PROCEEDINGS CORN BELT MEAT PRODUCERS' ASSN. 501 



THE BANQUET 



Savery Hotel, Wednesday Evening, December 30, 1922 



The President : Ladies and Gentlemen and Friends — We have 

 again met under these very pleasant surroundings to celebrate 

 our annual banquet gathering, and as president of the Corn Belt 

 Meat Producers' Association I want to express to you our most 

 hearty appreciation of your presence with us on this occasion, 

 both the ladies and the gentlemen — especially the ladies. 



This, I think, to most of us is what we might term a happy oc- 

 casion, or sort of celebration or love feast. I well recall the first 

 one of these banquets we held over here in the old Savery ban- 

 quet room when the old Savery building was standing here ; and 

 Secretary Wallace and myself, as we discussed the proposition in 

 advance of the venture in regard to holding a banquet in connec- 

 tion with our annual meeting, were sort of skeptical as to whether 

 it was the thing to do or not. But after the first banquet we did 

 not have any more skepticism or doubts as to the success of it, 

 because every one seems to get better and with a larger interest 

 and more in attendance. 



Aside from the splendid dinner that you have partaken of, 

 which we know you have all enjoyed, we hope that you will enjoy 

 the other feature of this banquet that will be served to you from 

 this on, and we know you will. Somehow we have been exceed- 

 ingly fortunate this year in being able to practically fill our 

 places and our program with speakers, with the exception of one 

 disappointment that we have had just since we met in this ban- 

 quet room. I announced to you during the session that our pro- 

 gram was full, that all of the speakers would be in attendance, 

 but unfortunately the railroads have tied up one of them and he 

 will not be able to be with us. 



I sort of feel at home among you people. I almost feel out of 

 place — that is the truth of the matter — I have stood up before 

 you so often and so many times in the past, and you know when I 

 turn to my right and look on our honored guest tonight I really 

 can hardly realize that we have with us a member of the presi- 

 dent's cabinet, who used to sit here at the table with us as the 

 secretary of our organization. 



It just seems to me somehow — and you will pardon me for 

 these remarks — that I ought to turn to him as the secretary of 

 the Corn Belt Meat Producers' Association and confer with him 

 as such instead of as Secretary of Agriculture of this great na- 



