TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII 381 



cow produce two pounds of butter where formerly only one grew. In 

 fact, I was a good deal like the old man who formerly lived in the north- 

 ern part of this county. He was a pessimist. Nothing ever suited him. 

 He looked at the world through blue glasses, and all this notwithstand- 

 ing the fact that Providence had treated him reasonably well and endowed 

 him with a fair share of the world's goods. To put a cap sheaf on his 

 real imaginary troubles he suffered a stroke of paralysis. While he was 

 confined to the house a revival was started in town. As soon as the old 

 man was able to get out he attended. He sat on a front seat and the 

 evangelist noticed him. One of the deacons informed the preacher that 

 this old fellow's name was Smith, and that he was one of their oldest 

 and most substantial citizens. After while the exhorter leaned over and 

 said: "Mr. Smith, won't you please tell these dear people what the Lord 

 has done for you?" The old man slouched to his feet, his face all drawn 

 down on one side and said: "Well, if you want to know. 111 just 'tell 

 you. The Lord has darned near ruined me." 



Perhaps 1 should feel that the dairymen nearly ruined me. 



However, I promised your secretary that I would tell you something 

 about dairying legislation and particularly that which was introduced 

 into or enacted by the Thirty-third General Assembly, the last in session. 

 To tell the truth, I am not in as good a position to give you the real 

 inside of the history of that legislation as your officers and legislative 

 committee are. About two years ago the dairying interests of this state 

 and this association represented by its legislative committee, organized 

 the most determined and, as events proved, the most effective lobby that 

 this state has seen for many years. They believed in organization and 

 action. They did not hide their light under a bushel or under a milk 

 can, but went to work. They were on the job all the while and never 

 overlooked the main chance. That little classic, 



"The lightning-bug is brilliant, but hasn't any mind; 

 It travels through the darkness with its headlight on behind." 



could not and did not apply to them. Before the primary they approached 

 or wrote to nearly every man who sought the legislative nomination. 

 After the primary they continued their work and besought the successful 

 nominees. As a result, when the legislature convened, out of 108 mem- 

 bers elected to the House, they had over 70 positive pledges of support for 

 their scheme. With this start they could not be blamed for feeling safe, 

 but you know there is many a slip 'twixt a pre-election promise and a 

 state appropriation bill passed and signed. Your association certainly 

 found it so. 



Your bill, as I rember it, proposed to appropriate $10,000 annually to 

 promoting the dairying interests of this state by educational methods. 

 As is customary, this bill was simultaneously introduced into both house 

 and senate. In the house it struck a snag in the committee on appro- 

 priations, of which I had the honor to be chairman. In that committee 

 it is the practice to recommend bills for passage or for indefinnite post- 

 ponement by secret ballot, and when your bill came up, notwithstanding 

 the pledges made in its favor and notwithstanding an eloquent plea made 



