566 TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VII 



can bring about an adjustment in production which will result in a very- 

 pronounced material advantage to the farmers of Iowa. 



In the Department of Agriculture it is my ambition that we shall be 

 able to cooperate with not only the agriculture colleges and experiment 

 stations in each state, as we have been doing for many years, but shall 

 be able to cooperate with the various state marketing organizations and 

 other organizations which are studying the business side of farming so 

 that gradually we can work out a national agricultural policy — first a 

 state policy and then a national agricultural policy that will result in 

 putting our agriculture on a thoroughly sound business basis. We have 

 gotten to the time when, if we hope to maintain the standard of living 

 which we have been demanding for the people of the farm, and maintain 

 the fertility of the soil, we have got to have a definite agricultural policy 

 and all work toward it, and it is my ambition that the national Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture shall be able through cooperation with these vari- 

 ous agencies and the various state organizations to make same real prog- 

 ress toward working out that enduring national policy during the next 

 four years. 



I cannot tell you how much pleasure it is to me to have the opportunity 

 to meet with Iowa people even for a short time. There is one difficulty 

 about these short trips, in one way they are an aggravation — the first 

 day I usually just loaf around, thinking I will get down to some of the 

 things I ought to do the second day, and then before I realize it evening 

 has come and train time is almost here. I have missed the opportunity 

 to meet with you here. I had expected to spend most of the day here 

 with you, and this contact tonight, although I have done most of the 

 talking so far, makes me feel as though I was among my own family 

 again. I have to leave in a few minutes on the way back to Washing- 

 ton, and I hope that any of you who come to Washington will not fail to 

 report to the Department of Agriculture. You know there is such a mass 

 of administrative work there that one can be entirely immersed in it 

 without realizing conditions unless you people out in the country keep 

 me in touch with actual conditions. I cannot get out often enough to 

 get that knowledge, which I must have, and if because of that mass of 

 administrative work I gradually lose touch with what is going on in the 

 country, it will be your fault and not mine, because it is your job to come 

 to see me. I would like to have you to write me now and then, and that 

 is the only way I can keep up to date on what is going on out in this 

 great western country, and what is in the farm mind here. Of course, 

 I am hoping to get out here more often in the future than I have in the 

 past, but until that time you have got the task of keeping me informed. 

 I thank you very much! (Applause.) 



The President : At this time I think 1 will entertain you by read- 

 ing you two letters which I have in my possession, which I know 

 will both interest and disappoint you. The first is dated at Chicago, 

 December 6. and reads as follows : 



Dear Mr. Sykes: The Interstate Commerce Commission has assigned 

 for hearing at Washington the case involving the general reduction in 



