I am to talk ten minutes upon the sub- 

 ject, "The Country Paper and the Farmer." I have had seventeen 

 years experience in a country printing office, and believe that I 

 have some few thoughts and original views which might be of in- 

 terest to you this afternoon. One suggestion I wish to make to 

 the farmers and newspaper men: I have discovered that compe- 

 tition among farmers and the wives of farmers is a good thing to 

 raise the standard of farm products. I live in Dunklin county 

 (right next to Arkansas — and that is the worst thing you can say 

 of us). It was once referred to as "swamp east" Missouri, and 

 they say we are web-footed down there. This is not true. We 

 have some of the finest land in the State of Missouri, and are 

 proud of it and like to tell about it, and you will please pardon me 

 for referring to the fact, but I want you to know about it. Down 

 there we did have a low standard of products; for instance, our 

 corn, cotton, wheat, and even the articles manufactured by the 

 women, with the aid of the domestic animal, butter and milk. 

 Some years ago I conceived the plan of asking some of the farmers 

 of my county to give a short, accurate statement of their annual 

 receipts and give us ideas about their farms and what they were 

 doing, and I would publish it, that it might be of interest and ben- 

 efit to others to see what they were doing. I published about six 

 or eight of these statements the first year, and the first thing I 

 knew I was pleased to see that some of the farmers would come 

 in and say: "Let me see such and such a manuscript." I could 

 see that they were interested, so would show the statement to 

 them and prove the published reports. The next year Mr. Brown, 

 would try to beat John Jones or Bill Smith, and so the Browns, 

 Jones and Smiths raised the standard of their products, each by 

 trying to excel the other. 



Now, I hardly know what to say further along that line, be- 

 cause the subject-matter has been covered by Mr. Brydon, and 

 the chairman, Mr. Childers, and as I am the younger, I do not be- 

 lieve it would be just right for me to attempt to tell them or you 

 how to conduct a farm or a farm paper. But I certainly appre- 

 ciate the opportunity of being permitted this afternoon to meet 

 you — the leading farmers and editors of the State. 



I appreciate your attention and thank you for indulging me 

 in, these remarks. 



