148 TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II 



tions in the state and you will have the best government. The best gov- 

 ernment is that government where every eye in the state is fastened 

 squarely upon every one of its public servants. I wonder how many of 

 you men have written to your congressman lately in regard to your view 

 on any subject. One. We ought to have more interest in public affairs 

 than is manifested in this assembly here this afternoon. You are repre- 

 sentative men of the great agricultural interests of the state of Iowa 

 and you ought to keep in constant communication with the men whose 

 legislation either makes profitable or disastrous the result of your enter- 

 prise. They will welcome it. Any public servant who wants to do his 

 duty, and I think they all do, will be glad to hear from the men to 

 whom he is responsible for his public conduct. Write to them. Let us 

 bring some pressure to bear and see if we can get a reduction of freight 

 rates in the Mississippi valley. I wrote to Senator Kenyon, who is a very 

 active man in the interest of the Iowa farmer. I wrote to him and told 

 him we would have to have new freight rates or go into bankruptcy. He 

 wrote back and said the Interstate Commerce Commission would not give 

 us new freight rates. Then I said to him in that event we ought to have a 

 new Interstate Commerce Commission. We have come to that place right 

 now in this country. We want a commission there that will be responsive 

 to public opinion and the demand of the people in the Mississippi valley. 



President Cameron : I think that completes our program for this 

 afternoon. The next order of business will be the election of officers 

 and members of the State Board of Agriculture. 



Vice President Mullen : We v^ill now proceed to the election of 

 the president of the State Board of Agriculture for the coming year. 

 What is your pleasure. 



L. W. Emery of Clay county : Mr. Vice President, Northwestern 

 Iowa once again wishes to present the name that needs no introduc- 

 tion, Mr. C. E. Cameron of Alta, Iowa. 



C. P. Harvey of Crawford county seconded the nomination. R. J. 

 Shanahan of Story county then moved that the nominations be 

 closed, the rules suspended, and that the secretary be instructed to 

 cast the entire ballot of the Society for Mr. Cameron for president. 

 Motion was seconded and carried and the secretary announced that 

 he so cast the entire vote of the convention for Mr. Cameron. The 

 vice president declared Mr. Cameron duly elected as president to 

 succeed himself for the ensuing year. 



President Cameron : Gentlemen, you do not know how much I 

 appreciate this honor and especially at this time. I want to say to 

 you men, in behalf of the Department of Agriculture, if there is any- 

 thing that the State Board of Agriculture can do for you people to 

 make your fairs a success do not hesitate to call upon us. I thank 

 you, gentlemen. 



